Experience

Northamptonshire OPFCC

• Non-profit Organization Management
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Communications Officer

  • Jan 2021 - Present

  I have recently become a communications officer in a joint role for both Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner. I have recently become a communications officer in a joint role for both Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service and the Northamptonshire Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner.



JPIMedia

• United Kingdom
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Local Democracy Reporter

  • May 2018 - Jan 2021

  I covered politics across Northamptonshire for the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).The LDRS is a public service news agency funded by the BBC and provided by the local news sector. I worked from the offices of JPIMedia newspaper the Northampton Chronicle & Echo, but was mostly found with my notepad at council meetings.I revealed off-diary exclusives, while the crisis at Northamptonshire County Council made international headlines and saw me share the press bench with titles from as far away as the New York Times.As part of my first year as an LDR at the Northampton Chronicle & Echo, I was part of a dedicated news team that was rewarded by winning the Weekly Title of the Year award at the 2019 JPIMedia Awards.I also recorded multiple broadcast pieces on BBC Radio Northampton, and was interviewed on the crisis at the council by BBC Radio 5 Live, ITV Anglia and Channel 5 news. Show less

• News Reporter

  • Jan 2017 - May 2018

  During my spell at the Milton Keynes office, I was part of an editorial team that oversaw the Milton Keynes Citizen, the Hemel Hempstead Gazette and the Bedfordshire Times & Citizen.During my time in a small but passionate news team, we saw a substantial growth in web figures while consistently putting out high quality newspapers.



Northampton Town Supporters' Trust

• Northampton, United Kingdom

• Communications Officer

  • May 2011 - May 2018

  In my voluntary role as the communications officer for the Northampton Town Supporters' Trust, I dealt with enquiries from both fans of Northampton Town Football Club and the media. Writing up press releases and distributing them to the media helped to promote the latest activity from the Trust, while I was also responsible for updating the website. I personally launched the Trust's Twitter account, which has more than 2,000 followers. When Northampton Town FC fell into financial difficulties in November 2015, I dealt efficiently with national newspapers including The Guardian, The Sun and The Daily Mail - giving them the full facts of a complex situation that led to them writing features on the club's predicament, as well as the fundraising efforts of the Trust. I also appeared live on camera on the BBC, ITV and Sky Sports News to let the football world know what was happening at Sixfields Stadium, and ensure that the story was kept in the headlines. As part of this role I also chaired a public meeting where more than 100 fans met to discuss the full extent of the financial problems at the club. In the last few months I spent with the Trust, I also conducted a survey on whether safe standing should be installed at Sixfields - a campaign covered by the national press. Show less



Local World Media

• United Kingdom
• Book and Periodical Publishing
• 1 - 100 Employee

• News Reporter at Local World

  • Jan 2013 - Dec 2016

  Following the completion of my journalism degree at The University of Kent, as well as my NCTJ exams, I joined MK News and OneMK in Milton Keynes. I was part of a team that transformed our web figures from approximately 4,000 unique visitors a day to more than 20,000 by the time I left. During this time the newspaper was also nominated for Weekly Newspaper of the Year at the 2014 Newspaper Awards (in association with FujiFilm). Covering Milton Keynes, I was particularly known for my coverage of politics and regularly attended Milton Keynes Council meetings to hold those in power to account.Some of my exclusive stories to go viral worldwide included the Mayor resigning his position following a scandal in which he gave a reference to a convicted rapist who was a taxi driver, a farmer who proposed to his wife using weedkiller on his crops and MK Dons firing some of its stewards after they failed basic maths tests.From April 2016 until December 2016, I worked on a freelance basis at the Luton on Sunday and Bedfordshire on Sunday newspapers.I covered stories such as rioting at the Luton Carnival, and the major redevelopment plans for Luton Airport. Show less

• Freelance Football Writer

  • Sep 2012 - Dec 2016

  I was the regular football writer on a freelance basis for the Northamptonshire Herald & Post - reporting on Northampton Town Football Club.For four years I attended matches both home and away, interviewed players and managers for online and print articles, and presented live coverage online throughout the games.My time covering the Cobblers included reporting on a record-breaking title season in League Two in 2015/16, as well as big cup matches at home to Manchester United and away at Newcastle United.My freelance reports through the Sportsbeat and Press Association agencies were used by BBC Sport and Sky Sports, while I also had national byline articles in The Football League Paper. Show less



Co-op

• United Kingdom
• Retail
• 700 & Above Employee

• Customer Service Assistant

  • Sep 2008 - Aug 2009

  My first permanent job helped me pick up a lot of key communication skills from interacting with customers and management staff. The skills I gained here would stand me in good stead for my later career in journalism. My first permanent job helped me pick up a lot of key communication skills from interacting with customers and management staff. The skills I gained here would stand me in good stead for my later career in journalism.