Meet our new Eastbourne Herald reporter

Last month we welcomed our new reporter Elliot Wright.
New reporter Elliot Wright with his mum. SUS-211223-101019001New reporter Elliot Wright with his mum. SUS-211223-101019001
New reporter Elliot Wright with his mum. SUS-211223-101019001

Last month we welcomed our new reporter Elliot Wright.

Elliot is joining the Eastbourne Herald team and will be focused on reporting breaking news and the issues which matter in our community.

We sent him a few questions so our readers can get to know a bit more about him.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

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I’m 24 and originally from Kent. I had a pretty normal upbringing, living with my mum and sister in Ashford and then Folkestone.

I’d say I’m passionate about travelling and learning about other cultures, especially in the Mediterranean. I have spent a lot of time in Spain and Greece, and prefer the lifestyle and style of personal relationships they have over there – not to mention the vastly preferable climate and that the food is amazing. I lived and worked in Athens in the summer of 2019, and it is one of many favourite cities.

I enjoy reading a lot. It has been a hobby of mine since I was young and I try to read as much as I can.

Also, like many lads my age, I am into football. I support Man Utd despite (or maybe because of) the fact that I have lived in Kent my whole life.

What are your qualifications?

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I studied anthropology at university. It remains a keen interest of mine though unfortunately the knowledge I gained hasn’t been particularly useful since graduating. Still, it is a very interesting subject and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I’m currently studying for my NCTJ (journalism) distance learner diploma, and have been doing that for the past year.

Why did you want to get into journalism? And what is your favourite thing about being a reporter?

Being a journalist was an option I always considered. My dad is one and that meant I was always aware of the positives and negatives that the job brings. After going off the idea in my late teens, I looked to pursue other potential careers. In the end though, I could never find anything that I believe I would enjoy as much as journalism.

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The opportunity to be at the forefront of pressing matters and being able to make a difference, no matter how small, is something that I feel is pretty unique to this industry.

I’ve very much enjoyed being a reporter so far, although working from home these past few weeks certainly restricts the role somewhat. My favourite thing about being a reporter is feeling like I am having a positive effect on the community, even if there is an understandable distrust in journalists after recent years.

What do you think of Eastbourne?

Unfortunately I have not yet moved to the town, though I will do in the new year. I’ve spent a lot of time in Eastbourne during my first month of the job and have really warmed to the town. I like its atmosphere. It feels like people here have a pride and connection with each other over their shared home which has been absent in the towns I previously lived in. I look forward to being a part of that.

What kind of stories are you looking forward to working on?

I’m excited by stories that shine a light on regular people being mistreated by authorities. For me, that has to be my highest ideal for what a journalist should strive to achieve.

What was lockdown like for you?

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Lockdown for me, like most people, was pretty boring. Living in a houseshare for the entirety of the pandemic has meant a lot of time spent in a single room, which can’t be healthy. Still it has been nice to have more time for yourself, and I feel like I’ve learnt more ways to self-motivate which I probably lacked before.

Finally, can you tell us a random or funny fact about yourself?

Random fact questions like these make me very anxious. But to play the game, I’d say a random fact about me is that I was always very small when I was younger and was told by a doctor when I was five that I would only reach around 5”3. Fortunately, I have grown to about 5”10.