Student magazine shortlisted for national newcomer award

“Creating this publication alongside our wider studies is something that we are all immensely proud of, so it is a very welcome affirmation of our efforts to be put forward for this award.” Student Kirsti Straw

A student-led publication at Coleg Sir Gâr has been shortlisted for a best newcomer award by Student Publications Association. 

Graig Dispatch, a magazine for students at the college’s Graig campus, has been led and created by Evie Somers and Kirsti Straw and it is currently in its third edition. 

The Student Publication Association (SPA) is the largest student media association, representing student newspapers, magazines, websites and other publishing across the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. 

Graig Dispatch has been shortlisted in the category of Best Newcomer Publication

Identifying that the college or Graig campus didn’t yet have a student magazine, Kirsti and Evie put together a team of student writers and photographers to support the creation of Graig Dispatch.

Bringing like-minded individuals to their cause, their first meeting of what would become Graig Dispatch happened in January 2025.  

Their guiding principles for the magazine were clear; a student-run and student-published magazine with journalistic standards and ethics at its heart. 

The editorial and design teams have been integral in introducing this new initiative and have since been producing content that investigates various issues such as the future of Welsh Rugby and the efficiency of mental health awareness.

Through teamwork, editorial meetings and a lot of work outside of their studies, they are very proud of their achievements.

For Kirsti and Evie, being a significant part of this magazine has also reinforced their career choices and has set them firmly on the path to becoming journalists with the experience influencing their university choices. “Producing our first magazine was a risk and essentially an experiment,” said Kirsti. “We had little knowledge or prediction of how it would be received by fellow students and staff, but seeing what the publication has become and watching it be continued by future students and contributors is undoubtedly rewarding.”

With co-founders Evie and Kirsti at the helm during their final college year and as they progress their studies to university level, the editorial responsibilities now lie in the capable hands of students Eleanor Toft and Leon-Alvarez-Collinson.

Evie Somers said: “The recognition from SPA by shortlisting us for Best Newcomer Publication is a testament to the amount of work put in by the entire team across the past academic year. 

“Creating this publication alongside our wider studies is something that we are all immensely proud of, so it is a very welcome affirmation of our efforts to be put forward for this award. 

Kirsti Straw added: “In the beginning of creating Graig Dispatch, we both had aspirations of entering the world of journalism, and this has been affirmed and supported by our experience creating it. As we both move on to university and pursue these ambitions, we are thankful for the opportunity to create such a publication and hope it will continue to offer other students a chance to explore roles within magazine production themselves.”