THIS week, all of us at the Camden New Journal say a big thank you to everybody who has so far taken the time to donate to our birthday appeal.

As production costs rise – perhaps most notable is the price of ink – we asked readers to make a one-off contribution to help protect the future of campaigning journalism in our borough.

We will not keep asking you week after week, but we have already seen there are people who are willing to donate to help us through these most turbulent times for the local newspaper industry.

The CNJ does not have a divine right to exist but we do believe that Camden benefits from having a committed and properly resourced local news service. It wouldn’t be natural if everybody agreed with every word we printed, but we remain a forum open to all, a meeting place, and a noticeboard with signposts to help.

All money donated will go directly to covering the weekly print and web operation.

Staff do not work here to become wealthy and your contribution will not be used to cover excessive wages or shareholder dividends. The model we use does not search for profits, and is simply set up to cover the cost of Camden having a good, campaigning newspaper.

We remain committed to real journalism, not measured in web metrics distorted by celebrity and scare stories hung on crime.

For more than 40 years, we have been free newspaper, available to all regardless of the ability to pay and we stay true to that commitment.

What we get in return is an engaged audience who liven up our pages with story ideas, photos and reams and reams of your letters.

In essence, that makes the readers the real bosses – not like papers run by large conglomerates from distant offices. We thank you, as ever, for your enduring warmth, encouragement and support.

CLICK THE DONATE BUTTON TO MAKE YOUR CONTRIBUTION

The CNJ’s impact in 2023 so far…

IF the New Journal had not reported on the botched armed police raid at the home of an innocent teacher in Kentish Town, nobody would’ve known about it. The firearms squad could be doing what it wanted and as it pleased without any challenge.

Our reports earlier this year led to officers having to explain their actions in front of a panel of councillors.

It’s certainly been a busy first three months to 2023, which has also included the CNJ taking the lead in the aftermath of a tragedy by organising a memorial service for Lidia Venegas, the homeless woman found dead in the street.

We have also opened our pages to three special editions: the Green New Year in January, which followed on from our climate conference in the autumn, LGBT+ history month and our International Women’s Day edition which was written wholly by female writers. Few local papers would even consider such a project.

In between there has been the familiar supply of news, interviews, features and reviews – and we continue to make community sports our focus at the back of the paper.

There’s much more to be done though, and we remain as determined as we’ve ever been.