Local Matters
Our staff live in the areas our 3 community magazines cover, so we feel very strongly that we are part of our local community. We don’t just talk about this. We do practical things to provide support to other local people and organisations doing their bit to help all of us in the wider community.
We Support Our Local High Streets & Businesses & They Support Us
As a local community magazine and website we care about our local businesses. This year they need us to buy from them more than ever!
It is easy to buy on-line from corporate companies who might not even be based in the UK, but right now if you can buy locally it will make such a difference. Every pound we can spend locally will keep our local traders in business and sustaining jobs. Then local people employed by our local businesses can spend money locally. It is a virtuous circle that is vital to our local prosperity and keeping our high streets alive.
We want to emphasise that the businesses that advertise with The Pioneer Magazines in Walsall, Aldridge and surrounding villages, and the Great Barr Gazette are doing their bit to support our local communities. Their advertising ensures that our local residents get our magazines directly through their doors.
This year we have published lists of businesses online that have continued to trade through two lockdowns, we have promoted their successes and many heart-warming deeds in print and via social media and will proudly continue to do so.
Doing Our Bit To Promote Walsall Wood’s Community Library
The team here at The Pioneer Magazine and Great Barr Gazette are very passionate about reading. We remember when we were little going to the library with our parents and grandparents and browsing through loads of books. There was an area where you could sit and read the books or flick through and decide which ones you wanted to take home. It was a wonderful adventure that with budget cuts today’s youngsters are not always able to experience.
We were so pleased to be able to provide a double page completely free of charge in our September and October editions to help promote the new community-based library in Walsall Wood. We’ve also featured The New Chapter in our social media posts.
In this instance we saw our mission as two-fold. Firstly, to let local people know that the library is there for everyone of all ages to enjoy. Secondly, to help the appeal for books and volunteers. If you can help in any way or for more information contact Petty Officer Stroud 07594 284399 (the Navy Cadets also use the building).
To read the full article follow this link to our latest editions. You’ll find it in the Villages edition page 40, and Walsall Edition page 32.
Helping Pelsall Carnival Organisers
As a local community magazine and website, we are helping the wonderful people who organise Pelsall Carnival. Nearer the time we’ll be promoting the carnival itself, but right now the important message we are getting out into the local community is this. “Pelsall carnival urgently needs volunteers to help organise the event”.
We are running a double-page feature in the March/April edition of our magazine and posting this on our Facebook and Twitter pages; and here where you are reading this! If you can help as an individual or as a business, please get in touch with Diane Leese 07752 772 951 or email her diane.leese@gmail.com. This will be the 49th Pelsall Carnival – together let’s make it a great success!
Finding Homes For Local Cats Every Month
Each month we feature some of the homeless, hungry and lonely cats that arrive at Cats Protection. These are our moggy friends who are looking for someone to adopt them as we can’t take them all home ourselves, much as we would like to!
The cats featured in our Walsall & Villages magazine the cats come from Walsall Cats Protection and in the Great Barr Gazette they come from Birmingham North Cats Protection or Team Cat Rescue.
Kitting Out Local Kids
We were approached by longstanding Pioneer advertiser Swift Bathrooms Ltd to see if we could sponsor the main kit for the under 9s team at Rushall Olympic Football Club. We were only too happy to help. Find out more here
Reporting On Local People Helping Walsall RNLI Save Lives
We often publish information, free of charge, on RNLI’s Walsall Branch news and fundraising. In our November/December 2019 issue of Pioneer Magazine, we did a double page feature on two lifeboats that have been paid for by private donations from Walsall people. In 2018 one of the boats was launched 44 times, helping 57 people!
We received a wonderful thank you letter from Phil Martin, Walsall Branch of RNLI. Here’s an excerpt “We would like to say a big thank you to you and your staff, as you have helped us to publicise our up-to-date lifeboat news and keep in touch with both the local community and our loyal group of supporters. Your continued support, help, and assistance to the Walsall Branch of RNLI are very much appreciated.”
Free Feature For Aldridge School Charity Event
In our November/December 2019 Villages Edition which is circulated free of charge to the villages in and around Aldridge, we gave Aldridge School a free double page spread to promote a charity event. They held a fashion show and shopping event raising funds for Aldridge charity the THOMAS Project. We were only too happy to support both our local school and this local charity.