Get to know the faces behind your local community newspaper

Indie News Week is the UK’s annual celebration of independent news. In 2026, we would like to give our readers the chance to celebrate Indie News Week by learning more about the faces behind their local community newspaper and what goes into covering local stories.

Here our staff and some of our valued contributors/volunteers introduce themselves:

James Cracknell Editor

For nearly 20 years I have witnessed firsthand the steep decline of the local news industry. Several newspapers I’ve previously worked for no longer exist – including Enfield Gazette and Advertiser. When that paper was shut down suddenly in July 2017 I told my boss, Social Spider director David Floyd, that we should try to launch a publication to fill the gap. A year later, we did, providing Enfield with a vital news service while promoting the many great things going on in our community. I hope we can continue to serve the borough for many years to come!

Klaudia Kiss Head of advertising

I am a creative strategic thinker with a sales and marketing background, a new mum, and a huge cat lover. I also love to work on projects I can 100% put myself behind. The high-quality local news coverage that my colleagues do day-by-day is worthy of the best support they can get. My job is to ensure the financial sustainability of the Dispatch and our other titles, making sure we have enough money to keep building our papers and bringing people the news.

Joe Ives Local Democracy Reporter

My school teachers told me I’d never be a professional footballer. They were right. Still, being a BBC Local Democracy Reporter means making headlines in a different way. I cover three councils: Barnet, Enfield and Haringey. These local authorities make key decisions for roughly one million people on everything from health to housing. Yet the decline in local news over the past two decades has meant the level of scrutiny they receive has dwindled. More often than not my colleagues and I will be the only ones covering hugely important decisions. It’s a huge responsibility – and privilege.

Neil Littman Food writer

As a resident of Enfield for twelve years, I’ve had a longstanding interest in community issues and the borough’s history. During the pandemic, recognising its severe impact on the hospitality sector, I began writing about local places to eat out – and the food column has continued ever since. I also serve on Winchmore Hill Residents’ Association and am active in various neighbourhood initiatives. Professionally, I work as a graphic designer and play in bands. I value the independence of local journalism and see the Dispatch as an essential platform for informing and engaging residents through positive, impartial reporting.

Sangeeta Waldron LocalMotion contributor

As a media professional and published author, I believe that local press matters. In Enfield, we have a thriving local newspaper, the Dispatch, with a real editor who understands the community and its landscape. Every month I work closely with the Dispatch on content for two pages that are part of the newspaper and sponsored by LocalMotion Enfield, a grassroots organisation working alongside the local community. These two pages focus on youth and community stories, shining a spotlight on diverse, local voices. Local newspapers are a valuable, trusted source, fostering community cohesion and countering misinformation

Andrew Warshaw Sports writer

I write a monthly column about Enfield Town FC for the Dispatch as well as the occasional cultural/ music article. Having started my journalistic career in local newspapers (I am now retired) I have first-hand experience of how vital they are in terms of serving the local community. The Dispatch is an invaluable example of this, an eagerlyawaited read covering a multitude of issues. It is imperative, in an age of social media where too often fact and fiction get blurred, that local newspapers not only survive but thrive – and that print versions remain instantly accessible.