A Bit of History
Following the demise of the ‘Mission News’ church newspaper in 1977, a local community worker came up with the idea of a community newspaper for Ollerton & Boughton to encourage the feeling of community & community spirit within the two villages. With the help of a £90 bank balance – a gift from the Mission News which had folded the previous year – and a handful of church volunteers and distributors, ‘Roundabout’ was born.
It took its title originally from the A614 roundabout in Ollerton and the fact that it wanted to publish news round about the village. The name ‘Roundabout’ came to represent life being like a roundabout or merry-go-round, with its ups & downs and people coming & going. Its aim was and still is, to offer a forum to residents of Ollerton & Boughton, to voice their concerns & opinions on local issues and to enable local clubs, societies, associations and services a forum to be keep residents aware of what is happening and of interest in the community.
Along with help from the Communtity Development Project on Hallam Road, community workers and volunteers, the first ‘trial’ edition of ‘Roundabout’ was produced on the 17th June 1978 and distributed to residents at the Children’s Gala event. Following the successful reception to this trial edition from local residents, the first ‘full’ edition of ‘Roundabout’, containing 8 pages, was produced and distributed to residents in September 1978.
Over the years there have been many changes to the style & size of ‘Roundabout’, including the introduction of colour, but one thing that has not changed is the devotion & enthusiasm of a succession of unpaid volunteers, who distribute each edition of the newspaper. After over 30 years, it must be one of the longest serving community newspapers in Nottinghamshire and possibly the country.
Roundabout Today
Roundabout is a free non-profit making community newspaper founded in 1978. It has a circulation of 6,000 and attempts to deliver to every household in Ollerton, Boughton and Kirton with copies also going to Walesby, Wellow, Edwinstowe and beyond. There are eleven issues a year (excluding September).
Roundabout is unique in that it is produced by the community for the community with the help of two workers and numerous volunteers, including over sixty volunteer distributors. It has no reporters or photographers and relies solely on articles and photographs being sent in by the community. Because of this, it creates good community spirit, helping to promote and develop the economic, social and cultural life of the local area. It has a Management Committee, also consisting of members of the community who represent local groups and agencies etc, which oversees policies and finance and meets six times a year.
Community Participation
Readers are encouraged to report to Roundabout details of local events and activities and to include relevant photographs where possible. Community groups, local agencies and schools contribute regularly and the Letters page brings welcome comments from readers. Community information is printed free of charge. Local businesses are also encouraged to advertise their services in Roundabout by its very reasonable rates and find this a cost efficient and popular way of promoting their businesses. Roundabout’s constitution does not allow the printing of anything that is considered to be libellous, racist or sexist, nor will it print anything that may encourage people to get into debt.
Local Support
Because Roundabout wants to continue as a newspaper that is an asset to the community it needs continued support from sponsorship, donations and advertisers. Volunteer distributors are always needed and made very welcome. For more information email the Administrator, Steve, at advertising.roundabout@gmail.com
For article submissions please email Richard, the Editor, at editor.roundabout@gmail.com
Richard Harris
Editor – Roundabout Community Newspaper