The Great Central Gazette is set to launch next year

By Jayden Whitworth

Leicestershire is set to welcome a new local newspaper next year with the introduction of the Great Central Gazette.

The project is being launched by three former De Montfort University students, Reece Stafferton, Emma Guy, and Anna Roberts-Finn.

The Great Central Gazette will be a not-for-profit newspaper that adopts a co-operative model where members get to vote on how the business is run, similar to newspapers like the Bristol Cable and the Manchester Mill.

The newspaper will launch a digital project in spring next year, with the aim to produce a paper newspaper in the future.

Reece Safferton, co-founder of the Great Central Gazette, said: “Our ambition is to hold power to account, work with the community to fix big issues, and partner with local groups to present journalism workshops for anyone hoping to learn new skills.

“We want to publish high-quality editorially independent journalism.

“Ideally, journalism would represent everyone. We should be able to tell our stories with our own voices and come together as a community to amplify disadvantaged, marginalised, and under-represented people. We need newspapers created with and for the people who feel like they’re being let down by existing media.”

The team at the Gazette aim to build a network of hyperlocal newspapers in Leicester.

Leicester is lacking in local journalism, with the Reach-owned Leicester Mercury the main newspaper in the city.

They have recently set up a crowdfunding page in the hope to get the Great Central Gazette off the ground.

Reece said: “Our crowdfunder closes on November 14. We’re currently 61% of the way to our target, £2500.

“We’re hoping we can smash this and set up a stretch goal.”

The Gazette’s team hope to be able to organise large events like a ‘Leicester Media Awards’ to showcase the work of artists, filmmakers, podcasters, and writers, based in Leicester.

They pledge to cover unreported local news, showcase the history of Leicester, unpack stats and data, hold debates, and open discussions and publish comment from local people.

To help support the Great Central Gazette and find a whole host of benefits of getting involved, including limited edition t-shirts and the opportunity to have a say in the business, visit: greatcentralgazette.org/crowdfunder.