JRF names the winners of its Journalist Fellowship awards
Connie St Louis, a freelance broadcaster, and Richard Tomlinson, until recently the European Correspondent of Fortune magazine, have been awarded Journalist Fellowships by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation that will enable them to write books on challenging areas of social policy.
Their proposals were chosen by a panel of judges from more than 80 applications for the fellowships, worth £50,000 each. The awards are designed to allow distinguished journalists time away from their normal work to research and write their book ideas and see them into print.
- Connie St Louis, a presenter and programme maker for the BBC, has chosen the title Raising Ham: How to raise a black son for her book. It concerns the difficulties facing black boys and men in the UK and will build on a critically acclaimed two-part documentary that she made for Radio 4. The book will examine the challenges for black parents and offer practical guidance.
- Richard Tomlinson's proposed book, Late Shift, will ask whether business can adjust to Britain's 'ageing' society. Pensions underfunding may compel millions of older employees to extend their working years beyond retirement age. But there is no guarantee that companies will welcome a 'greying' labour market.
Commenting on the awards, Lord Best, Director of the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, said: "Our judges were delighted to find such worthy winners out of a hugely competitive field. We believe the outcome will be timely and fascinating books that deal in an original way with issues linked to the Foundation's long-term interest in tackling social disadvantage."
