An assistant editor who has worked for six different editors during a 20-year stint with a north-west weekly has retired.

Vanessa Taylor, who joined the Chorley Guardian 20 years ago as a local government correspondent, has called time on her 34-year career to spend more time with her family.

The 52-year-old, left, said: “I feel like I’ve had a good run and still consider journalism to be the best job in the world.

“I was trying to think of all the young reporters I’ve worked with over the years but lost count when I got to about 500.

“The newspaper industry has undergone major changes of late so I decided to take the opportunity to move on.

“For 34 years my life has revolved round my job, so now it’s time to put my family first.

“I’ll miss the banter and the sense of achievement I feel every Wednesday when the Guardian comes out but I’ll always be the first in the newsagents to buy my copy.”

Vanessa was almost destined to spend a life in papers as her father Geoff worked for the Chorley Guardian before joining the Lancashire Evening Post and various other regional and national titles.

Educated in Chorley, Vanessa started her journalistic life with the Lancashire Evening Post in 1975, before taking in stints on the Lancaster Guardian, Garstang Courier and Chorley Town Crier.

Since joining the Guardian in 1989, Vanessa has served under six editors – Graham Johnston, Alice Grieve, Steve McLean, Gillian Gray, Tracy Bruce and Chris Maguire – as well as being acting editor herself for 14 months.

Before her final day Vanessa was presented with Smile Award by Chorley Council for her contribution to the town over the years and a local brass band descended on the Guardian’s office to give her a noisy farewell.

Chris said: “Vanessa is much more than a colleague, she’s a friend. Nobody knows Chorley like she does.

“In the three years that I’ve been here Vanessa has become the website champion and has even turned her hand to taking photographs when the need has arisen.

“Everybody you speak to about Vanessa talks of her integrity. The Guardian gets criticised from time to time but nobody has questioned Vanessa’s professionalism.

“To say we’ll miss her is an understatement but she’ll always be part of the Guardian family and will remain in Chorley.”

Comments

Isaac Hunt (11/05/2009 16:35:53)
I think this calls for a national day of mourning..