The Burngreave Messenger was first published in July 1999 to serve the Burngreave area of Sheffield. The newspaper was started by local people on an entirely voluntary basis and everyone involved was ‘determined that it should both be the property of local people and reflect their views’.
After two black and white issues in 1999, part colour issues were produced from June 2000 with funding from BNDFC (Burngreave New Deal for Communities) on a month by month basis, seven issues were produced that year. In October 2001 we were granted project funding from BNDFC and were able to employ two part-time workers, producing nine issues in 2001 and 2002.
In December 2002 we started a four year project, also funded by BNDFC, enabling us to employ three full time equivalents and produce 10 issues per year. During the four year project the Burngreave Messenger became a limited company, but remained community managed and not for profit.
The Messenger has always earned revenue from advertising, both from local and city-wide organisations. In recent years this has generated approximately £1800 per issue, which is not enough to run the Messenger project. From 2002 to 2006 we piloted ways to generate income from print design, website design and IT services. We have also looked at developing as a training organisation and expanding to the east of the City to generate more advertising revenue. We have rejected all these options, either because they did not generate enough money or because their implementation would radically change what the Messenger is trying to achieve. Instead we intend to focus our efforts on securing grant funding and sponsorship, and developing volunteers’ involvement.
In November 2006 we secured funding from Burngreave New Deal for Communities of £135,000 over 3 years. This is half of the project costs for that period; the costs of the first year are met by the grant, with part funding for years 2 and 3.
Aims of the three year project
Continue the production of a community newspaper, which is high quality, free and independent. High quality so that it is attractive and readable, free so that it reaches all residents, independent so it is trusted.
Involve residents in the production of the content of the newspaper, so that residents can gain useful and transferable skills, so the content of the newspaper is relevant to residents and reflects the Burngreave community, and so that no one person decides what the news is for the area.
Provide volunteering opportunities and involve residents in other production tasks and the running of the Messenger organisation, from office administration, to distribution, to the management committee, so that the knowledge of producing a community newspaper is shared and accessible to residents, so that the Messenger is less reliant on funding and paid staff, increasing the likelihood of the newspaper being sustainable into the future.
Develop alternative income and funding, so that in three years the Messenger will be independent of New Deal funding.
The Messenger is still an independent, community newspaper and is delivered free to over 6000 households in Burngreave. The main aim of the Burngreave Messenger Ltd is to increase and encourage communication in Burngreave, and the Messenger strives to be the ‘Voice of the Burngreave Community’.
If you would like to know more about the Burngreave Messenger or get involved please contact us:
The Burngreave Messenger Ltd, Abbeyfield Park House, Abbeyfield Road, Sheffield, S4 7AT
Tel: 0114 2420564
Email: mail@burngreavemessenger.org <mail@burngreavemessenger.org>