Village Voice began in October 2001 in response to a need I thought I saw in these villages. Ashwell has its own monthly Ashwell News, which people have to buy if they want to read it. Occasionally there was a newsletter from Hinxworth Parish Council, produced by Tony Lloyd.

There was so much going on that it seemed like a good idea at the time to produce a monthly four page newsletter which would be delivered free to every home in Hinxworth, Edworth, Newnham and Caldecote.

There would be no paid advertising, thus the maximum space would be available for copy and pictures, so no invoicing, advertisement selling etc.

Geoff Burrows generously offered to print it monthly on A3 paper at his office in Biggleswade. In Hinxworth, Village Voice is delivered with the Hertfordshire on Sunday paper. In Edworth, Caldecote and Newnham, it is distributed by kind volunteers. Copies are also sent to the County and District Councilors, Ian Simpson and Andrew Young, to the neighborhood policeman and his two community assistants, to the Head of Ashwell School, and to one or two former residents of Hinxworth.

There is no committee responsible for Village Voice. It is published by Forbes Services Ltd and is a not-for-profit contribution to the life of the villages. It just happens month by month because I enjoy editing it and designing it. Ed Thorn has volunteered to help and is now Assistant Editor. There is no policy beyond that of avoiding libel.

Anything, almost, goes in, with an emphasis on reporting on events, issues, diary events, anything that helps to build and celebrate community life. A similar project in Offley, Lilley and Cockernhoe is still running 20 years after I set it up. That publication carries paid advertising but is still delivered free to every household.

Articles, letters, pictures are always welcome but, as Editor, I am ultimately responsible for what goes into Village Voice. Please e-mail material to fool1@patrickforbes.plus.com or send it to Patrick Forbes 18 Francis Road, Hinxworth, Herts. SG7 5HL Phone 01462 742015. Copy date is normally the 20th of the month preceding publication. It is is generally delivered around the last Sunday of the month.

For the technically interested, Village Voice is set up using Adobe Pagemaker, software I learned to use in my last job as Press Officer for The Mission to Seafarers. The monthly file is burned onto a cd and taken to Biggleswade for printing.

Our monthly print run is 235 copies. There is a limited number of spare back numbers available.

Patrick Forbes