Indie News Week will see two local publications join forces

Two neighbouring independent news outlets are collaborating for a week of events to mark this year’s second Indie News Week, running from 9-13 June.

Indie News Week: outlets joining forces

South West Durham News (SWDN), which is based in County Durham, and the Northern Eco (NE), which is based in North Yorkshire, will be working out of the same newsroom for the week and inviting the public in.

SWDN provides weekly news and civic information via its four papers which are free-to-read and delivered directly to approximately 30,000 homes across the region. NE has produced an email newsletter and website since August 2023, which takes a green lens to news across North Yorkshire and the North East.

Local residents and businesses are being invited to pop into the newsroom where SWDN editor Archie MacKay and his team, along with NE founder Sarah Hartley, will be working together.

“It will be a chance to dive into how we create stories, choose formats, and stay accountable – we’d love to hear people’s stories, ideas and feedback,” said Archie.

An “important touch point in the publishing year”

Sarah is looking forward to hearing about people’s environmental concerns with such major moves going on locally when it comes to wind turbines, new incinerators, net zero jobs, and protecting nature.

She told the Canary:

As a journalist concentrating on environmental issues, I know there’s a lot of misinformation swirling around out there and a real need to help people find solutions to problems they care deeply about when it comes to their local amenities and healthy spaces.

The Northern Eco is getting involved in Indie News Week again as it’s become an important touch point in the publishing year for connecting with readers. As local journalists, the week-long event is an opportunity to meet with communities, showing them who’s behind their local independent news outlet and what goes into accurately covering stories.

The independent sector is a vital part of the whole news ecosystem, providing trustable local sources of news and information which are often not found elsewhere. Having this big showcase of events with publications up and down the UK promoting their work helps demonstrate to readers what’s involved in professional journalism and why it’s worth supporting in their communities.

Celebrating Indie News Week

Along with almost 40 independent news organisations nationwide – including the Canary – SWDN and NE will be celebrating, campaigning and fundraising throughout the week. Here’s just a glimpse of what they have planned:

On Monday they’re producing a podcast: What is Indie News Week and Why Does it Matter? Archie and Sarah will be joined for this discussion by special guest Beckie Shuker, Campaign and Communications Manager at the Public Interest News Foundation.
Tuesday: a special report from the NE in which attitudes to public land tidiness across County Durham are revealed.
Wednesday: from 1pm-6pm the doors of the newsroom will be thrown open with people invited into the offices on the first floor at the Town Council Offices, Civic Hall Square, Shildon, County Durham DL4 1AH.
Thursday: a walk with friends on Ferryhill Carrs. Meet at 11am on Cleves Avenue by Wood Lane for an informal wander for approximately one hour at the nature reserve.
Friday: Ferryhill Market Stall in the town centre between 9am and 3pm. Archie and Sarah would love to hear from local people or businesses with any stories or ideas – or simply to say hello!

Indie News Week is hosted by the Public Interest News Foundation (PINF), the UK’s first charity to support public interest news – ethical and impartial journalism that informs and empowers the public about the things that matter to all of us.

Featured image via the Canary