Editor's column: Goodbye and thank you for the support

The thrill of being in the newsroom and always wondering whether that next phone call would bring news of a big breaking story kept me on my toes and reinforced a passion for journalism that has been a huge part of my life for so long.

Things have changed considerably since I began at the office on Scarsdale Place in April 2003 but my pride in working at my hometown paper, providing a voice for the people of Buxton and wider High Peak has always remained, and I was over the moon to become Editor of the Advertiser in March 2021.

When I took over the role last year, I wrote in this column that I had big changes planned for the paper and I'm pleased to say that many of those were successfully implemented. For example, we now offer a dedicated local entertainments section, and I've made it my mission to ensure that only content relevant to the High Peak has ever been included in print. While covid and other reasons mean I haven't been able to introduce or change all of the things I had planned, I'd like to hope our readers have noticed the difference in recent months and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you all for your continuous support.

This week is my last week at the Advertiser as I leave the paper - and the journalism industry - behind to take on a new challenge.

I feel privileged to have worked at the Buxton Advertiser and associated titles for the best part of two decades, from a fresh faced trainee reporter, through to becoming Editor. It has been an honour to meet so many incredible people and share their stories, making some fantastic friends along the way.

The Advertiser will always hold a special place in my heart and I'll continue to keep an eye on it in the future as I embark on my new chapter.

Finally, just as I did when I took over as Editor, I'd like to thank my first Editor John Phillips who offered me nothing but support throughout my career and continues to guide me today as a close friend - as well as all the incredibly talented colleagues I've been lucky enough to work alongside over the years.