GEW 2011 Day 3 ‘Our City – The Mail at the heart of it’

The day was titled ‘Our City – The Mail at the heart of it’. It was facilitated by popular BBC presenter Blair Jacobs and representatives of the Hull Daily Mail. The pupils were treated to a warm welcome from Councillor Colin Inglis, The Right Worshipful the Lord Mayor of Kingston upon Hull and Admiral of the Humber in his chains and robes of office. At the start of the day Jamie Macaskill, Assistant Editor at Mail News and Media set the scene by informing the young people about the role of the local newspaper in the community before a group of students from Hull College played out short scenes written for the day by local playwright Kate Brenan of Act the Facts about how reporters gather news and develop advertising content for the Hull Daily Mail.

During the day pupils attended a press conference relating to a big local news story which was about a visit to Hull by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge or to everyone in the audience Wills and Kate. The pupils got to play the role of journalists by listening and asking questions real life journalists in order to help them write a story for the Hull Daily Mail.

Pupils also had to speak to local business owners who would like to advertise in the Hull Daily Mail, as part of this the pupils learnt how to question a business for the right information to create an advert. The pupils than went on to take the news and advertising content they had gathered and had to write a news story or design an advert that would appear in the Hull Daily Mail.

After lunch the pupils learnt about how the editorial content gets onto the newspaper page and on the website and how the adverts get onto the newspaper page and on the website. They than went on to learn how we get the newspaper into the shops and delivered to homes, whilst understanding what makes people buy a newspaper.





Certificates / Awards were given out by Jamie Macaskill, Assistant Editor at Mail News and Media for:

1. Most Creative Story £500 Cash and Vouchers donated by the Co-operative went to the team from Broadacre Primary

2. Best Headline £250 Cash and Vouchers donated by Malet Lambert School went to the team from Griffin Primary

3. Most Creative Advert £150 Cash and Vouchers donated by Andrew Marvell School went to the team from Neasden Primary

4. Teamwork Award £100 Cash and Vouchers donated by Hertz Web Solutions went to the team from Greenway Primary

5. Best Journalist £100 Cash and Vouchers donated by KH Smilers went to the team from Gillshill Primary

6. Team that most used the 13 Enterprise Skills £100 Cash and Vouchers donated by Hull Ready went to the team from Victoria Dock Primary
Pupil Comments

Today has been absolutely great! I have enjoyed everything that has happened today especially when we had to write our very own report in a group ( reporters and advertising. I I haven’t got anything that I do not like about Hull University I like everything. The decorations are really pretty and are nicely set out.
Megan 10, Victoria Dock Primary school

Today I had a lot of fun. We had to write a news report and that was a lot of fun. I enjoyed working as a team and asking questions! My favourite part watching the report being edited.”
Lucy 11, Mountbatten Primary school

I am a pupil from Appleton, I had a once in a lifetime trip to Hull University. However the journey was tiring, I knew it was all going to be worth it. My favourite part was when me and the rest wrote a report. I think we should have won.
Nathan 10, Appleton Primary

I experienced the way work together in a team and the event I loved was planning the advert but you couldn’t change anything. I enjoyed it all.”
Libby 10, Gillshill Primary School

I’ve enjoyed the dinner and also when we made a newspaper
Ahmed 9, Broadacre Primary School

“It has helped the children to deal with high pressure situations; all of them from Broadacre Primary really enjoyed it and we will put the vouchers and money we won for coming first to good use thank you and we are looking forward to next year.”
Suzanne Moulson, Broadacre Primary School

Business Volunteer and Supporter Comments

“Brilliant job as usual! I was very impressed with how the young people responded so positively and confidently and produced great work throughout the day.”
Kate Brennan, Act the Facts

“The children seemed to really enjoy the day, and seem to gained an insight into how a newspaper works and that it is there to make money as well as serving its local community.”
Mike Notarantonio, Hull Ready Project Officer