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2025 Regional Award Winners
The Student Publication Association (SPA) has now announced all the winners of its 2025 Regional Awards.
We were thrilled to see a 57% increase in entries to our regional awards this year, and we were blown away by the quality of the submissions. Overall we gave out 117 awards celebrating the work of 60 amazing publications - you can read the full list of winners below.
We were also pleased to be able to hold successful in-person regional conferences in the Midlands, London, Scotland and Wales for the first time since the pandemic. You can view photos from some of these events here.
Remember our national awards nominations are open until 16th February - enter here.
Regional awards results
Midlands
Announced at the SPA x Impact: Midlands Regional Conference and Awards 2025 at the University of Nottingham on 14th December 2024.
Best Publication
Winner: The Boar
Highly Commended: Redbrick
Best Specialist
Winner: Perspectives
Highly Commended: Planorama
Best Digital
Winner: Lingo
Highly Commended: Pharos
Best Design (Print)
Winner: Planorama
Highly Commended: Lingo
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Luke Chapman, The Boar
Highly Commended: Raahimah Saeed, Cobalt Magazine
Best Journalist
Winner: Anna Bickerton, The Boar
Highly Commended: Molly Lee, The Leicestershire Press
Best Article
Winner: Rachel Gore, The Boar, More needs doing: Assessing the state of inclusivity and accessibility of sport at Warwick
Highly Commended: Martin Day & Tom Ryan, The Boar, BREAKING: Outrage as University of Warwick hosts ‘far-right’ “New Order” conference
London
Announced at the SPA x Strand: London Regional Conference and Awards 2025 at King's College London in partnership with News Associates on 15th January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: The Cheese Grater Magazine
Highly Commended: Roar News
Best Specialist
Winner: Strand Magazine
Highly Commended: Kinesis
Best Digital
Winner: The Cheese Grater Magazine
Highly Commended: The Standard
Best Design (Print)
Winner: The Beaver
Highly Commended: The Cheese Grater Magazine
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Kayla Rahaman, Roar News
Highly Commended: Jana Bazeed, Roar News
Best Journalist
Winner: Malvika Murkumbi, The Cheese Grater Magazine
Highly Commended: Matthew Pellow, Roar News
Best Article
Winner: Lucy Reade, Pi Online, The Case for Assisted Dying
Highly Commended: Andrea Bidnic, The Cheese Grater Magazine, A ‘culture of overwork and abuse’: Years after the first complaints, the mistreatment of PGTAs continues
Best Photographer
Winner: Aden Ovenden, The Standard
Scotland
Announced at the SPA x GCU: Scotland Regional Conference and Awards 2025 at Glasgow Caledonian University and Strathclyde Students' Union in partnership with The Herald on 18th January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: The Saint
Highly Commended: The Glasgow Guardian
Best Specialist
Winner: Braw
Highly Commended: GIST
Best Digital
Winner: The Saint
Highly Commended: Brig Newspaper
Best Design (Print)
Winner: GIST
Highly Commended: Brig Newspaper
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Rhiannon McGovern, Strathclyde Telegraph
Highly Commended: Anna Claire Shuman, The Student
Best Journalist
Winner: Jan Jasinski, The Glasgow Guardian
Highly Commended: Matthew Borrie, Strathclyde Telegraph
Best Article
Winner: Kate Bailey Tonkin, The Glasgow Guardian, “It was a choice that saved my life, but my body still felt like it was grieving”: in conversation with Glasgow Students for Choice’s Vice President about abortion
Highly Commended: Nina Miller, The Glasgow Guardian, An evening with Glasgow Wheelchair Rugby
Best Photographer
Winner: Alden Arnold, The Saint
North
Announced on 20th January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: Palatinate
Highly Commended: The Mancunion
Best Specialist
Winner: Muse
Highly Commended: The Lemon Press
Best Digital
Winner: Nouse
Highly Commended: Indigo
Best Design (Print)
Winner: Indigo
Highly Commended: THREAD
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Sophie Layton, Forge Press
Highly Commended: Lily Gershon, Palatinate
Best Journalist
Winner: Tom Layton, Nouse
Highly Commended: Elliot Burrin, Palatinate
Best Article
Winner: Eddie Atkinson, The Lemon Press, Sabbs with Benefits
Highly Commended: Bertie Kirkwood, The Courier, Dancing back in Tyne: flourishing folk dance night announces new spin-off
Best Photographer
Winner: Arabella Wright, The Gryphon
Highly Commended: Joshua Haining, Nouse & HARD Magazine
Ireland & Northern Ireland
Announced on 22nd January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: The College Tribune
Highly Commended: University Times
Best Specialist
Winner: The Apiary
Highly Commended: The Eagle
Best Digital
Winner: ETC Magazine
Highly Commended: University Observer
Best Design (Print)
Winner: Icarus Magazine
Highly Commended: Misc Magazine
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Terri Malone, Silverhand Journal
Highly Commended: Katie O'Shaughnessy, The College View
Best Journalist
Winner: Phoebe Pascoe, TCD Misc.
