News and Feature Writing Part One

I am currently undertaking a module called News and Feature Writing where I have to create a portfolio of news stories, backgrounders, interviews, reviews and columns etc. The piece below is a first draft of my News Story. I wrote about the Queen's first visit on her Jubilee Tour, to Leicester. I also included some original Journalism where I interviewed some friends who go to University in Leicester who were there when the Queen, Prince Phillip and the Duchess of Cambridge visited. When my portfolio is complete, some of my work, will go towards a group assignment where we are making a magazine. Our idea was to create a supplement magazine that you receive with your newspapers at a weekend, so my target audience for my article, is their audience. 



Diamond Jubilee: The Start of Queens Tour
Cheering crowds waving the Union Jacks Flags greeted the Queen in Leicester, the first stop on the monarch’s Diamond Jubilee tour of the UK. The Queen watched cultural dancers before entering De Montfort University, where she was accompanied by the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, to watch a fashion parade. Prince Phillip viewed a project aimed at improving the local community.

They later attended a service at Leicester Cathedral, and the Queen unveiled a plaque at “Jubilee Square”. Lauren Ascroft, 20, a student from De Montford University said “it was amazing for them to come visit our University, it’s a day we won’t forget for a while.” Jason Barefoot, 19, a student at Leicester University said “It was surreal to see the Queen and Kate Middleton walk past.”

Earlier, crowds of people had gathered round Leicester’s train station awaiting her arrival. There was heavy police presence, with patrol cars on the road bordering the station and a helicopter overhead.

The Queen wore a pink cashmere dress and coat, with a matching hat designed by Angela Kelly. The duchess wore a suit by LK Bennett, a hat by James Lock and Episode shoes. They sat side-by-side watching the fashion, during which six of De Montford University’s students presented Kate with a tailor-made design for a pair of shoes, from which she chose her favourite.

Crowds gathered outside the Leicester Cathedral, cheering and clapping when the royals arrived. Five children presented the Queen with bunches of flowers. The crowd outside the cathedral broke into ‘God Save the Queen’ as the service grew to a close.

The royals later visited Leicester city centre, where the Queen herself, unveiled a plaque which would be placed in the newly named Jubilee Square. The square is said to be a permanent reminder of the Queen’s visit today. The Mayor of Leicester also presented the Queen with a photo album capturing the memories of her previous visits to Leicester.

The Queens Diamond Jubilee tour, will include visits to the Isle of Wight, Nottingham, Edinburgh and visiting us here in Birmingham. The tour finishes on 25th July in the south-east of England.