Oliver, 13, Becomes World’s First Teenage Parliamentary Correspondent for the Good News Post after Winning Reporter of the Year and Interviewing Mr Speaker
By Jill Dando News
Oliver, 13, has made history as the world’s first teenage Parliamentary Correspondent for the Good News Post, marking the occasion with the release of his inspiring interview with Jill Dando patron and Mr Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle on YouTube.
Watch here https://youtube.com/shorts/Xy20VU2zOpY?si=P-OqBrselTideh6z
Days earlier Oliver was made Jill Dando News journalist of the year in a prestigious award presented by another patron - Weston-super-Mare Mayor John Crockford-Hawley, a long time former friend of Jill Dando.
Oliver has now become the world’s first teenage parliament correspondent after his achievement for Jill Dando News and the Good News Post.
It is the latest in a long line of inspirational students from Jill Dando News who have interviewed political figures such as Prime Minister Boris Johnson inside Downing Street and countless other people over the years.
Oliver’s Headteacher Mr Tidman said: “We are so proud of Oliver and his new role as parliamentary corespondent.
“Since 2017 students from our school have been making history meeting prime ministers, top business leaders worldwide, and other inspiring people. We are very proud of all of them.”
Earlier this year Oliver and his fellow journalists from Worle School travelled to the prestigious state rooms of Parliament to meet Mr Speaker who recently became a patron of the project.
He sat in the Press Gallery of the House of Commons and nesr his journalistic hero Laura Kuenssberg.
The project now inspires hundreds of young journalists across Somerset and even Malawi, Africa - continuing the legacy of their school’s most famous former student, Jill Dando.
At the ceremony Oliver delivered a moving speech about Jill Dando’s enduring legacy. He highlighted her humility and authenticity, stating:
“Jill Dando was a person of humility. Even when she was one of the most famous people in Britain, alongside Lady Diana and the Queen, she remained humble.
“Our Jill Dando Journalists are encouraged to be humble people. This is the expanding legacy of Jill Dando.”
The project has gained endorsements from global icons such as Sir Richard Branson, Sir Cliff Richard, and two UK Prime Ministers.
The Jill Dando News initiative, named after the celebrated journalist known as the “smiling face of Britain,” trains young people aged 7 to 18 in journalism and communication.
Under the guidance of professional journalists such as Nigel Dando and Fiona Bruce, students produce ethical, uplifting stories for platforms like the Good News Post and beyond.
The project’s influence has reached far beyond Somerset, spreading positivity across continents, including Africa—a region close to Jill Dando’s heart.
The first Jill Dando News reporter Olivia Finch, also from Worle School and now studying medicine at Bristol University, said: “Jill inspired us from day one with her life. Jill Dando News is a fitting, expanding legacy for Jill, who truly was ‘the smiling face of Britain.’”
As Oliver takes up his groundbreaking role as Parliamentary Correspondent, he and his fellow reporters continue to honour Jill’s legacy, proving that positivity, kindness, and good news can change lives - one story at a time.
For more of their stories see www.goodnewspost.co.uk
