Outgoing Newspaper Society president John Robertson has been elected chairman of the Society’s Independent Publishers Forum by the eight newly elected IPF Councillors.
John, who is also the deputy chairman of Newbury Weekly News, takes over the from Jeremy Spooner of the Maidenhead Advertiser.

The Wolverhampton Express & Star is giving readers a daily dose of nostalgia with the launch of a new website.
Midlands Memories contains news, sport and features from the paper’s archives and also boasts a forum and picture board for users to make their own contributions.

Eastern Daily Press columnist Moss Taylor is supporting the paper’s We Care Appeal by donating a percentage of the profits from the sale of his book In The Countryside.
Moss has already added £250 to the appeal – which will pay for items such as wheelchair power packs – and now has a total of almost £900,000.

The Grimsby Evening Telegraph is urging readers to wise up to the dangers of smoking in homes following the deaths of two local children who were believed to be playing with a cigarette lighter.
Coupons have been printed encouraging readers to sign up to become a Friend of the Fire Service and be trained to help firefighters spread the safety message.

The Leicester Mercury has launched a new 132-page glossy standalone lifestyle magazine which targets male and female readers aged 25 to 60.
Leicestershire and Rutland Life is edited by Louise Benson and has a cover price of £2.70.

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