With autumn here and the days getting shorter, it’s the perfect time to fill out that form for the home delivery of your favourite newspaper. And what better time than October, which is National Home News Delivery Month (HND), a celebration of newspapers being delivered straight to your door.
HND Month is an industry-wide shout-out for the doorstep service which customers rely on from the more than 6,000 hardworking retailers across the UK. Distributors, retailers and delivery drivers guarantee your favourite read – which for many of you will be a trusted Reach title – direct to your door.
During October our newspapers will feature promotions with great offers for customers to place their orders for our home delivery service. More than 1,000 retailers are joining the celebration so look out for posters and leaflets promoting what they can do for you.
One company working tirelessly come rain or shine is Jackie’s News in Kent. This company, which started from a newsagent in the pretty town of Tenterden, a place it still calls home, delivers to 84 hamlets, villages and towns, employing 40 people to make that happen.
Tenterden resident and joint owner of Jackie’s News, Guy Day, talked to us about National Home News Delivery Month.
“We focus on home delivery 12 months a year on our patch,” said Guy. “We are advertising and marketing for customers all year round. We don’t have a shop, we are running from a business park and we’re always distributing leaflets via Royal Mail, because they serve rural homes and in the towns and they’re very effective at doing it.
“I’m happy to support HND Month as it aligns with what we are doing on a permanent basis. The publishers always support us, so we are keen to support them.”
Why is home delivery important?
“Our patch is extremely rural. If you drive, there are areas where some of the roads you’d never dream they could get a newspaper delivered. They’re single lane, on the ends of the village. We’re supporting an ageing population in rural areas with a regular delivery of their paper, saving journeys and also delivering to people who, in some cases, can’t get out of their house.”
The story of Jackie’s News began when Jackie Parsons, who worked at newsagent and sweetshop Page’s in Tenterden, bought the shop from her sister and brother-in-law, Linda and Fred Page.
In 2001, Jackie closed the shop to focus on home delivery, and with husband John, they grew the business, adding more villages to the round. Guy co-bought the business in 2007 and it has expanded ever since, now delivering to 3,900 people. They are based at Pickhill Business Centre in Smallhythe Road.
Jackie’s News plays its part in the community and over the years has supported many causes. It sponsors Tenterden Cricket Club Colts, has a banner at Rye Cricket Club, and supports Smarden Church at Christmas.
During lockdown, those ensuring home delivery of newspapers were designated as “key workers” by the Government. And that connection to people’s favourite read is still there.
“For some people, they haven’t got an iPad and don’t use the internet. A newspaper is a lifeline for some to the outside world,” said Guy. “We had so many letters saying thank you for delivering and saying it kept them connected to what was going on in the world.”
The company has a team of around 40 people and the average staff member has been there more than seven years. Most of them start work at around 3am to ensure customers get their papers each day.