Highly Commended: Kate Byrne, Trinity News
Best Article
Winner: Hazel Mulkeen, Trinity News, Gianna Care: Misinformation on a Bathroom Door
Highly Commended: Faye Madden, Trinity News, As Israel invades Lebanon, Trinity once again fails its Middle Eastern students
Best Photographer
Winner: Neasa Nic Corcráin, Trinity News
Highly Commended: Jimena Alvarez, Trinity News
South West
Announced on 25th January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: Exeposé
Highly Commended: The Croft
Best Specialist
Winner: That's What She Said
Highly Commended: Razz
Best Digital
Winner: Epigram
Highly Commended: That's What She Said
Best Design (Print)
Winner: Exeposé
Highly Commended: Epigram
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Julia Mullins, Epigram
Highly Commended: Kevin Ciobanu, Bath Time Magazine
Best Journalist
Winner: Gracie Moore, Exeposé
Highly Commended: Sofia Webster, Epigram
Best Article
Winner: Poppy Jabelman, Exeposé, Just Stop Oil Forum protest, one year on: reflections from George Simonson in prison
Highly Commended: Charlie Gershinson, Exeposé, "Shambolic": Exeter students deliver verdicts on EGB fiasco
Best Photographer
Winner: Anushka Holding, The Croft
South East
Announced on 28th January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: Concrete
Highly Commended: Cambridge Language Collective
Best Specialist
Winner: Gender Agenda
Highly Commended: The Isis
Best Digital
Winner: The Oxford Blue
Best Design (Print)
Winner: The Badger
Highly Commended: Cherwell
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Fiona Hill & Jamie Bryson, Concrete
Highly Commended: Kiaya Phillips, The Oxford Blue
Best Journalist
Winner: Isabella Poderico, The Badger
Highly Commended: Éilis Mathur, Cherwell
Best Article
Winner: Sanaya Narula, Cherwell, On poetry, prison, and new notions of time: In conversation with Mohsen Mohamed
Highly Commended: Kelsey Moriarty, The Isis, The Count: Local woman is from two places at once (just like the VP)
Best Photographer
Winner: David Hays, Cherwell
Wales
Announced at the SPA x JOMEC: Wales Regional Conference and Awards 2025 at the University of Cardiff's School of Journalism, Media and Culture on 31st January 2025.
Best Publication
Winner: Quench Magazine
Highly Commended: Gair Rhydd
Best Digital
Winner: Quench Magazine
Best Design (Print)
Winner: Quench Magazine
Highly Commended: Gair Rhydd
Outstanding Commitment
Winner: Katie Storrie, Quench Magazine
Highly Commended: Annabelle Lee, Gair Rhydd
Best Journalist
Winner: Olivia Griffin, Quench Magazine
Highly Commended: Thomas Wilson, Gair Rhydd
Best Article
Winner: Rebecca Watson, Quench Magazine, Stardust - Nat King Cole and the Mother of my Mother’s Mother
Highly Commended: Sam Davies, Quench Magazine, Afraid to Give a Cwtch: The Stigma Surrounding Platonic Affection Among Men
Best Photographer
Winner: Thandi Nia Carklin, Quench Magazine
