Good News Rooms in schools a ‘brilliant legacy’

A project inspired by murdered TV journalist Jill Dando which aims to inspire a million children to become “positive reporters” by 2030 has been described by her brother as “a brilliant legacy”.

The Good News Rooms project, which aims to teach children to focus on uplifting news stories, has this week been expanded to Heron’s Moor School in the BBC Crimewatch presenter’s hometown of Weston-super-Mare.

Nigel Dando, 73, said: “For her local town to honour her in this way – I think it’s absolutely brilliant.”

It comes as a blue plaque is set to be unveiled later at the Weston Mercury Building – where Dando began her journalism career.

Mr Dando was due to attend the unveiling of the plaque alongside child ‘reporters’, various headteachers and Weston-super-Mare Town Council Mayor Martin Williams.

Dando was shot dead with a single bullet on the doorstep of her home in Fulham, London, in April 1999.

Despite one of the biggest and most high-profile murder investigations in British history, the case remains unsolved.

The Good News Rooms project, which began in Somerset in 2011, aims to transform schools into real newsrooms and find and share uplifting news stories, boosting literacy, confidence and media skills while also combating negativity in the news.

Shane Dean, 52, who set up the project, said Jill was the “perfect hook” for it.

“Not only was Jill a fantastic journalist but, as everybody said who knew Jill in journalism, she always did it with a smile and she loved the positive stories,” he said.

“She really touched the lives of so many in the town,” he added. “Everybody just had so many nice things to say about her.

“I think these days news just seems to be getting worse and with social media becoming increasingly toxic and often dark… Jill and her life and her memory in Weston-super-Mare… is a great story for the kids to remember as well as the whole town.”

Since its inception, the Good News Rooms project has expanded to 12 schools across the UK and even into Malawi in Africa.

The scheme sees professional journalists visit schools to teach pupils about the job.

Olivia Finch, 21, a former student of Worle Community School, which Dando attended, was one of the first Good News Room graduates.

She said she never imagined it would lead her to appearing on the BBC and Good Morning Britain and interviewing astronauts.

“The Jill Dando News project has taken me to parliament four times, given me work experience in London at a prestigious newspaper and even allowed me to interview top politicians,” she said.

“My confidence has flourished.

“Every school needs a Good News Room.”