Lyra McKee honoured with posthumous award by the Journalists’ Charity

The charity’s special award - co-sponsored by Cision Ltd - was presented to Lyra’s mother, Joan McKee, and sister, Nichola Corner, at the Regional Press Awards ceremony in London earlier today.

Receiving the award at the ceremony, organised by the Society of Editors, Mrs Corner said: “Since Lyra was taken from us in the most horrific way, our family has said that her death should not be in vain and the ideals she held dearly are remembered.

“We have been deeply moved by the support we have received and are very thankful that Lyra’s qualities as a person and as a committed journalist have been recognised with this special award.”

Lyra’s sister and mother were presented with the award by James Brindle, chief executive of the Journalists’ Charity.

He said: “What we learned about Lyra in the hours and days that followed her death showed all too clearly that we’d lost a journalist with very special qualities.

“Lyra’s courage in bearing witness to violence on the streets of Derry is the type of commitment that journalists admire and hope to possess themselves.

“In addition, she championed the under-represented, gave a voice to those who weren’t being heard and held those in power to account. She reached out across the journalistic community to offer her support to people she didn’t even know - changing lives with a hand of friendship.”

Ramsay Smith, chairman of the Journalists’ Charity, said: “Lyra demonstrated the same qualities of compassion and commitment that led to the founding of the Journalists’ Charity more than 150 years ago and remain our values to this day. We are honoured that Joan and Nichola travelled from Belfast to receive this award.”