We offer each of our trainees a summer bursary of up to £1,000 every summer of their degree to spend on journalism work experience or a journalism project, giving them the unique opportunity to travel and explore the areas of journalism they are passionate about.
Here, School of Journalism trainee Poppy Dippnall shares how she spent her summer bursary on covering Cheshire Fashion Week.
Receiving the bursary from The School of Journalism allowed me to report on Cheshire Fashion Week Summer 2024 which was an incredible opportunity. This was my first time reporting on a high-end fashion show with independent designers. The event was in partnership with Porsche.
Had such an amazing experience covering the Cheshire Fashion Week 2024 sponsored by Porsche. Expect the report soon… 📸 #CFW pic.twitter.com/CaKPraSuI9
— Poppy Dippnall (@PDippnall) June 15, 2024
The event was first formed in 2019 by Claire Namukolo Raven and the show highlights upcoming fashion talent from around the globe.
Speaking to Claire enabled me to develop my investigation skills as a journalist as I learnt some valuable insight into the event that helped steer the angle of my articles.
I was able to access exclusive backstage interviews with designers and models which allowed me to learn more about what makes a fashion show run smoothly. Searching for the right interviewees required research to see who would be more desirable – for example, I knew I wanted to interview the Original Ireland’s designer, Angela Cerriku, who won the best designer for the 2024 Fashion Week Awards UK.
Covering Cheshire Fashion Week sharpened my skills as a journalist to interview more efficiently around the hustle and bustle of the designers getting the models show ready.
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I watched the runway shows in awe as I gained a deeper appreciation for the efforts put into the show. I sharpened my multimedia camera skills by making the social media video of the models walking down the runway – I took a variety of shots to engage the audience as much as possible.
Capturing the perfect moments was so important, such as the reveal of the new Porsche Tycoon model which was unveiled on the second night of the show. As well as videos, I took photos of the models strutting down the runway to provide visual content for the article. The timing here was crucial to get a clear shot of their outfit and avoid crossover from the other models.
Ultimately, the bursary not only supported my attendance at the event but also refined my skills as a journalist to report more effectively in a fast-paced and exciting environment.
The Cheshire Fashion Week was a memorable experience that I will take with me as I continue to grow and evolve as a journalist, all of which I couldn’t have done without the aid of The School of Journalism.
You can read some of my published work below:
You can read more summer bursary blogs here.
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