Huw Davies is a young writer pursuing a career in journalism, who spends his time reading articles, writing articles and watching Neighbours. He is currently preparing to study for a postgraduate diploma in magazine journalism at Cardiff University.
Huw has written for a wide range of publications, including The Big Issue Cymru, The South Wales Echo, One In Four magazine and The Essex Chronicle, who still owe him a phone call. His most prominent work has been for Cardiff University’s award-winning weekly student newspaper gair rhydd, editing the Editorial & Opinion section and writing fortnightly columns under the pseudonym Rasputin.
It was a feature in gair rhydd that won him the coveted Student Journalist of the Year award from leading mental health charity, Mind.
Huw confronted his problems with obsessive-compulsive disorder to search for the truth about the condition in a piece that judges called a "down-to-earth take on living with OCD", "imaginatively written from first-hand experience". Huw accepted the award at Kingsway Hall Hotel in London, where he met Mind President Lord Melvyn Bragg, who has giant hands.The ceremony capped a successful period for Huw, who, just days previously, had won two awards at the Cardiff Student Media Awards. The judges were impressed with a selection of articles written under the guise of Rasputin on subjects ranging from education reform to links between his beard and international terrorism. He won Best Opinion Writer, and his aforementioned piece on obsessive-compulsive disorder beat off strong competition to win Best Long Feature.
Huw has since graduated from Cardiff University with a BA Hons in English Literature, and succeeded in badgering his tutors sufficiently until they gave him a First. How he finished second in the year is still beyond him. He also played a bit of snooker at university as Social Secretary of the Snooker Club, much to the amusement of anyone who saw him play.
He is now learning shorthand and looking forward to a placement at Psychologies magazine.
Awards
Student Journalist of the Year, Mind Awards 2008
Best Opinion Writer, Cardiff Student Media Awards 2008
Best Long Feature, Cardiff Student Media Awards 2008
Runner-up, Best gair rhydd Section (Editorial & Opinion), Cardiff Student Media Awards 2008
Quotations
You are looking for opinion writing that either a) shows versatility and good research or b) tells you something special…So Huw Davies’ ability to blend personal experience and some decent research findings just topped my bill.
Peter Preston
Guardian and Observer Columnist and former Editor of The Guardian
Huw Davies and Chris Croissant deserve congratulations for putting together such a diverse and original set of articles.
Meirion Jones
Newsnight Producer
A gripping and well-written feature which managed to be informative, non-self-pitying and witty.
Katharine Viner
Features Editor, The Guardian
Huw writes with both authenticity and rigour, balancing personal experience and thorough and creative research in his feature with a high degree of professionalism...This was a strong example of the voice of someone with personal experience breaking down the stigma surrounding the condition.
Judges' Panel, Mind Awards 2008
Huw Davies – ah Huw Davies again – makes the OCD spread so much fresher by approaching it from a personal point of view.
Meirion Jones
Newsnight Producer
Selected articles
Keeping The Faith, Keeping The Facial Hair (November 2007)
Why is it excusable for the authorities to treat Muslims (and me) as potential terrorists?
Living With OCD (August 2008)
A look into obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), as featured in The Guardian's G2 supplement
Living With An Obsession (February 2008)
My original look into obsessive-compulsive disorder
Blair. Fair. (February 2007)
The Government's firmness towards Catholic adoption agencies spells good news for gay parents
Poor Old John Prescott (June 2006)
Leave the big guy alone
Bland Designs (May 2008)
The ambitious plans for Cardiff University's Students' Union building make absolutely no sense
Vocation, Vocation, Vocation (February 2008)
Underqualified graduates have overly theory-based degrees to blame
Highlight Of The Year Or A Right Summer Balls-Up? (June 2008)
Whoever organised Cardiff University's Summer Ball doesn't seem to care about the students
The Rise And Rise Of Moral TV (October 2007)
Programmes need to stop preaching
