THIS week is Journalism Matters Week and today is #trustednewsday – where the spotlight is shined on trusted news sources such as The Bolton News. Editor KARL HOLBROOK outlines why we have never been more important in these tumultuous times...

Local journalism is as vital now has it has ever been and newspapers like The Bolton News have fought for our communities for many generations.

We’ve campaigned for local hospitals, charities and individual families. We’ve collected food for the poor and Christmas presents for the needy.

We’ve shone light into the darkest corners of our societies, highlighted the crimes of villains, celebrated the successes of our inspirational residents and charted the highs and lows of our sports clubs.

We’ve highlighted and contextualised the work of the council, the government, NHS and other public bodies, while also holding their decisions to account on your behalf.

But newspaper brands are much more than just their journalism. Over generations newspapers like ours have supported local businesses by giving them a platform to promote themselves. They have been places where parents have celebrated the births of their children and where grieving families have remembered the lives of their loved ones.

News brands like ours are at the very heart of the communities they represent.

And never has this important service been more important than over the past few months as teams of reporters, sales reps, deliverers, printers and others have worked around the clock from their kitchen worktops and spare rooms to provide millions of readers with vital, up-to-the-minute news about the Covid-19 pandemic.

They’ve done this while also coming to terms with and dealing with the consequences of this terrible situation on their own lives and in their own families.

They have also done this at a time when journalism itself is under attack and our industry faces greater challenges then ever before. It’s a reality that more people than ever rely on the news provided by organisations like ours, but fewer people than ever pay for it and this has real consequences.

We are determined to ensure we are still doing this important work long into the future and by adapting and changing with the times we will continue to thrive. But we need your support.

Only the powerful and those who wish to escape scrutiny benefit when the local news media is no longer here. If local news brands cease to exist, it is replaced by unsubstantiated rumour and lies on social media.

Google won’t send a reporter to cover inquests, Facebook won’t spend time sending people to cover council meetings and Instagram won’t hire someone to interview local families in times of crisis or celebration. Investment in local news, and support of it, is an investment your community.

Here's just a few examples of how we've tackled the stories that matter to you this year:

Launched our Back In Business campaign - shining the spotlight on businesses who have been hit hard by the pandemic, publicising their efforts to get back on their feet and urging customers to support local firms.

We’ve brought you Marc Iles’ unparalelled coverage of Bolton Wanderers during their rollercoaster ride over the last couple of seasons. From the ownership saga right through to the club’s attempts to rise back up the football ladder.

Introduced new community platforms giving you the chance to share your news - whether it be a new arrival, celebrating Lockdown Heroes, or championing your favourite cause in our Charity Champions page.

Brought you unparalleled coverage of the Covid-19 pandemic with staff working around the clock from their homes to provide thousands up vital updates.

We've been in our courts every day highlighting the criminals that have wreaked havoc on our communities.

We've launched a campaign to recognise the everyday Lockdown Heroes who made life bearable for so many of us during the first weeks and months of the pandemic.

Our democracy reporter Bill Jacobs was among the first regional newspaper reporters in the county to ask a question at the government's daily coronavirus briefings.

We've taken the fight to save the newspaper industry to the country's most watched TV show, when editor Karl Holbrook appeared on BBC Breakfast to highlight the plight of the industry.

These are just a few examples of how we have - and will continue - to celebrate and fight for our communities now and long into the future.