The Somerset Standard and Guardian Series is producing a new series of special publications.

Staff are working on a series of Living History partworks, in which readers tell their memories of the war, education, health, farming, leisure and industry.

“It is proving to be a fascinating insight and we are looking forward to a positive response when published in October,” said editor David Summers.

The move follows the publication last year of two 64-page stand-alones, tracing the past 2,000 years of history of the towns of Norton-Radstock and Frome with the help of local historians. Run as a six-week partwork in paper, it was then released as a one-off which sold over 4,000 copies.

This week, the Standard and Guardian is running Top Class, featuring photos of children in their final year of primary school. It’s an echo of First Class, which worked wonders last September, putting on 1,500 sales year on year and bringing in £1,800 in reprint orders.

“Another old idea, but a superb effort by our photographer,” Mr Summers said. “In all, 53 schools have been visited and 1,350 faces pictured. Expectations are high for newspaper sales this week.

“Next year, we’ll add Last Class, with pictures of students leaving school for the last time.

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