DC Thomson writers recognised for journalism supporting refugees

The P&J’s Lindsay Bruce has been honoured for her work in telling the story of a frontline Ukraine medic reuniting with his wife and baby in Aberdeen after a year apart.

Lindsay won the award for ‘best local media’ coverage at the Refugee Festival Scotland Media Awards this month, which celebrates ‘the exemplary work of journalists in Scotland covering refugee and asylum issues’.  

The piece in The P&J, which featured footage by local videographer Tucker Tangeman, captured the powerful moment Artur Sokol was reunited with his wife Yuliia and baby daughter.  

Lindsay said: “It’s really important to both myself and Tucker that the ongoing stories of war and its displaced people don’t get forgotten. 

“We also wanted to make sure we captured and elevated their voices. We’re both delighted and very proud to have won the local media category and hope their story helps change the narrative on how refugees and asylum seekers are thought about.” 

This is the second time Lindsay has won the award, last year winning the same category for her coverage of another Ukrainian family reuniting in Aberdeen after a long struggle to get them to safety.

Amie Flett from The Courier was named runner-up in the ‘local media’ category this year, for her story about a Dundee University student who spent 14 years in a refugee camp, and Patricia-Ann Young, writing in The Sunday Post was named runner up in the features category for her tale of refugees performing alongside members of the Scottish Opera.  

Sabir Zazai, CEO of the Scottish Refugee Council described this year’s shortlist as ‘an impressive and crucial contribution’ to the dialogue around people seeking protection in the UK. 

He added: “It has never been more important to tell the stories of people seeking sanctuary in a responsible way that puts the people behind the headlines first.”