NEWS Telegraph reporter Danielle Harrison is leaving the Staffordshire Newspapers group after four years to venture out into pastures new.
The talented journalist started out in her native Ashbourne, where she was born and went to school, with a week-long work experience placement on the News Telegraph .
Her editor-in-chief at the time, Paul Hazeldine, quickly spotted promise in Danielle and offered her a trainee position with the company.
Soon after she joined she went away for a fourmonth training course in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and passed with flying colours, going on to become a senior reporter shortly afterwards.
She remains the only reporter on the current staff to have worked on all the firm’s weekly titles as well as spending lengthy spells on the flagship daily title the Burton Mail, where she has been working for several months.
Her former editor on our sister paper the Uttoxeter Advertiser, Bill Pritchard said: “Danielle has been an asset to our group of newspapers.
“She has worked diligently and sometimes beyond the call of duty in the pursuit of a story.
“With her knowledge of Ashbourne, she was able to get to the stories — some happy, some tragic — that other reporters would have struggled to get.
“I hope that as she moves on through life, she can look back on her time with the group as a learning curve that will stand her in good stead in whatever she does.”
Devoted Down’ard Danielle said: “I’ve experienced some fantastic opportunities and had the pleasure of meeting some great people along the way.
“And although I’ve worked on the Burton Mail, Your Leek Paper and the Uttoxeter Advertiser in the past four years, my heart has always remained with the News Telegraph.
“It’s been a real honour to report on my local community and events, getting to know the people who make this town a very special place to live and work.
“I’m grateful to the News Telegraph team for all their help and support — whether it was turning out on New Year’s Day to watch me jump off Mappleton Bridge or helping me compile my portfolio for my senior exams.
“The reporters and photographers have been there with me every step of the way.”
