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Attempting to question Ashfield District Council's leader after criminal charges were announced against him. Photo: Joseph Raynor/Nottingham Post.
About Me
My name is Oliver Pridmore and I am the Agenda Editor for Nottinghamshire Live. My current role is my second full-time one, having graduated with a First-Class Honours in Journalism and a Distinction in Politics from the University of Lincoln. As a result of my particular interest in political journalism, I have conducted interviews with high-profile political figures including Boris Johnson, Rishi Sunak, Keir Starmer, Ben Wallace, John McDonnell, Jeremy Corbyn and John Prescott. My freelance work prior to my full-time role has allowed me to cover stories ranging from crime to human interest and I have conducted work experience at national organisations such as The Sunday Times and The i. As well as this, my interest in journalism has led me to take part in a live Q and A with Bob Woodward of The Washington Post. On this website, you can read more about my experience and view a selected portfolio of my work.
Oliver Pridmore
Agenda Editor for Nottinghamshire Live
Email:
Twitter:
@OliverPridmore
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Experience with:
The Sunday Times
The i
Lincs FM
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Stories in:
Daily Express
Daily Mirror
Private Eye
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EXPERIENCE
August 2022 - Present
Trainee Reporter then promoted to Agenda Editor
NOTTINGHAMSHIRE LIVE
In August 2022, I joined the team at Nottinghamshire Live and the Nottingham Post. During my time at Nottingham so far, I have built upon the experience I gained at Lincolnshire Live by undertaking new challenges. This has included writing opinion pieces, conducting agenda-setting interviews with figures including the broadcaster Jeremy Vine and being chosen to write the piece summarising Nottinghamshire's reaction to the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
As well as covering much more breaking news, I have enjoyed producing much more coverage on my subject of passion: politics. In October 2023, I was promoted to the post of Agenda Editor. The role primarily involves covering the work of Nottinghamshire’s councils and MPs and how their decisions affect communities. As part of this role, I regularly break agenda-setting exclusive stories, conduct high-profile interviews, publish opinion/analysis pieces and produce long reads on issues ranging from housing to the local economy.
July 2021 - August 2022
Trainee Reporter
LINCOLNSHIRE LIVE
In July 2021, I began my first full-time role in journalism as a Trainee Reporter for Lincolnshire Live. My role involved sourcing my own stories, pursuing ideas that my editors had and working on breaking news for Lincolnshire Live and its suite of print titles, which include the Lincolnshire Echo, Sleaford Target, Boston Target, East Coast Target and Retford Times.
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I reported on tragic breaking news stories, covered several court cases and inquests and broke several exclusives in my time at Lincolnshire. The multi-media nature of the role meant that as well as my written work, I produced my own photos, videos and Facebook Lives. The work I produced also appeared in national titles including the Daily Mirror and the Daily Express.
September 2019
Work Experience
THE SUNDAY TIMES
In September 2019, I spent two weeks undertaking work experience at The Sunday Times on their News Review desk. During this placement I traced contacts for stories, compiled cuttings for journalists to use in interviews and sat in on editorial meetings.
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Reference:
"It was a pleasure to have Oliver with us on the desk. He was pleasant, professional, punctual and carried out all tasks well and without fuss. He’s obviously smart and driven and I’m sure he will do very well in journalism. He also offered to make teas and coffees, which is rare and makes a difference."
Katherine Forster (News Review journalist, The Sunday Times)
June 2019
Work Experience
The i
In June 2019, I spent a week undertaking work experience at The i. During this placement I worked on the news desk and after approaching the news editor to offer my help I managed to have a number of stories printed in the paper on topics ranging from climate change to human interest.
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I also helped the paper's opinion desk by compiling and editing their 'opinion matrix' page every day as well as editing obituaries and choosing a quote of the day.
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Reference:
"Oliver completed tasks to a high standard, taking care to make sure details such as spelling, grammar and style were accurate. He also shared an awareness of current affairs and took his own initiative by seeking out work from editors and sitting in on conference."
