Let’s start with the basics…
My name is Luke Beardsworth and I’m from Bamber Bridge.
Your career at a glance…
I started down the road of journalism after spending some time around the student newspaper Pluto at UCLan. This prompted me to change degrees after my first year, because something had clicked in a way it hadn’t before. From then until now, it’s rarely felt like work in the same way other things do. I ran a music-focused online magazine called The Ark Preston and shifted to Blog Preston in 2014, where I first met Ed.
I had various roles in local journalism and spent time in a lot of newsrooms. My favourite from that time, for the city itself as well as the journalists at the title, was the Bristol Post. So I was thrilled to spend a year as digital editor in 2018. After that, we launched LancsLive. Taking the helm at my own title, covering the area I’m from, and growing it to be one of the 10 biggest regional news publishers in the country within three years, will always be a career highlight.
Over the last 12 months, I’ve been working with various businesses to offer advice, strategy along with applying social media and writing skills. I love helping keep people up to date with their area, but I get an equal thrill from supporting businesses that I care about.
Notable moments from your career?
At LancsLive, we were the first local title trusted to enter a hospital in the pandemic. There was a real and genuine public interest reason for us doing so, and in it being reported. For that reason, rather than badging the story up as an ‘exclusive’, we offered to syndicate out our images and interviews to titles that might otherwise be considered competitors. Our team did a wonderful job, but it was also affirming that everyone recognised the value in sharing our work on that occasion.
And in 2019 we teamed with Burnley FC in the Community as media partner for their sleep out at Turf Moor, supporting some of the most vulnerable people in our community. The best journalism can positively impact the communities on which it reports, and we raised over £25,000 for various charities as a result – as well as having the team take part.
Where/what did you study?
I studied journalism with creative writing at UCLan. The majority of people I’ve worked with either studied purely journalism for their degree, or completed another more focused course. Most journalists can write effectively, clearly and efficiently, but only the best ones can entertain or move someone with their writing.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
My partner Ruth and I go to the same gym three times per week and I’ll also either volunteer or take part in a local Parkrun event on a Saturday.
I love video games when I can make the time for it, and the same can be said for reading. With both of those, when I get really into something, it’s hard to pull myself away. I like restaurants, particularly Indian ones, and craft beer. We have a dog called Atreus – the name comes from a video game, obviously.
What was your first job?
I worked at a pub called The Peters Bar in Bamber Bridge while I studied. It was character-building, but I made friends for life too.
What did you want to be when you were a kid?
I probably wanted to be a firefighter when I was a toddler because of Fireman Sam, followed by a doctor because of Scrubs.
The reality is I didn’t have a clue and for a lot of people, we are asked to decide too early.
What would your advice be to someone at the beginning of a career in journalism/comms?
For anyone studying journalism, my advice is to put your writing out there and produce things away from your studies and university-organised placements – if you’re fortunate enough to be able to. That was very often what separated the people who moved into the industry quickly and those who didn’t.
Across the board, it would be to focus on what you love about your work rather than what you don’t, if you lose the passion for something try to move on, and do your best to take pride in your work and who you work for.
Alma 