Newsquest Media Group is donating more than £300,000 to a range of charitable causes this Christmas.
The regional publisher is giving away sums of up to £15,000 to causes which help the communities served by their local newspapers, as well as to charities which help those in the newspaper industry.
The group, which owns 165 local news brands including The Bolton News, Oxford Mail and The Herald in Scotland, is also awarding £15,000 to the Journalists’ Charity to support journalists and their dependants, and another £15,000 to the Newstraid Charity, which helps those who have been employed in newspaper and magazine distribution.
It is also giving £5,000 to the Campaign for Freedom of Information, and £5,000 to the Rory Peck Trust for the training and support of young freelance journalists.
Donations to help local communities include £5,740 towards a children’s hospice in Berkshire, £12,290 towards a scout group in Walthamstow, £9,900 towards a young person’s housing scheme in Bolton and £6,600 towards a miners’ welfare recreation association in Wales.
Simon Westrop, chairman of the trustees, who decided which causes Newsquest should support, said: “Experience has taught us that real benefits are more likely to be delivered by smaller, well-defined and well-targeted donations.”
Over the last ten years, Newsquest has given more than £3 million to help charitable community causes around the country.
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