Staff on the news and opinion desks (The i )
July 2018
Work Experience
SWNS NEWS AGENCY
In July 2018, I spent a week undertaking work experience with the SWNS news agency's branch in Cambridge. During this placement, I carried out investigative work to trace people connected with a tragic murder story and accompanied a reporter on a subsequent court case related to the story. I also went out with another reporter to door knock around the area in which the murder occurred.
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Reference:
"During his time here, Oliver carried out tasks such as monitoring news breaking on patch, researching background information for stories online and reporting on the murder of a young boy.
He also carried out a number of interviews and arranged for a photographer to visit a subject to take the relevant pictures.
Throughout his placement, Oliver was punctual and professional with a fantastic phone manner. He wasn't afraid to get stuck in and
was keen to be involved in as much as possible. I would recommend him for any future placements and he is welcome to return to us here at SWNS at any time in the future.
Rachel McDermott (Cambridge News Editor, SWNS )
June 2018 - July 2021
Work Experience Leading to Freelance Work
NOTTINGHAM POST
In June 2018, I spent a week undertaking work experience at the Nottingham Post. During this placement, I door knocked to track down contacts for several stories and had several articles published both online and in the paper.
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Since this week of work experience, I have carried out regular freelance work with the Nottingham Post, usually working on weekend shifts. This experience has significantly increased my ability with and awareness of digital skills in terms of promoting stories on social media and ensuring a high reader engagement time on stories.
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My freelance work has involved pitching several stories of my own which have made it into the paper, working on event supplements in the paper and reporting from the Nottingham count for the website's live blog during the 2019 local elections.
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Reference (Work Experience):
"Oliver was prompt in his arrival and dressed appropriately all week. He was a very helpful person to have around the newsroom. He was confident in his telephone manner and happy to go out and speak to people on the streets to get reactions for stories. He was so adept at this we invited him back to do a day the following week to help out with a large vox pop based around NHS celebrations. He was also sent out to door knock to track down people we wanted to speak to for stories and carried out this exercise quickly and successfully each time. His copy needed some work but no more than is expected from someone currently studying journalism, and did improve throughout the week. It was a pleasure to have him in the office."
Jon Pritchard (Deputy Digital News Editor, Nottingham Post, at time of reference)
June 2018 - July 2021
Freelancer
LINCS FM
Since April 2018 I have been a regular freelancer with the Lincs FM Group. Prior to a commercial buy-out, the group had news teams based in Lincoln, Hull and Doncaster and I have worked with all three news teams.
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Stories I have worked on include the Prime Minister Boris Johnson visiting a hospital in Boston, a day of campaigning in Hull by the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and conducting several interviews with local conservatives during the party's 2019 leadership contest.
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I also reported live from the Lincoln count for Lincs FM's live election programme on the night of the 2019 General Election.
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The experience has allowed me to improve my skills in areas such as working to a deadline, given the need for a news bulletin every hour; editing audio and producing radio packages.
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I have also been able to present news bulletins on the group's stations in North East Lincolnshire and Rutland as well as on Lincs FM itself.
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Reference:
"Oliver originally came in to Lincs FM on work experience and blew us away with his clear talent. A fast learner, full of ideas, we quickly took the opportunity to hire him as a freelancer, during his summer break from university.
No challenge proved too daunting, from interviewing the Prime Minister Boris Johnson to producing a radio piece from the World Juggling Convention. Oliver also worked the election night for Lincs FM, interviewing the winners and losers from the important swing-seat of Lincoln.
I would have no hesitation recommending Oliver for any role he's being considered for. Indeed, if - at time of writing - he wasn't still studying at university, I'd have offered him a full time job already."
Sean Dunderdale (Director of Programming, Lincs FM Group, at time of reference)
September 2017 - May 2020
Student Journalist
UNIVERSITY OF LINCOLN
Since beginning my studies at the University of Lincoln in September 2017, I have worked across its student media platforms.
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On its student newspaper, The Linc, I began as a reporter and now edit the publication. Primarily based online, The Linc also produces occasional print editions and my work with the paper has enhanced my skills in photography as well as live-blogging.
