THIS week The Bolton News is reminding readers of the importance of having a trusted source of news at the heart of the community.

A key part of our Fighting Fake News drive is to highlight the vital campaigning role that local newspapers play in towns and cities across the country.

The Bolton News has a proud record of fighting on behalf of its readers throughout its rich 150-year history.

One campaign that captured the minds of thousands of readers — and even the Prime Minister — was our call for dramatic improvements to Bolton’s rail services.

The Let’s Get Back on Track campaign launched in December 2013 and led to then political reporter Elaine O’Flynn travelling to Downing Street with Bolton’s MPs to deliver a petition to the government.

David Cameron responded by promising to provide 200 extra seats on key morning commuter trains.

While commuters are still facing many problems on Bolton’s trains and are awaiting major upgrades to services, the campaign played a crucial role in pushing the issue to the top of the town’s agenda.

Another campaign that put Bolton on the national stage was The Big Bolton Health Check.

In 2008, the paper joined forces with GP Dr Stephen Liversedge to promote 10-minute checks to identify people over the age of 45 at risk of heart disease.

The scheme proved so successful that it was rolled out nationally by the NHS and has helped countless patients.

The Bolton News has also campaigned for tougher sentences for dangerous drivers who seriously injure their victims.

Our Drive For Justice campaign was inspired by Devon Foster, whose life was turned upside down when she was hit by a drink-driver in Bromley Cross in 2010.

Fundraising for a huge variety of deserving causes is also a key function of local papers.

In 2015, we teamed up with the Bolton NHS Charitable Fund to launch the appeal which aims to raise £200,000 to make wards at the Royal Bolton Hospital dementia-friendly.

The Bolton News also led a drive to raise £200,000 for the town’s Marie Curie nurses and, in our 150th year, we are raising cash for Bolton Hospice.

The Bolton News:

Alice Atkinson, director of income generation and communications at Bolton Hospice, said: “The Bolton News has played an important part in helping Bolton Hospice over the last 25 years, raising funds through their fundraising appeals, raising awareness of the care and support we provide for local people and of course helping us to spread the word about our many fundraising activities and events.

“As a charity that relies so heavily on support from the local community, we consider ourselves very fortunate to have such fantastic support from the Bolton News.”