Westminster hosts first ever Patrick Stoddart Award for student journalists in memory of former Senior Lecturer and BBC journalist

Patrick began his career in local newspapers in the 1960s at the Watford Observer, before reaching the peak of his professional career at the BBC and The Sunday Times. He joined Westminster in 2005 and taught for more than 15 years before his retirement in 2021.

The award, set up by his widow Nicki Stoddart after his death, is open to all Digital Media BA Honours students within the School of Media and Communications as well as Multimedia Journalism MA students studying either on the broadcast or print and online pathways.  

To enter, students submitted a piece of work from one of their modules in a range of mediums, such as written, audio, online or video.

The ceremony featured speeches from former Principal Lecturer in Journalism Jim McClellan and Patrick’s former colleagues and students Yvette Twagiramariya, Stefan Pape and two friends and associates from other areas of Patrick’s life, Sarah Esdaile and Brigid Larmour. The students reflected on their experiences of being lectured and mentored by Patrick, highlighting his commitment to nurturing young journalists. Nicki Stoddart also shared a few words, giving thanks to everyone involved in bringing the memorial together and honouring Patrick’s extensive impact on so many students.

The winner of this year’s award was Multimedia Journalism (Print & Online) MA student Paola Massimo, who was recognised for her multimedia storytelling project titled A Platform For All. Her piece explored The Dialogue Express, a newly established café in Stratford made out of a repurposed train carriage where all customers must place their orders in British Sign Language (BSL). Paola’s work not only spotlighted an underrepresented community but also examined the café’s impact on the deaf and hard of hearing communities, including its role in improving employment opportunities.

As well as interviewing the owner, Hakan Elbir, about his journey in creating the Dialogue Express, Paola immersed herself into the experience and ordered a cappuccino in BSL herself.

Paola received a winning prize of £600 as well as mentorship with media professional Maria Astardjieva, Deputy Head of SEO at The Metro and former student of Patrick.

About the award, Paola said: “It’s an honour to win the first ever Patrick Stoddart Award for Journalism. My project was one of the first pieces of work I had done for my Master’s and the course has given me lots of guidance to make this piece as strong as it could be. The ceremony was a fantastic experience to not only network with other people in the industry, but to learn more about Patrick and the fantastic influence he has had on his students.

“Getting involved myself with ordering at the café shows that anyone can learn BSL, and I hope that the story can be used to open a wider conversation for more venues to be able to accommodate marginalised communities.”

Jim Grice, Course Leader of the Multimedia Journalism MA course, added: “We are delighted that Nicki and the rest of the Stoddart family have decided to honour Patrick’s memory in this way. The first set of finalists all produced very strong work, and we are looking forward to the award becoming the annual showcase for all that is best in journalism at Westminster.”

Paola’s work towards the award directly contributes to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 4: Quality Education, 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth and 10: Reduced Inequalities. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.

Learn more about Media and Communication courses at the University of Westminster.