Ahlan! A UAE Lifestyle

On Ahlan! I compiled the lifestyle section including reviews and previews on everything from clubs and bars to TV and spas, ghost writing a celeb DJ's column, and new sections including books and interiors.

       

  

Dubai One TV

I've appeared live on local TV station Dubai One, on magazine show Studio One Live, offering tips on going out and entertainment. 

You can also see a showreel of the videos I produced and presented for The Herald and Evening Times here:

Ahlan! Celebrity News

I have covered celebrity news for Ahlan! in Dubai, offering a unique take on the biggest celeb stories, as well as using my contacts to secure interviews with visiting stars.

Swain's World

My regular column in Ahlan! which sees me try local activities and write fun, first person pieces.

UAE Real Life

As part of my task to introduce real life pages to the magazine, I found and covered UAE stories, building up my contacts in the country to produce weekly features.

Second to Nun

AS well as covering news and showbiz, while working in Glasgow, I came up with the ideas for, arranged and produced many entertaining first person pieces.

Award-Winning Work

I was excited to be named the UK finalist for the European Health Journalist Awards, for my work on the Evening Times Clear the Air campaign.
http://ec.europa.eu/health-eu/journalist_prize/2012/winners/index_en.htm

Here is the piece which I was nominated for and for which I also won Lung Cancer Journalist of the Year 2012 from the Global Lung Cancer Alliance and was nominated for UK Cancer Journalist of the Year 2012 as well as Campaign of the Year at the Scottish Press Awards 2013.

Saying Thank You

Some of the emails I have received from both readers, contacts and bosses

Talking your language

An interview I arranged with the new manager of a city store resulted in this interesting news story.

Queen for a Day

I love a challenge- and when I was asked to give Glasgow Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus a Royal make-over to celebrate the fact she was singing for The Queen I swung into action. Using my contacts and my imagination, I organised and styled a successful shoot, and wrote the accompanying copy.

Style

As well as covering my weekly shopping spread Shopping Times, I now also compile a daily Style page, which gives me more opportunities to show off my talent for writing about celebrity style as well as local fashion-related events, new products and how readers can 'get the look'.

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Pop Idol

When Pop Idol winner Michelle McManus wanted to react to claims about her in the Simon Cowell biography, I was the person she wanted to speak to. We ran a four-day series on my interview. I also arranged the photo shoot to go with the stories.