By Sarah Lagan
The editor of small local paper the Hartland Times, Tony Manley, was awarded an MBE for his services to the Hartland and North Devon community in the New Year Honours List.
Manley, 67, moved to the area in 1970 to work for a local printers called Jamaica Press and became inspired by a newspaper he discovered had been published between 1896 and 1940 called the Hartland and West Country Chronicle.
He set about the idea of recreating a similar publication again and in 1981 launched the bi-monthly Hartland Times. All the articles were originally created on Manley’s typewriter after a day’s work at the printers and then rekeyed on the typesetting system at Jamaica Press.
He then printed, folded and finished the publication before distributing it to the vendors.
Manley said: “It’s an amazing award to get because the little publication I do is a hobby and has been for 25 years so I’m hardly in the press game. We are looking forward to our silver jubilee in the spring so it’s a double celebration.”
Manley, who has now retired from Jamaica Press, is still working on the Hartland Times. His other achievements include establishing the Local History Society.
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