I am Newsquest's Community Content Editor for north Essex, covering Colchester and the Tendring peninsula. I source and write print and online stories for the Daily Gazette, Essex County Standard, Clacton, Frinton and Walton Gazette, Harwich and Manningtree Standard, Braintree and Witham Times, Halstead Gazette and Maldon and Burnham Standard.My current role involves me developing and producing sustainable, engaging community content. I work with contacts and build relationships… Show more I am Newsquest's Community Content Editor for north Essex, covering Colchester and the Tendring peninsula. I source and write print and online stories for the Daily Gazette, Essex County Standard, Clacton, Frinton and Walton Gazette, Harwich and Manningtree Standard, Braintree and Witham Times, Halstead Gazette and Maldon and Burnham Standard.My current role involves me developing and producing sustainable, engaging community content. I work with contacts and build relationships, writing features and articles and encouraging the public to use our platforms to get in touch with their own stories and pictures. I produce all types of copy, including hard-hitting stories, features and nostalgia pieces, and also edit submitted copy.I have to trim and rewrite where necessary, to make it suitable for publication, and am used to dealing with strict word limits. I then use a design package to lay out pages, putting the stories in place and adding pictures, headlines and captions. I proof-read pages before they are sent to be printed, so have a well-trained eye when it comes to accuracy.I am very familiar with, and understand the significance of, the internet and social media. I upload stories to the company’s website on a daily basis and am also active on Twitter and Facebook. Show less

Prior to taking on my current role, I was a hard-working and committed sports reporter for nearly 20 years, working for Essex County Newspapers. Sports journalism has always been my passion and main motivation for getting into the industry. Having been fortunate enough to be offered a role on the company's sports desk in April 2000, I went on to become one of the lead football writers and part of a busy team, responsible for one daily and six different weekly newspapers.One of my… Show more Prior to taking on my current role, I was a hard-working and committed sports reporter for nearly 20 years, working for Essex County Newspapers. Sports journalism has always been my passion and main motivation for getting into the industry. Having been fortunate enough to be offered a role on the company's sports desk in April 2000, I went on to become one of the lead football writers and part of a busy team, responsible for one daily and six different weekly newspapers.One of my undoubted highlights was being appointed the company’s Ipswich Town reporter and I covered the club’s fortunes from 2000 to 2020. This involved watching the team play, writing match reports, comment pieces, columns and interviewing both the manager and players. Just before Christmas in 2001, midway through my second season, I was honoured to have my work recognised when I was named as the company’s journalist of the year.As a result of one particular relationship with a player, I was asked to ghost-write the autobiography of former defender Fabian Wilnis. We worked closely together to produce his book, entitled Full English, which was released to coincide with his testimonial, in 2008.In addition to covering Ipswich, I also forged very strong links with sportsmen, women and clubs across north Essex, particularly in my designated area, the Tendring district. I was well-known on the non-league football circuit and wrote prolifically about the fortunes of our local clubs. Show less

As part of my journalism course at Harlow College, I was fortunate enough to be offered a Friday placement at my local newspaper, the Clacton Gazette. This gave me an early grounding in news reporting and it was during the latter stages of the course that I was offered a job with Essex County Newspapers, working for the Braintree and Witham Times. I started in February 1999 and enjoyed more than a year as a news reporter, predominantly covering the Witham area.

Prior to starting my university degree, I enjoyed a work experience placement in Essex County Newspapers' busy Colchester office. I found this a hugely beneficial experience and it was something that whet my appetite to pursue a career in the media industry.