Village link

 

Why Local Magazines Still Matter in Rural Communities

I grew up in a commuter town. The kind of place where no one really knew their neighbours. Mornings were spent rushing to the station, catching the train to London, and by the time people returned home, it was late and everyone was tired. The social hall was miles away, so most gatherings happened in pubs or shops along the high street. It was busy, convenient, but not exactly close-knit.

Moving to a rural area was quite an adjustment. Life here runs at a different pace—and relies on a different kind of connection. In towns, you can take for granted the ease of popping to the shop, catching a bus, or finding a taxi. Out here, you need to know when the library bus will visit, what services the mobile post office provides, and when volunteer groups are running events in the village hall. Local trades and services are more spread out too, so knowing who does what, and when, is essential.

That’s where communication becomes vital. In rural areas, we’re scattered over wider distances. It’s not always easy to stay informed or feel connected. For small businesses and tradespeople, local communication helps them reach customers. For residents, it’s how we learn what’s available, when, and where.

These days, much of the world turns to the internet for answers. But not everyone has—or wants—digital access. My own dad, for example, has never owned a smartphone or laptop. He still lives in town, where he can walk to the bank, the doctor, or the shops. For older people in rural areas, though, that simply isn’t possible.

The statistics tell the story. About 4.5 million people in the UK—8% of the population—don’t own a smartphone. Among those over 75, the figure rises to 28%—that’s more than one in four. At the same time, rural communities are ageing more quickly than urban ones. Public transport is disappearing too: one in five rural bus routes has gone in the past five years, leaving many people isolated.

This is why printed community magazines, like the Village Link, are so important. Delivered to every household once every five weeks, they bring essential information right to our doorsteps. They make sure everyone, not just the digitally connected, can keep up with local services, events, and opportunities. For older residents especially, these magazines are a lifeline.

And let’s not forget the delivery itself. A printed magazine isn’t just ink on paper—it’s also a person knocking on doors, posting it through letterboxes, and quietly strengthening the ties that hold a community together. That simple act of distribution is, in itself, an expression of community spirit.

In an age when everything seems to be moving online, it’s worth remembering that sometimes the “old-fashioned” ways still matter most. Printed community magazines connect us, inform us, and remind us that we’re part of something bigger than ourselves. In rural life, they’re more than just pages—they’re proof that community still matters.

———

The Importance of Local Community Magazines in Rural Life

I grew up in a commuter town—a classic dormitory town. People didn’t really know their neighbours. Each morning, the rhythm was the same: get up early, walk to the station, catch the train to London, and return late in the evening, tired from the day. The social hall was on the far side of town, so people tended to meet in the high street’s shops and pubs, not through shared community spaces.

When I moved to a rural area, the contrast was striking. Life here requires a very different rhythm and a deeper reliance on local networks. In towns, facilities are on your doorstep—public transport, food deliveries, doctors’ surgeries, and shops all within easy reach. In rural areas, many of these conveniences are absent. Instead, you learn to make the most of what is available: the visiting library bus, the mobile post office and the limited services it offers, the schedule of events in the village hall, or the help of a local tradesperson.

This makes communication in rural communities not just important, but essential. We are far more dispersed than in towns, and that distance makes it harder to stay connected. For small businesses and local tradespeople, community communication is their lifeline to customers. For residents, it is how we find out what services are available, where, and when.

While many people now turn instinctively to digital platforms for information, this shift risks leaving behind a significant part of our community—particularly older residents. My own father, for example, refuses to have a smartphone or a laptop. He still lives in a town, where he can walk to the bank, the doctor, or the shops. But for many older people in rural areas, that option simply doesn’t exist.

The numbers make this clear. Around 4.5 million people in the UK—8% of the population—do not own a smartphone. Among those over 75, that figure rises to 28%, more than one in four. At the same time, rural populations are both growing and ageing more quickly than urban ones. Over a million people in England live in so-called “transport deserts,” with no practical public transport options. One in five rural bus routes has disappeared in the last five years, leaving people increasingly isolated.

This is why printed community magazines, like the Village Link, play such a vital role. Distributed to every household once every five weeks, they bring essential information directly into people’s homes. They ensure that everyone—not just the digitally connected—has access to news, services, and opportunities. For older residents especially, they are a lifeline.

And there is something more: the act of hand-delivery itself. Each copy of the magazine is not just a bundle of printed pages, but a link in the chain of community. A person, not a machine, places it through your letterbox. That simple action reinforces a sense of connection—neighbour to neighbour, person to person. The very process of distribution becomes an act of valuing and sustaining community life.

In a world increasingly dominated by digital communication, it is worth remembering that old-school technology still matters. For rural communities—scattered, resourceful, and resilient—printed magazines remain a powerful tool. They connect us, they inform us, and they remind us that community is something we make together, one link at a time.

——-

Why Local Magazines Still Matter in Rural Communities

I grew up in a commuter town where neighbours rarely knew one another. Each morning, people rushed to the station, boarded the train to London, and returned late in the evening. By then, everyone was too tired for much else. The social hall was on the far side of town, so most social life centred on pubs and shops along the high street. It was convenient living - but not especially connected.

When I moved to a rural area, the contrast couldn’t have been clearer. Life here relies far more on local knowledge and networks. In towns, transport, shops, and doctors’ surgeries are within easy reach. Rural living necessitates more planning: knowing when the library bus will arrive, what the mobile post office can provide, or when volunteers are running events at the village hall. Local trades and businesses are more spread out too, making it essential to know who offers what, and where.

This is where communication becomes vital. In rural areas, homes are more dispersed, and people can easily feel cut off. For small businesses, getting their name out locally is a lifeline. For residents, clear, reliable information helps us make the most of limited services and opportunities.

In today’s world, much of that communication happens online. But digital platforms don’t reach everyone. My own dad, for instance, has no smartphone or laptop, and no interest in getting one. Living in town, he can still walk to the bank, the doctor, or the shops. For older people in rural areas, that simply isn’t possible.

The numbers show how many people risk being left out. Around 4.5 million people in the UK—8% of the population—don’t own a smartphone. Among over-75s, the figure rises to 28%—more than one in four. Meanwhile, rural areas are ageing faster and growing in size. At the same time, transport links are dwindling. One in five rural bus routes has vanished in the last five years, leaving over a million people in so-called “transport deserts,” cut off from practical public transport.

That’s why printed community magazines, like the Village Link, remain so important. Delivered to every household once every five weeks, they bring information directly into people’s homes. They ensure that everyone—not just the digitally connected—can stay up to date with local services, events, and opportunities. A community includes everyone; old and young, of every culture and ability and rural communities benefit from including everyone as volunteers, as participants and as service users.

And it’s not just the content that matters—it’s the delivery itself. A hand-delivered magazine (Hello!) is a reminder that community is built person to person. Someone, often a neighbour or volunteer, puts it through your letterbox. That simple act is itself a connection, a quiet expression of community spirit.

In a world when so much communication has gone online, it is worth remembering that old-school technology still matters. For rural communities—scattered, resourceful, and resilient—printed magazines remain a powerful tool. In rural areas, they don’t just share information, They connect us, they inform us, and they remind us that community is something we make together, one link at a time.