THIS week we celebrate the unique way we focus on local life as part of Holding our Community Together, our campaign to raise awareness launched last week.

This focuses on the impact made by your local newspaper every week.

The lives of people living locally are central to our news, with their highs and lows featured on our pages and on our website, just as we have reported on local events throughout our history.

Even when our community was disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic and accompanying lockdowns, we have stayed true to our aim of reporting on what matters to our community.

We hold a unique place in local life by reporting on the everyday stories which social media and other digital news providers do not document.

Continuing our approach of being the news brand of record, we feature the clubs, groups, teams and individuals who combine to make our community.

This includes local youth groups, junior sports teams, volunteers, civic organisations and community figureheads like our mayors.

Nobody, we believe, understands our community like your trusted local news brand, so we continue to feature the community work of our public services, the police, fire service, NHS and teaching staff, as well as all those who work for our local authorities to make a difference to our region.

Recently, we have brought you news such as:

• Bow Scouts new leader and award to an exceptional young person

• The Turning Tides Project doing outstanding work on behalf of Crediton Town Council, helping with litter picking and other good works

• Crediton area Speedwatch seeking new members to help drive down speeding vehicles

• The welcoming of the newly appointed Mayor of Crediton, Cllr Elizabeth Brookes-Hocking.

We see it as our responsibility to bring you the human-interest stories which may not make the headlines outside our town or region but mean a great deal to the people living here.

In recent times we featured:

• Children making rainbow pictures to thank the NHS.

• Geoff Sabi Palmer of Tedburn St Mary making PPE on his 3D printer at home.

• Leo and Oscar Hargreaves climbed the equivalent of Ben Nevis in aid of NHS heroes.

• Hillbrow Care Home asked for letters and drawings for residents from the public.

• Yvonne Youles donated tubes of hand cream to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital.

• Residents managed to celebrate VE Day despite lockdown.

• Joanne Jones and Colin Smallacombe undertook a 25-mile walk for FCN.

• Ellie Howard donated hair and raised funds for Little Princess Trust.

• Kai Errington (8) donated his Christmas presents to children less fortunate than himself.

• Winkleigh man, Paul Baker, crowned UK Smile Maker for his service to local community.

Serving this area since December 1974, we believe nobody understands our community and shines a light on everyday life like us.

As part of the community, we hold a unique place in being able to document your lives, giving encouragement to those who give back and a voice to those who need help.

While the printed newspaper is integral to our service, we can use our website and other digital platforms to reach many more people, driving interest in the life in our community.

With our social media reach we are also able to engage with people far and wide about the work of people in our area.

The technology may change but our purpose remains the same. We want to celebrate the best of local life.

We hope you will continue to send in all the important news for our community to appear in your trusted weekly newspaper or on our website, as we play our part in the recovery from the pandemic.

Whether it is the latest fundraiser event for a good cause, a group of volunteers who have rolled their sleeves up to help or friends who want to place a memorial for a loved one now gone, we will continue to share your news.

Thank you for continuing to share your news through the Crediton Courier, holding our community together.