Crowdfunding: A letter from the editor

The Tottenham Community Press is celebrating its first birthday. We’ve decided to mark this milestone with a party – of course! And we’d love to see you all there. The party will take place from 6:30pm at the Antwerp Arms on Thursday 30th November.

The night will include a special performance by Tottenham rapper WondRWomN, food supplied by local businesses, an exhibition curated by the Tottenham Photography Club and many more surprises. The party will also mark the launch of our crowdfunder campaign. Over the next two months we are raising funds to ensure that the Tottenham Community Press continues to be your reliable source of independent, local news.

Since taking on the role of Editor at this unique newspaper, I have witnessed first hand the generosity, compassion and determination of hundreds of Tottenham residents. We are asking you to support us by donating to our crowdfunding campaign so that we can continue to challenge the media status quo, speak truth to power and truly represent Tottenham in all of its diversity.

Over the past two months we conducted a survey to nd out what residents of Tottenham wanted from their media outlets. 97% of the people we surveyed thought that Tottenham needed a local newspa- per. The top three issues the people we surveyed said they wanted to read more about were: regeneration/development of the area, community projects and arts and culture.

Surveying in Tottenham: Ellie Ward, Persephone Pickering and Anna Merryfield

We have listened to this feedback. The money raised through our crowdfunder will mean we can continue to provide the content you want to read, as well as develop our business model and create an advertising revenue stream that will ensure our sustainability into the future.

Miranda Grell from the Haringey Law Centre told us: “Having the Tottenham Community Press in ex- istence means that there is de nite- ly more transparency about some of the many developments and changes happening in our area.” Seema Chandwani, who was re- cently elected as a member of La- bour’s Conference Arrangements Committee, added: “Residents need to feel that their voices are heard – whether it is on regeneration, police and community relations. Not having the paper almost takes away that voice.”

I hope to meet many of you at the Tottenham Community Press anniversary celebrations on Thursday 9th November and that you donate what you can to our crowdfunding campaign to take a stand against the domination of media corporations and ensure local democracy in Tottenham is thriving.

A number of rewards will be offered to those of you who get behind the campaign by donating, including:

I’d also like to say a big thank you to the following individuals and organisations, which have been involved in supporting the launch of our crowdfunding campaign so far…

As always, please get in touch if you would like to help shape the content of the next issue, write about something you are passionate about or send in pho- tographs of something that has in- spired you in Tottenham.

Visit www.crowdfunder.co.uk/tottenhamcommunitypress

Email [email protected]

David Lammy MP

“In an age of fake news, of rising hate crime, of concern and vulnerability of communities, particularly in areas like Tottenham, we need the Tottenham Community Press.

“We have to have a press that is accountable, we have to have a set of information that’s edited, that’s real, that’s true, that speaks truth to power – not just people on Twitter asserting what they want. That’s why I believe in community journalism and all that Tottenham Community Press represents.”

– David Lammy MP for Tottenham