Supporting Local Grass Roots Newspapers

We love supporting our local community across the borough whether that is through courses, 1-1s or bringing the latest business and social enterprise news to you through our online channels – our website, newsletters and social media.

With a lot of news and ways in which to connect communities going to a digital format, it is sometimes hard to remember the look and feel of a hard copy newspaper that you can pick up and read at your leisure without the need for it to be charged or connected to WiFi! 

For the next six months we are supporting Thornton Heath based community newspaper The Chronicle through paid for advertising and editorial to help us reach and support would-be entrepreneurs and businesses but also to help do what we can to sustain the publication.

With a printed circulation of 5,000 copies and an online edition offering great coverage of local news, features and events, The Chronicle has become an established newspaper loved by many of its readership.  

Editor Andrea Perry, who pulls everything together with the help of designer Jo Dawson and a fantastic team of volunteer distributors, said that some readers are so keen to get their hands on the latest edition they wait at the local supermarket for it to arrive!

Andrea commented “We’ve done so many stories. Our exclusive on Ed Sheeran teaching local primary children during lockdown got comments from across the world and coincided with our VE Day edition“

“These two recent editions were good as they covered a real mix of stories such as the boy who left with no exams and returned as the headteacher of Oasis Academy Shirley Park (See Page 3 of this edition) and the hardships and beauty of life growing up for a 16-year-old girl in Thornton Heath (See Page 14 of this edition).”

Yet,  this community based newspaper is in need of support to help it survive by continuing to connect the local community and give residents a voice.

Currently The Chronicle relies on donations through a GoFundMe page to continue with publishing it every month.

In September, they will be celebrating their fifth anniversary and Andrea has plans to widen the remit and spread of The Chronicle across the borough to emulate the original Croydon Chronicle which was originally published in the 19th century.

 It would be a shame in the 21st century if they are forced to shut the printers down (or turn the laptop off) for the final time.

Key to The Chronicle’s future is attracting new revenue through advertising or sponsorship and the team is keen to find a top sales person who shares the teams vision for local news and will work on a commission basis.

To find out more about The Chronicle and get involved go to https://www.thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk/  or their GoFundMe page. Andrea can be contacted via email editor@thorntonheathchronicle.co.uk