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Also based at the University of Lincoln is the community radio station Siren Radio, for which I have presented live news bulletins as well as working as a reporter for its news team.
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Finally, LSJ News is a video-based news platform producing TV bulletins across its social media channels, for which I have both presented bulletins and worked as a reporter for its news team.
August 2015
Work Experience
NEWARK ADVERTISER
At the age of 16, I had my first experience in the journalism industry. For a week in August 2015, I spent a week with the Newark Advertiser.
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During the placement, I accompanied reporters on numerous stories and covered some stories on my own accompanied by photographers, leading to several of my stories appearing in the paper.
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Reference:
Oliver Pridmore spent a week on a work experience placement in the newsroom at the Advertiser from August 17 to 21 inclusive.
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While he was with us he accompanied reporters on a range of stories and was also sent out with a photographer to conduct interviews on his own.
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He managed to get accurate information which was put together for several stories which will be published in the paper.
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As the week progressed so did his confidence and his reporting style. He was always keen for feedback and applied what was said.
He was happy to tackle anything that was asked of him and was enthusiastic throughout.
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He was always very punctual, smartly dressed, polite and fitted into the very busy newsroom environment with ease.
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I wish him well for the future.
Lucy Millard (Deputy Head of News, Advertiser Media Group, at time of reference)
SELECTED PORTFOLIO
Lincolnshire Live
Political Stories
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Labour crisis in Lincolnshire as Brexit and the 'pingdemic' bite - READ
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Gardens in Lincolnshire village "flooded with sewage" as a result of development - READ
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Karl McCartney says "serious conversation" to be had on MPs' pay - READ
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Unvaccinated people 'irresponsible', council leader says - READ
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Lincolnshire woman "robbed" of last Christmas with parents "infuriated" by Downing Street party reports - READ
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Council trying to throw Kingfisher Caravan Park age limit case out of court - READ
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Keir Starmer says sending Army to support Lincolnshire hospitals is not a "sustainable solution" - READ
Other Stories
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Pregnant Lincolnshire wife killed by driver with cocaine in system - READ
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Family feel "punished" for being honest after care funding for terminally-ill Louth man pulled - READ
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Girl loses finger after climbing over fence at Lincolnshire school - READ
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Family's desperate search for the truth a year after death of dad who developed injuries at Lincolnshire care home - READ
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Fantasy Island charges woman who lost her husband £500 to move caravan in age limit row - READ
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80-year-old celebrates milestone birthday by pumping iron at Lincoln gym - READ
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Coronavirus lockdown breaches to bomb scares - Life inside Lincolnshire Police's control room - READ
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Eyewitnesses describe 'massive' fire that killed toddler at Sealands Caravan Park - READ
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Armed Forces to be sent in to help Lincolnshire hospitals as critical incident continues - READ
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Lincolnshire village "heartbroken" after crash which killed 12-year-old - READ
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Lincolnshire police officer's disappointment as onlookers filmed rather than helping him detain violent shoplifter - READ
A recorded interview I conducted with Labour's John Prescott for KCFM. Mr Prescott happened to be outside Hull's train station following my interview with Jeremy Corbyn and so I grabbed a few words with him both on the rail campaign and on the national issue of anti-Semitism.
Nottingham Post
Pictured above are two front page stories that I have worked on and that have been published in the Nottingham Post. The first story involved going out to door-knock a shop keeper following a knife-point robbery on his premises. This story involved both sympathy in approaching the shop keeper and also some serious legal considerations in terms of constantly checking whether there had been any arrests made in connection with the incident. The second story involved telephoning the family, friends and colleagues of a man who was influential in setting up a community football organisation in Nottingham after the announcement of his death. Click the images above to see the online versions of both stories.
