Two of the volunteers who helped found a new city website start-up are to become its first paid staff members.

Emma Guy, Rhys Everquill and Megan Lupton launched the Great Central Gazette in Leicester last year in a bid to bring “high quality local journalism” to the city.

Now Emma and Rhys, pictured below, are to become the online newspaper’s first paid team members.

Emma will be taking on the role of editor on a freelance contract of eight hours a week, while Rhys will move onto a part-time fixed-term contract as community lead at 21 hours a week.

Both roles are initially for six months, until further funding for the venture is secured.

Megan, previously communications coordinator, will remain as a volunteer but her role will change to communications lead.

Said Emma: “Since launching The Gazette a year ago, our small voluntary team has worked hard to launch an independent title in the city, owned by its readers. As a co-founder, I’m pleased to have worked on The Gazette from day one and believe that there is space for independent media owned by the local communities they serve.

“Having led newsrooms for independent media for the past five years, I’m pleased to now be leading The Gazette as its editor. Together, with our team, we are working hard to expand our editorial content and reach, to tell the stories that are otherwise overlooked.

“I am proud to be editing The Gazette in this exciting time as our team continues to expand and provide quality independent journalism that is defining independent media in the Midlands.”

As well as the website, the team also produces a weekly newsletter, Inside Leicester.