Lead stories
Sara Robyn Bryce
Senior journalist
United Kingdom
Senior reporter for the Isle of Wight County Press.
Here is a selection of stories I sourced, developed and wrote for the newspaper.
United Kingdom
Senior reporter for the Isle of Wight County Press.
Here is a selection of stories I sourced, developed and wrote for the newspaper.
Lead stories
A controversial headteacher cracked down on uniform rules, causing a large social media response. The story was sold to national publications.
I was on calls over Christmas and after hearing of this fire, managed to make contact with the pair involved for a follow-up story. Christmas is a notoriously quiet time so it provided an emotional and seasonal front page.
Health services on the Island were stretched to breaking point.
I attended the funeral of a teen boy, Joe Ellis, who lost his battle with cancer after the entire Island got behind a campaign for him. A charity has now been set up in his name.
The teen boy Joe, who died from cancer, was able to help another Island child with money raised in his name.
The final story after weekly updates on an appeal to collect toys for disadvantaged children on the Island.
I reported on the death of a six year old girl with a brain tumour after spending many months getting to know her and her family. It was an ongoing story and we also supported the campaign of her family to raise money to start children's services at the Island's hospice.
A continuation on the story of Sophie's death.
The funeral of Sophie Rolf.
Rescuers who saved an eight-year-old boy from near drowning spoke of their experiences.
I spoke to the mother of a boy who survived a near-drowning.
A continuation on the tale of the boy who nearly drowned.
After learning the wedding of the year was happening on the Islad, I tapped into as many sources as I could to find out details. I managed to learn what they had had for their wedding breakfast as well as where many celebrity guests had stayed.
I have written a story on Gladys' birthday every year since I arrived at the County Press, and to cover it when she became the UK's oldest person was very special.
A story that came from an NHS board meeting. The young paramedic responded to a call to a crash, that involved a member of his own family.
A look at the increasing pressure on hospital services. It was challenging to refresh the story.
Features
Having got to know Charlotte Corney of the IW Zoo, I wanted to look into her life growing up at the zoo and the loss of some of her 'big cat family'.
Footage of this brave victim, taken from a police officer's bodycam was featured on a national television programme after she gave her permission. It was a delicate situation but after finding where she lived, I introduced myself and was able to invite her for an interview which I used for hard-hitting feature. We stayed in touch and following the feature, she was invited to take part in ITV's Loose Women.
To coincide with the annual IW Grand National and the fame of the film adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's War Horse, I looked at a famous war horse on the Island, Warrior.
As health reporter, I met many people who worked at the hospital and wanted to focus on the work of a large team of volunteers. The feature idea came from an award given to a volunteer during a board meeting of the trust.
To coincide with International Wheelchair Day, I spent the day with a young boy with cerebral palsy who challenged a youth worker to spend the day in a chair. Amie Morey, a young woman also with the condition talked me through her day. She later came and did work experience at the newspaper with me. It was an important subject for me as my eldest sister has cerebral palsy.
A small story about a dog show for a tiny fund to help rescued dog from Cyprus developed into a feature after I chatted extensively to the woman who set it up.
The Island's NHS trust is often in a 'black alert' status, and I wanted to talk to staff on the front line to find out why.
After a spate of shop closures in the Isle of WIght's county town of Newport, I looked at the future of the High Street.
Following a visit to the allergy centre, I thought I would explore the work going on at a centre with a unique cohort of patients.
This was my first Behind the News feature for the County Press. A new centre had opened at the Island's hospice and we looked at what it offered. I was however, never entirely comfortable with the sub-editor's headline.
I found a recovering alcoholic who was brave enough to speak out with his name and photograph to tie in with Alcohol Awareness Week.
Following an interview with a recovering alcoholic, we stayed in touch and I was inspired to look at the dangers of potentially unrealised alcohol abuse.