A regional publisher has launched a new investigations unit with the aim of generating a “dedicated potential splash” for the company’s editors each week.

Newsquest has announced the launch of its data investigations unit, which will be run by Joanna Morris, Vicky Gayle and Bev Holder.

Joanna has joined the unit from the Northern Echo and Vicky from the Colchester Daily Gazette, while Bev will work on the project part-time while continuing in her role as chief reporter of the Stourbridge News.

All three of them have previously completed 12 week secondments with the BBC shared data unit which was launched as part of the local news partnership scheme between the corporation and the regional press industry.

From left: Vicky Gayle, Joanna Morris and Bev Holder

Said Vicky: “In a very short time I’ve become part of the wider data journalism industry, which is far more collaborative and creative than many journalists would realise.

“Now I feel I have a real opportunity to push boundaries by working with professionals in other fields, and investigate topics I wouldn’t have had an opportunity to before because of a lack of skills and time.”

Joanna added: “My secondment with the BBC really underlined the importance of reporters being able to scrutinise and understand the relevance of the data that is held and published by public authorities on an almost daily basis.

“It’s a skill I believe is vital in continuing to hold authorities to account and I’m hoping that the launch of Newsquest’s unit eventually mean we’ll have people in all of our newsrooms who will have the skills and time to analyse such data and explore how it’s relevant to our readers and their communities.”

And Bev said: “Having first been given a glimpse into the wonderful world of data journalism on secondment with the BBC last year — this is an incredible opportunity for myself and my reporting colleagues across the company to develop our skills and have chance to work on some great investigative projects of public interest.”

In an announcement about the team’s launch, the company said the unit’s aim is to “provide editors with a dedicated potential splash each week generated by the team”.

The unit was officially launched by Newsquest editorial director Toby Granville with a training day attended by 10 reporters from around Newsquest on May 16 at its London HQ.   Other publishers currently running similar units include Reach plc, JPIMedia and Archant.

Those who were present will represent the regions they work in by dedicating a day each week to work on group wide data investigations.

Those involved are Andrew Nuttall, from North Wales daily The Leader, Sophie-May Clarke, from the Lancashire Telegraph, Nathan Louis, from the Watford Observer, Conor Shields, from South-East London weekly series the News Shopper, Rachel Conner-Hill, from the Northern Echo, George Thompson, from the Western Telegraph, Alexander Seabrook, from the Reading Chronicle, Niall Christie, Glasgow Evening Times, Marco Ferrari, from the Falmouth Packet and Federica Bedendo, from the Workington Times & Star.