Political Stories
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Broxtowe's Conservative candidate criticised for saying food bank users "struggle" to budget - READ
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Residents fear for safety after council allows two lions and a puma to be kept in Notts village - READ
Lincs FM Group
A montage showcasing the variety of work that I have completed whilst being a freelance news reporter with the Lincs FM Group. In order of appearance, the collection contains an episode of the Farming Programme on Lincs FM presented by Sean Dunderdale which focused on the issue of hare coursing, with all the material used in the programme coming from interviews I conducted. The second clip in the montage is a package I produced for Lincs FM and its sister station at the time Compass FM on GCSE results day in 2019. The third and final clip in the montage is an as-live interview that I recorded at the World Juggling Convention in Newark, clips of which were used in Lincs FM's news bulletins.
A collection of the coverage of the Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to Boston Pilgrim Hospital that I helped to put together. All the interviews featured were conducted by myself and I also edited and scripted the stories on the reaction from Grantham campaigners and the comments from Andrew Morgan on how long it would take for change to be seen at the hospital. News readers in order of appearance are Sean Dunderdale and Aaron Renfree.
A recorded interview I conducted with the Leader of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn for the Hull-based station KCFM, which at this time in 2018 was still part of the Lincs FM Group. The questions mainly focused on a day of campaigning across East Yorkshire that Mr Corbyn was undertaking on the issue of rail travel. I also asked a question based on the uncertainty at the time around RAF Scampton which was sent to Lincs FM who used the answer across several bulletins.
A recorded interview I conducted with Labour's John Prescott for KCFM. Mr Prescott happened to be outside Hull's train station following my interview with Jeremy Corbyn and so I grabbed a few words with him both on the rail campaign and on the national issue of anti-Semitism.
Nottingham Post
Pictured above are two front page stories that I have worked on and that have been published in the Nottingham Post. The first story involved going out to door-knock a shop keeper following a knife-point robbery on his premises. This story involved both sympathy in approaching the shop keeper and also some serious legal considerations in terms of constantly checking whether there had been any arrests made in connection with the incident. The second story involved telephoning the family, friends and colleagues of a man who was influential in setting up a community football organisation in Nottingham after the announcement of his death. Click the images above to see the online versions of both stories.
Political Stories
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Broxtowe's Conservative candidate criticised for saying food bank users "struggle" to budget - READ
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Residents fear for safety after council allows two lions and a puma to be kept in Notts village - READ
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Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood says Labour's national election result was "devastating" - READ
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Meet the new Bassetlaw MP who used to be a head teacher in Transylvania - READ
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Residents have their say on plans for huge development where 805 homes and a new school could be built - READ
Other Stories
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Mums strip off to raise money for church roof after four tonnes of lead stolen - READ
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Woman describes 'puddle of blood' at scene of double stabbing in Lace Market - READ
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Nottingham mosque holds vigil to remember victims of New Zealand terror attack - READ
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Notts mum creates garden to represent her experience of cancer scare - READ
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Mansfield teen to play at Fortnite World Cup - where winner takes home $3 million - READ
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Son did not recognise West Bridgford dad after horror crash - READ
The Linc
Political Stories
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Pressure on university health service after student flats given green light - READ
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Local election candidates resign from the Conservative Party - READ
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BREAKING: University rejects Government instruction on offers scheme - READ
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SU accused of “undermining democratic process” in NUS referendum - READ
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ELECTION 2019: Chakrabarti says tuition fees a ‘matter of principle’ for Labour - READ
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ELECTION 2019: Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell visits Lincoln - READ
Other Stories
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Lincoln students create make-up range for cancer patients - READ
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SU will ‘improve’ its policy on alcohol at initiation ceremonies - READ
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Graduate sets up page for Lincoln students to review their landlords anonymously - READ
University Assessments
This is a radio documentary I made for one of my final year assessments at the University of Lincoln. The documentary looks at the use of social media at the 2019 General Election.
This is a radio package I made for one of my final year assessments at the University of Lincoln. It focuses on the issue of anti-Semitism, leading on Lincoln's former MP apologising for the way her party handled allegations.
Below is a television package I made for one of my second year assessments at the University of Lincoln. It focuses on a Lincoln charity appealing for funds for a new homeless shelter and the wider issue of homelessness in the city.