31/12/2025
As the year draws to a close, it’s a moment to reflect on the stories shared across Tayside and Fife over the past 12 months - and the people behind them.
My feature writing for The Courier this year has taken me into homes and communities at some of the hardest moments of their lives: families living with grief decades after violent loss, relatives still searching for missing loved ones, widows asking difficult questions after fatal NHS failures, and communities coming together in the face of sudden and heartbreaking loss.
There have also been stories shaped by change and uncertainty - fishing crews worried about the future of their livelihoods, households living under the shadow of crumbling Raac, arts organisations fighting for survival, and villages still adjusting to the long-term impact of defence decisions at places like Leuchars. A memorable highlight was when I joined local soldiers on a major NATO exercise in Romania, where the wider European picture felt uncomfortably close to home.
Alongside this, I’ve been fortunate to spend time on features celebrating creativity, heritage and resilience: the efforts to save HMS Unicorn and RRS Discovery, world-champion cheerleaders from Cupar, and long-form conversations with writers, musicians, filmmakers and performers connected to our area - including Brian Cox, Val McDermid, Ged Grimes, John Maclean and Gary Clark.
There was even an unexpected appearance on a Courier TV advert interviewing KT Tunstall!
Across news, features, culture and opinion, the aim has remained the same: to listen carefully, ask fair questions, and try to reflect life in our communities honestly and with care.
Thank you to everyone who trusted me with their story this year - and to readers who continue to support local journalism.
I look forward to telling many more stories from across our communities in 2026. Here's to a Happy New Year!
