“What we want to cover is the people of Rochester”

The Rochester Radar is the exciting new magazine from the award-winning Brightside Publishing. Steven met its editor, Rachel Woollett, in the Royal Crown, where he asked her about what we can expect to see in the new publication and how she came to edit it, her background in comedy and writing, and handling OCD.

What is your official occupation? 
Journalist. 

You are also an editor. Do you see that as different or does all that come under the journalist banner? 
It kind of does. It's a bit of a grey area, because sometimes I refer to myself as a writer, because I've written other things as well. The novel is currently on the go. We've all got a novel. In journalistic terms, I edit, and I write. But the specific editor role is new.

The ethos of the company is that it’s hyperlocal and everything is positive, inclusive, and community-based

Of the specific editor role, what is the Rochester Radar? 
The Rochester Radar is the latest magazine from award-winning publisher, Brightside Publishing, who have been going for about ten years and have seven magazines all based in Kent, largely around the coast. It started with Margate ten years ago, and they're gradually moving inland. Rochester is the latest one to be launched, and it covers community, the arts, anything positive that's happening in the area. 
The ethos of the company is that it's hyperlocal and everything is positive, inclusive, and community-based. 

How did you first become involved with Brightside? 
I was between jobs, as they say, and I contacted them on spec to see if they needed anybody, and they didn't at that moment. A couple of months later, they got back to me and said, “We’ve got an opening.” Two rounds of interviews later, and I got the job. 
I was sub-editing, which I'm still doing on some of the other magazines. On the day of my interview, I said, “I love your magazines, you really need to do one in Rochester.” Everyone just smiled at me. But now here we are, two or three years later, and we're starting the Rochester one.

What are you looking forward to in the Rochester Radar? 
What we want to cover is the people of Rochester. The people who live here and work here. Rochester is obviously known for having a castle and a cathedral. It's got its strong Dickensian connections, but we want to make sure that everything else that's happening is talked about as well. There are many lovely eateries. There are many creatives locally and lovely places to shop, many charitable causes happening locally that we want to talk about, share with people, and support.

Is there anything in particular Rochester-based that you've not covered in the first edition, but you're looking forward to being able to one day cover? 
There's so much happening that it's difficult to single out one thing, event or person. I think what's going to happen is that every issue, we're going to be finding out new things. I've learnt such a lot since being editor. For example, the Whoop Heritage Festival on the peninsula. I hadn't heard of it before, but it looks exciting. 

Is that covered by the Rochester Radar? 
Well, it is because, weirdly, it's still called Rochester. Logistically, it still comes under Rochester? Hoo, Grain and all those areas are still Rochester. We'll be covering things that aren't necessarily right in the middle of town, right in the high street, but that have Rochester connections.

Where were you born?
I was born in Chatham. 
I didn't stay here long because the family moved down to Margate. I had a fabulous childhood in Margate, going down to the seafront. 
I've lived in various places. I lived in Scotland for a bit. I did a bit of travelling. I lived in Australia and India.

What brought you back to Medway? 
My family were here going back generations. In fact, I live quite near one of the cemeteries and my great-grandmother on both sides of my family are in those cemeteries. I walk the dog and say hello to them. My roots are in Medway. I do feel like it's my home again now.