The Independent’s health and travel correspondents win top journalism awards

Rebecca Thomas and Simon Calder were highly praised by the judges at the British Journalism Awards

Rebecca Thomas, The Independent’s health correspondent, and travel correspondent Simon Calder have been honoured at the British Journalism Awards.

Ms Thomas was given the Health and Life Sciences Journalism award for “critical stories on the state of the NHS and, in part, how it has been affected by the Covid-19 pandemic”, the Press Gazette judges said.

They hailed her “proper revelatory journalism, praised by health professionals and benefiting the public”.

She has led The Independent’s recent coverage of the pandemic and the worsening NHS healthcare crisis.

Just last month, she investigated how the mental health care system is close to collapse.

In October, she revealed how struggling hospices fear demand for beds will grow as dying patients cannot afford to heat their homes.

Mr Calder was also a winner, being awarded the Travel Journalism prize for his reporting as a “fantastic consumer champion who led the way on all the big travel stories over the last year”.

Mr Calder has kept passengers and holidaymakers updated on the details of disruption to services during the rail strikes, and regularly answers readers’ questions with great expertise on subjects ranging from cancellations and compensation to the best sights to see in far-flung parts of the world.

In typically modest style, he tweeted that his colleague Ms Thomas had won, without mentioning his own award.

Simon Calder with awards presenter Jeremy Vine (Aidan Synnott – ASV Photogrpahy)

David Marley, acting editor of The Independent, said: “I'm delighted to see the extraordinary work of Rebecca and Simon celebrated at the British Journalism Awards.

“Rebecca continues a proud tradition of health reporting at The Independent and in the aftermath of the pandemic, it's a beat that is more important than ever to our readers.

“Her coverage has given them a window into the problems facing the NHS and shone a light on crucial issues.

“For more than 25 years Simon has been the face of The Independent's travel coverage – from print to digital, podcasts and Independent TV – and it's fantastic to see the judges recognise his indefatigable work as a champion for travellers' consumer rights.”