AN OXFORD university graduate has won £13,500 in an international awards scheme.

Eliza Rutherford, who studied languages at Worcester College, scooped the Incubate category of the Creator Awards UK contest for GetGrief.

The idea behind Ms Rutherford’s non-profit venture is to harness smart-phone technology to support young people who have been bereaved, using 24-hour phone and social media contact with trained advisors.

GetGrief is working with bereavement charity Winston’s Wish.

Its first project is expanding the national charity’s digital platform to include new content and live chat.

At the Creator UK finals in London last week, 19 winners were announced across three categories – Incubate, Launch and Scale.

The Awards, run by co-working and shared space firm WeWork, is an international scheme with total international prize money of almost £15m.

This is awarded to businesses,non-profit ventures and artists.

More than £1.1m was handed out at last week’s UK awards.

The event, which included masterclasses, a job fair, live pitching and a party, was hosted by actor, TV presenter and radio DJ Reggie Yates and presenter and DJ Carly Wilford.

Masterclasses were given by journalist Grace Dent and Grammy-winner Estelle.

Adam Neumann, chief executive and co-founder of WeWork, told an audience of 5,000 there had been 1,100 applications.

He said: “The Creator Awards was just an idea a year and a half ago, where we set out to recognise those who don’t usually get recognised.”