Journalist Amy Orton has joined 1284 - becoming its first hire and sharing her professional experience with clients.

A trained reporter with more than a decade at well-known news titles across the East Midlands region, Amy spent three years as Senior Local Democracy Reporter for Leicester and Leicestershire. 

Working between the Leicester Mercury and BBC Leicester, she provided public interest coverage of local authorities which was then syndicated to dozens of local, regional, and national news titles.

After leaving the role in 2021, Amy spent almost two years as a communications manager at University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust, working on internal and external comms relating to a series of major news stories, including the Omicron outbreak.

1284 founder George Oliver said: "Amy is a first-class journalist and communicator who will bring her knowledge and understanding of local authorities to provide real value to 1284 clients.

“Her work during the Pandemic was just one example of her talent for spotting and telling a story, as she was invited to summarise the Leicester Lockdown for audiences of various national media, including BBC Radio 4.

“Since then, Amy has strengthened her experience by working as a comms manager in one of the UK’s biggest hospital trusts.

"As Account Director at 1284, she will bring insight, speed and networks across the East Midlands.”

1284 was founded by former Leicester Mercury Editor George in 2020 to provide strategic communications to innovative people and organisations in Leicestershire and the East Midlands.

It offers targeted written comms strategy, media relations, stakeholder management, and PR campaigns to numerous startups, nonprofits, SMEs, universities, and local authorities.

Amy said: “George last recruited me at the Mercury back in 2018 and I’m pleased to be teaming up with him again after what’s been a period of swift growth for 1284.

“I share George’s aim of matching newsroom speed with Chartered PR quality in providing effective comms strategy. I’ll be using my news experience to support our public sector and SME clients.”

George is a CIPR Chartered PR Practitioner. De Montfort University journalism graduate Amy will take the assessment within weeks of starting at LUSEP-based 1284.