Awards
I’ve won 3 journalism awards and have been nominated for 7 others to date. These include:
Winner: 'Young Journalist 25 and Under' at Guild of Health Writers’ Awards (2018)
The prestigious Guild of Health Writers Awards ‘recognises and applauds top quality health journalism from leading journalists working in the health and medical fields’. My winning long-form feature for Cancer Nursing Practice, ‘The disruptive effects of breast cancer treatment’, reported on how a diagnosis of breast cancer at a young age affects sexual intimacy with partners.
Judges commended my article as: “A sensitive and well-researched piece into how patients’ personal relationships can be affected.”
Winner: 'New Business Media Journalist of the Year’ at PPA New Talent Awards (2017)
The awards ‘reward and recognise publishing's rising stars’. My winning features covered mental health nursing, nursing children and young people and emergency nursing for Nursing Standard, Mental Health Practice and Learning Disability Practice.
Judges said: “This impressive entry paints the picture not just of a talented journalist, but of someone who puts a tremendous amount of heart at the centre of each piece she writes. Layla has the valuable ability to stir the reader’s feelings, and our judges all commented on the emotional reaction they had to her work. She is dedicated to the industry she writes about, focusses on the audience she serves, and is clearly eager to make a genuine difference to the title’s next generation of readers.”
Winner: ‘Outstanding Young Journalist’ at Asian Media Awards (2014)
The awards recognise and reward the very best British Asian journalists working in the media. My winning features included how disability cuts are affecting students’ futures for The Independent. My work was commended by judges for ‘producing a series of original and exclusive columns for student and national publications.’
Judge Paul Broster, Director at the Journalism and School of Arts and Media at University of Salford said: “The word outstanding is very apt. The winner was someone whose work was truly outstanding and prolific. Taking on big issues – mental health, alcohol addiction and fighting for the disabled.”
I’ve also been shortlisted for 7 other awards:
Shortlisted: 'Features Award' at Amnesty Media Awards (2020)
The prestigious awards celebrate excellence in human rights journalism. My piece made the shortlist of just 10 entries out of hundreds chosen by Amnesty in the 'Features' category. My exclusive Bustle UK feature investigated how women with physical disabilities are being denied access to life-saving cervical screenings and how access can be a postcode lottery.
2020 marked Amnesty's 28th annual Media Awards which recognise the vital role journalists play and the serious risks they face in highlighting human rights abuses around the world.
Shortlisted: 'Media Award' at Asian Woman of Achievement Awards (2019)
The awards platform phenomenal Asian women across the UK who are making a valuable and important contribution to British life. My long-form shortlisted features included my exclusive investigation on women in the USA legally forced to share custody with their perpetrators for The Establishment.
The judges said: “Layla contributes to national magazines in the UK and US, with work that aims to challenge existing notions about issues affecting the British Muslim community. She tackles hard-hitting issues rarely covered in mainstream media.”
Shortlisted: 'Newcomer Of The Year' at Medical Journalists’ Association Awards (2017)
The awards recognise outstanding health journalism. I was shortlisted for my health feature, ‘Every picture tells a story’ for Learning Disability Practice. Judges commended me, saying “this is clearly an individual who has made an impact in the short time she has been working in medical journalism. A sophisticated, detailed piece from a newcomer with a bright future.”
Shortlisted: 'Young Journalist of the Year', GG2 Leadership Awards (2017)
The annual awards recognises and celebrates ‘outstanding work in the media’ to individuals under 30.
Shortlisted: 'Best Editorial Assistant' at British Society of Magazine Editors Awards (2017)
The awards 'celebrate the creativity of some of the magazine industry’s brightest stars'.
Shortlisted: 'New Talent Breakthrough' at PPA New Talent Awards (2017)
The awards ‘reward and recognise publishing's rising stars’.
Shortlisted: 'Most Promising Student Of The Year Postgraduate' at PPA New Talent Awards (2016)
The awards ‘reward and recognise publishing's rising stars’.