What a couple of weeks it has been, as we each step into our new co-editor roles, in the footsteps of former Isle of Wight County Press boss Alan Marriott.

We started as we hope to go on - with a visit to the Hilton London Bankside for The Newspaper Awards,  where the County Press was nominated in the best local weekly newspaper of the year category.

We sat alongside teams from heavyweights the Financial Times, the Daily Mirror and The Guardian, between journalists who had travelled from Liverpool, and close to the influential Yorkshire Post's representatives.

In short, your weekly IW newspaper, was firmly on the national stage and we will do everything we can to ensure it stays that way.  

We are prepared for what comes next to be more than just glamorous dresses and hobnobbing, of course.

We are proud beyond words to be taking the helm of this leading Isle of Wight news brand - a staple from Yarmouth to Bembridge and from Cowes to Niton, since 1884.

  • Lucy Morgan is a multi-media journalist with nearly 30 years experience. She has lived on the Isle of Wight for nearly 20 years.
  • Lori Little has been at the County Press since 2001, working her way up from trainee reporter. She has lived on the Island since she was a child.

Helping us ensure we continue to bring you the very latest news and exclusive stories, we will continue to work with our hardworking team of Island-based journalists.

At our office on Newport's Pyle Street (where the paper has been based since 1992), we are ready and eager to hear from you - on standby to investigate stories that are important to you and to reflect the full scope of life on the Isle of Wight.

The Island is a community-led news-hungry place to be, when it comes to local news.

In our tenure as co-editors, we aim to bring you a smorgasbord of breaking news, court reports, and community-led stories - as well as the ever-enduring puzzles and competitions.  

Launching this week, for instance, is a chance to win vouchers for Harvey Browns farm shop and cafe, on page 34.

Maybe you read last week about our fresh new team of columnists, who will be bringing you their individual takes on day-to-day life.

We also plan to hear more from young Island voices.

In fact, we would love to hear from you if are a teacher or school leader with keen new writers to showcase. 

We must, of course, thank former editor, Alan Marriott, for his 39 years of dedicated service. 

We also want to say thank you to you for continuing to make the County Press the UK's biggest-selling weekly newspaper.

Of course, that is in addition to our ever growing digital news content, through our website countypress.co.uk - the Island's most visited news site* (*source: Similar Web).

Through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, our dedicated County Press team is reaching Islanders in ways the founders of this historic publication could never have imagined.

It is our goal to move with the times, while staying true to the legacy and trusted news brand of the Isle of Wight County Press.

We look forward to taking you on our journey.