Brighton-based journalist Sarah Booker-Lewis has been recognised for her impactful reporting on bed bug infestations, eviction notices and council weedkiller treatment
Brighton & Hove News journalist Sarah Booker-Lewis has been named the 2025 Local Democracy Reporter of the Year.
The BBC Local Democracy Reporter Service (LDRS) embeds 165 journalists into local newsrooms to strengthen reporting on local authorities and public service organisations as part of the BBC's Charter commitment. It then shares these stories with more than 1,100 partner titles and news outlets.
Booker-Lewis joined the LDRS in 2018 at the early conception of the scheme, and has notably investigated bed bug infestations in council housing, a council employee threatened with eviction over unpaid wages, and the continued use of weedkiller in streets that had opted out of the service.
Frank le Duc
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