Mid Devon Gazette editor Mary-Ann Bloomfield is celebrating 40 years in journalism, and is hoping to mark the occasion by raising money for the Newspaper Press Fund.

Mary-Ann, (left), is personally sponsoring a match ball at a Tiverton Town vs Bedford football match in Tiverton on September 3 and will be shaking some buckets there to raise funds to be shared between the NPF and the Devon Air Ambulance Trust.

She is also hoping that readers of HoldtheFrontPage might like to contribute.

She said: “I like to support organisations who put their money into direct action – Devon Air Ambulance certainly does that and its services are vital in a busy rural area such as this.

“I’ve been a member of the Newspaper Press Fund for about 30 years and have seen how it can support journalists and their families in times of need and distress.

“The NPF doesn’t really blow its trumpet that much but I know it goes about its work with caring and supportive determination. One day, some of us could be glad it’s around.”

Mary-Ann began her career in 1965 as an indentured trainee reporter on her home town newspaper, the Sutton Coldfield News, working for the “brilliant Don Goggin”.

She has also worked for Midlands titles such as the Solihull News and the Birmingham Post, and was deputy editor of the Evesham Journal and Admag Series before moving to Devon.

She was appointed editor of the Mid Devon Gazette series in 2003, and is now responsible for the Tiverton Gazette, Crediton Gazette and Culm Valley Gazette as well as the quarterfold Country Gardener magazines that were acquired by Cornwall and Devon Media Ltd early this year.

Mary-Ann said: “It’s a busy old life and times just get ever more interesting – but I wouldn’t change it for the world and I certainly don’t want to stop and get off for a while yet!”