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September 2026 issue here
I feel lucky to have been in Deddington in 1975 when Gerard Sullivan, chairman of the Deddington Hall Management Committee (not the current Windmill MC), proposed to Mary Robinson and me that we start a village or parish magazine. Mary had a background in desktop publishing and I was a reasonably competent secretary. We reviewed a few local magazines and decided that A4 was the size to go for. It was a scratchy start with some being highly sceptical about the need for it (including me) and limited income from advertisers who were prepared to give it a go.
Some parish councillors were deeply suspicious, not least follow ing the first issue. However, they supported the DN to the tune of £4 per month for the first three months. Our report of the PC meeting following that first issue, records that complaints that it was a waste of ratepayers’ money and some businesses hadn’t been asked to advertise. There was a demand that DN copy should be vetted by the PC before publication. Happily, the PC now positively welcomes me to their meetings.
Fortunately, these initial hurdles were jumped and the DN became self-sufficient, with funding from advertisers. There have been hitches along the way when income did not cover our expenditure but, mainly, this has been an occasional blip on the horizon.
Along the way we have had only thirteen other editors: I returned to the hot seat in 2008. Undoubtedly, it’s becoming time for someone – or some two – to take over the reins if the parish wants the News to continue.
JC
