News publishers have begun recruiting the first of 80 reporters under Facebook’s £4.5m Community News Project, including one covering the London borough where the Grenfell Tower fire disaster struck in 2017.

The scheme, announced in November, is a global first for the social network which is funding the new roles. It has partnered with regional news groups Reach, Newsquest, JPI Media, Archant and the Midlands News Association.

The community reporters will be trained by the National Council for the Training of Journalists and will be employed in regional newsrooms to beef up coverage of areas affected by local newspaper cuts and closures.