The Press Association's Community Newswire has a fresh face at the helm with the appointment of Rosamond Hutt as news editor.

Roz has worked as a reporter there since October 2005 and is now stepping up to the senior role on the desk in Howden, East Yorkshire.

And she is relishing the challenge to drive the newswire to new successes after three years in which the service has become a firm fixture in the charity communications landscape.

Roz will have overall responsibility for stories and pictures content on the Community Newswire and will also be closely involved in the future development of the service.

She said: "It is an exciting time for the Community Newswire. We are expanding our coverage of small charities, community groups and ethnic and religious minorities to reach sections of British society often overlooked by the mainstream media.”

The newswire is a partnership between the Press Association and registered charity Media Trust and is funded by the Cabinet Office's Office of the Third Sector - giving it a unique position linking the private, public and charitable sectors.

Community and charitable organisations send in their press releases via the website and the Howden team use that raw material to produce stories for PA customers, working with the voluntary groups to develop angles and ensure content is accurate.

The wire has had some notable successes in the last few years with many stories picked up by the national press and regional TV bulletins, and excellent feedback has been received from charities and voluntary groups who use the service.