Why Edinburgh Evening News is vital in these times – Helen Martin

THERE are many other people we all appreciate and celebrate in this awful time. Care home workers, community carers, bus drivers, postal staff, helping volunteers, pharmacists, train staff, delivery drivers, vets, animal carers, and probably more to add to that list.

I’d certainly add local newspapers, like the Edinburgh Evening News. I haven’t worked there full-time for years but the current team has a fractional headcount of days gone by.

They’re working from home during the lockdown, not earning as much as they should or did, carrying out multiple jobs and roles and providing a daily service with free delivery.

They provide all local and national, vital information, good news and bad, nice distraction, applause, advice, explanation of local issues and future plans.

They keep the community together, enable people in lockdown to know what’s happening around them outside, and offer publicity and support to those who deserve back-up. Much that you won’t hear or see on radio or television.

Included are current photos, community groups, history of the city, political and council reports, pages of puzzles, sports news and features, TV listings, columns to agree with or debate… I could go on and on.

Yes, much is available online. But buying the paper presents all of this together in a daily, designed publication where you miss nothing.

I might have been proud and happy of my past career but I’m even more proud of and grateful to today’s team who work so hard for the people of Edinburgh.

Thank you for reading this story on our website. While I have your attention, I also have an important request to make of you.

In order for us to continue to provide high quality and trusted local news on this free-to-read site, I am asking you to also please purchase a copy of our newspaper.

Our journalists are highly trained and our content is independently regulated by IPSO to some of the most rigorous standards in the world. But being your eyes and ears comes at a price. So we need your support more than ever to buy our newspapers during this crisis.

With the coronavirus lockdown having a major impact on many of our local valued advertisers - and consequently the advertising that we receive - we are more reliant than ever on you helping us to provide you with news and information by buying a copy of our newspaper.

Thank you

Frank O’Donnell

Editorial Director