Category: Scotland
Date: 28.06.2006
Printable version
A powerful BBC Scotland documentary about the lives of young asylum seekers has won the Nations and Regions Award in the Amnesty International UK Media Awards.
Tales from the Edge: Glasgow Girls scooped the award last night at the 15th annual Amnesty International UK Media Awards at London's Café Royal.
The awards recognise excellence in human rights reporting and acknowledge journalism's significant contribution to the UK public's awareness and understanding of human rights issues.
Produced by Lindsay Hill, the inspirational BBC Scotland film focused on four teenage friends who had been living in Glasgow for six years with the knowledge that one by one they could be removed from the country.
During filming, the friends' worst fears were realised when one of the girls was taken with her family at dawn to a holding centre for asylum seekers.
The film, which featured video diaries from the girls, was highly commended by Scotland's Children's Commissioner, Professor
Kathleen Marshall.
It also provided the catalyst for a huge public and Scottish Parliamentary campaign to oppose the 'dawn raids' on asylum seeker children resident in Scotland.
Producer Lindsay Hill said: "I feel overwhelmed and truly honoured to be receiving this award because I've always believed so strongly in Amnesty International as an organisation.
"But I couldn't have made this film without the trust and co-operation of the asylum seeking families in Glasgow who let me film with them morning, noon and night, during what were some really traumatising episodes for them. This award is as much for them as it is for me and BBC Scotland."
Notes to Editors
The BBC won three awards at the 2006 Amnesty International UK Media Awards:
Radio
Reports from rural China, BBC Radio 4
Rupert Wingfield Hayes
Television documentary and docudrama
Asylum, BBC ONE
Amanda Richardson, Peter Gordon
Nations and Regions
Tales from the Edge: Glasgow girls, BBC Scotland
Lindsey Hill and Simon Parsons
JG2
