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Editor quits publisher after five months for charity role

Victoria BirchAn editor poached for a new job by a regional publisher just five months ago is leaving to take up a charity role.

Victoria Birch has announced her departure from Reach plc to take up a public relations role with Parkinson’s UK, saying it is “a path I have been thinking about for a long time.”

Victoria joined Reach in January as its new breaking news and trends editor for the South-East of England.

Prior to that, she was North London and South Essex editor for Newsquest, where she looked after titles including Basildon-based daily The Echo.

Victoria, pictured, told HTFP: “After many wonderful years working in news, I’ve decided to follow a path I have been thinking about for a long time.

“I have now taken up a role in PR for Parkinson’s UK charity. “I’ll be working hard to shine a spotlight on this condition and know my background in news will help to achieve this.

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time as an editor and journalist, most recently with the brilliant teams at Reach and Newsquest.

“I will definitely miss all my news colleagues… although I’ll probably be in touch with stories.”

Prior to joining Reach, Victoria had held a number of senior editorial roles at both Johnston Press and Newsquest during her career.

She was deputy editor for JP in Hertfordshire between 2008 and 2010, later joining Newsquest in High Wycombe as associate editor.

Victoria edited the group’s South Buckinghamshire magazine Elite from 2013 and was appointed deputy group editor for Newsquest North London in 2015. She stepped up to the group editor role two years later.

Reach has not yet announced a replacement for Victoria. The South East breaking news team which was working under her remains in place but it is understood that they will be supporting Reach’s Network Newsroom project which recently saw 150 journalists across the group redeployed to work across multiple titles.