Since 1888, the Wisbech Standard has been there with you.

Right now we reach more of you in print and via digital than we ever have before.

But now more than ever before, our work to inform and entertain you is in danger - and we need your help to build a sustainable future for our title.

Over the years we’ll have made you think, made you smile, made you angry, made you proud of where we live.

The paper has covered all the notable events in the town and surrounding villages, from civil unrest and the reading of the riot act in 1913 through to 1979, when an RAF plane crashed into houses in the town, killing two men and a young boy. Twenty years later we followed the controversial case of local farmer Tony Martin, jailed for killing an intruder.

On a lighter note, the town’s success in Anglia in Bloom continues to be covered extensively. It is a multiple winner of awards and events such as Rose Fair bring tens of thousands to Wisbech each year - even in 1970, when two inches of rain fell in just 12 minutes!

The Standard has covered the successes of local sporting stars such as Formula One’s George Russell (Formula 1) and gold-winning paralympian Jody Cundy. We have enjoyed successes of our own with a series of campaigns aimed at preserving our heritage, making our streets and roads safer and helping local people and businesses thrive.

Today, with journalism already under pressure and coronavirus making finances even tighter, more and more communities are no longer represented by a local newspaper. Corruption goes unpunished. Bad decisions go unchecked. Fake news spreads uncorrected on social media.

To stop that happening here, we are inviting readers of our websites to give their financial support to our work. You can contribute any amount you like, as a one-off or a recurring contribution.

I believe that accurate, useful, honest, local journalism is vital to our future and I know you believe that too.

That’s why I hope you will help us. Every single gesture of support will keep us fighting for you and our region.

Thank you

John Elworthy, Editor