Moor Magazine was initially launched in 2010, when two Heatonians with big ideas put their heads together. The team is now made up of four people based out of our office in Heaton Moor plus a number of freelance designers, photographers and writers. Together we’ve created a publication that represents the pride, potential and diversity that The Heatons is all about.
Steve is a true born and bred Heatonian. He grew up in Heaton Chapel, attending local schools, and has lived nearly all of his adult life in both Heaton Moor and Heaton Norris. Steve had the idea for MOOR after becoming involved with local business group The Four Heatons Traders Association and launched the magazine in 2010.
Steve has 35 years’ media experience, spanning both the print and broadcast mediums. Having started working at the Stockport Express, in the early eighties, he moved onto regional then national press, before moving into radio in the mid-nineties. After more than 20 years working in Manchester city centre, Steve’s career eventually brought him back to Stockport in 2005, when he was appointed Station Director at Imagine FM. Five years later Steve launched MOOR. “I’d had the idea and the concept swirling round in my head for some time and eventually I decided the timing was right, both commercially and personally, to launch the magazine.
Steve Howarth
Managing Director
Melissa has a solid background in service marketing with previous roles including: Tourism and Marketing Manager for Stockport MBC, Head of Marketing and PR for Manchester Metropolitan University, and Director of Tourism at Marketing Manchester, the region’s destination marketing agency and tourist board for Greater Manchester.
With no prior link to the area, Melissa chose to move to The Heatons just because she loved it! She and her family have now been here for 18 years, so she understands the ‘relocators’ who move to the area with no family ties just a knowledge that they’ve found ‘somewhere special’ to live. Her loyalty and passion for all things Heatons drives a determination that MOOR should support both readers and advertisers alike.
As well as having overall responsibility for editorial content and being one of our key writers, Melissa manages our advertisers within the Style & Beauty and Parenting sections as well as many of the specialist home services retailers.
Melissa Marriott
Editor, Writer & Sales
Sharon has been with MOOR since day one! Initially she simply wrote restaurant reviews but has gradually contributed more and more until today when she not only sub-edits the magazine, ensuring the correct grammar, spelling, house style and tone of everything within it, but also regularly writes full features and interviews.
Sharon also manages our advertisers within the food and drink, health and fitness and professional sections of the magazine. She’s lived in The Heatons for more than 30 years and is very involved in the local business scene: she has been chair of the Four Heatons Traders Association on two occasions and was one of the originators of The Heatons’ summer and Christmas festivals.
Sharon brings with her 25 years valuable business experience, having been a partner in a successful sign design and manufacturing business before deciding to devote more of her time to MOOR
Sharon Byrne
Sales, Sub-Editor & Writer
Claire joined the MOOR team in November 2016 to assist and support the sales team, enabling them to concentrate on getting out in to The Heatons to build good business relationships.
Her background and experience in print, production and business administration makes her a great asset to the team. After graduating with a degree in Business Administration, Claire began working for a large international publishing company, managing the production of the advertising and the relationships with the printers, editors, designers, customers and the sales teams. Following this she worked in print management for Matalan.
Claire was raised, educated (until she went to university in Manchester), and grew up in The Heatons (she now raises her own family here) and it’s still her favourite place to socialise and relax with family and friends.
Claire Vincent
Operations & Account Manager
Kelly has worked in publishing for 21 years, graduating from Newcastle College and moving down to London where she learnt the skills of her trade. Over the years she has designed for a variety of magazines, art directing, styling, overseeing photo-shoots and commissioning photographers. She has a real passion for magazines, "I love transforming 'pictures and words' to enable a stronger brand presence and collaborating with aspirational people, building strong relationships with clients to understand their market and who they are communicating with."
She has always had a close relationship with Moor magazine, from designing for advertisers, to the redesign of Moor in 2015. Her clients are so varied which leads her to have experience in all areas.
Kelly Flood
Art Director