A BLACKBURN student has been recognised for his journalistic talents after winning an award for an honest radio documentary he made about his own degenerative eye condition.
Mohammed Salim Patel, a 21-year-old final year journalism student at the University of Central Lancashire, was handed the Excellence in Journalism Award at the inaugural Great Northern Creative Festival, hosted by the Preston-based university.
Known as blogger TheBlindJournalist, Salim produced a 23-minute piece entitled ‘An Insight into Retinitis Pigmentosa’ (RP) for his final year project. The documentary explores how the condition, which causes a deterioration of the retina, affects sufferers as well as looking at what causes it, the research that’s being done to find a cure and the support available for people with RP.
The former Blackburn College student said: “This documentary has allowed me to raise awareness of an eye condition that affects 3.5 million people across the world and show what I’m capable of at the same time.
“I am ecstatic about winning this award and feel like all of my hard work has paid off.”
Salim secured a wealth of quality interviews for his documentary including ex-Eastenders actress Louisa Lytton whose cousin has RP, medical experts, representatives from charity RP Fighting Blindness and others with the condition.
Senior broadcast journalism lecturer Debora Robinson, who nominated Salim for the award, said: “Salim is exceptionally talented.
“It is remarkable he managed to secure interviews with such powerful contributors to create a documentary that is both informative and moving.
“Salim has completed several industrial placements and I’m sure in the future we will hear him broadcast professionally.”
Salim was one of 15 winners at the inaugural Great Northern Creative Festival awards ceremony which recognises the outstanding talents of UCLan students in media, film, photography and journalism.
It is sponsored by Northern Rail, which has a longstanding relationship with UCLan of promoting students’ talent.
Follow TheBlindJournalist blog at http://theblindjournalist.flavors.me/ to see Salim’s work.
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