Journalism career starts with history on your doorstep

The latest winner of an academic bursary from the Guild of St Bride is a 22-year-old who has been studying for four years within walking distance of the church and has explored this historic part of London to research and write her first journalism.

Charlotte Galea becomes the 16th recipient of a Guild scholarship, in the bursary scheme’s 14th year, winning an award of £4,200 towards the fees of a masters course she starts this autumn at City, St George’s University. From Chatham, Kent, she was expected to graduate from King’s College London with a first-class honours degree in history at the end of July.

She was interviewed along with two other outstanding candidates at City by a panel including the Master of the Guild, Lord Black, the Rector of St Bride’s, the Reverend Canon Dr Alison Joyce, the director of the newspaper journalism MA course at City, Paul Solman SFHEA, and Guild Court member and Financial Times journalist Simon Greaves. 

In the course of her slide presentation to the panel in support of her application for funding and interview, Charlotte explained that she is very close to her family and proud of its working-class roots. She and her brother Jack were raised by a single mother, and educated in Catholic state schools. She told us she struggled with mental ill-health that resulted in six months out of school at the age of 14, but added that getting back through the school gates was the best thing she ever did. 

In her approach to journalism, she believes firmly in universal access to responsible and unbiased news, as well as the importance of a good education, which was fundamental to her academic success. She has already written on diverse topics as a staff writer at KCL’s newspaper, Roar.

This early work has included an interview with the Priest-in-Charge of St Mary Le Strand, The Revd Canon Peter Babington, an opinion piece about rising conservatism among young women, and a love letter to her hometown where disaffected voters are being courted by Reform. 

She says she finds inspiration from the world around her and wants to tell the stories of people and issues that have been pushed to the margins, while also advocating for freedom of the press in what is a dangerous world for journalists. She is very excited to see where City’s training will take her career.

In her spare time she is learning Italian to connect with her father’s parents roots, enjoys being part of an amateur theatre group in her home town, and also loves reading, writing creatively, and spending time with her close family. 

Written by: Simon Greaves, Video Revise Editor, Financial Times/FT.com, and member of the Guild of St Bride’s