Back to where it all began

Newsquest has named Stephanie Preece (pictured) as the new editor of the Worcester News in a promotion move that also sees her become the company’s regional group editor for Worcestershire and Gloucestershire.

Stephanie, who takes over from Michael Purton, started her career in journalism as a trainee reporter at the Worcester News in 1996 before moving to the Oxford Mail in 2000. Her first day in the new role will be 3 May.

Editor of Newsquest’s Stourbridge division since 2018, Stephanie will retain responsibility for the division’s titles – the Bromsgrove Advertiser, Dudley News, Halesowen News, Kidderminster Shuttle, Redditch Advertiser and Stourbridge News. 

“It’s an honour to be appointed as regional group editor in Gloucestershire and Worcestershire. Both areas are extremely special to me and I know how important these titles are to the local communities that they serve.

“It is particularly exciting for me to take on the role of editor at the Worcester News — the paper where I first started my career. It’s been a privilege to be editor at Stourbridge and work with such a talented group of journalists and so I am delighted to be continuing in that role whilst really looking forward to this new challenge,” said Stephanie.

 While at the Oxford Mail, she served as assistant news editor and later news editor before joining the newsdesk at Gloucester daily The Citizen.

Stephanie returned to Worcester in 2006 as news editor, later serving as head of content following the merger of the Malvern Gazette and Evesham Journal newsrooms.