South Wales Argus

Our Communities Together

2024

The high cost of living was impacting many of the communities the South Wales Argus served in Wales, particularly in the Gwent area of southeastern Wales. The Argus provided news coverage for this region, which included authorities such as Blaenau Gwent and Newport. Unfortunately, these areas were among the most deprived in the UK, and their residents were facing significant challenges as a result.

According to research conducted by the Bevan Foundation, in 2021/2, 30.3% of children in Blaenau Gwent were living in poverty, which was the highest rate found in Wales. Newport also had the highest number of rough sleepers in Wales. The Argus felt that these facts indicated the level of vulnerability of the people in these regions.

The Argus collaborated with Community Foundation Wales and involved all of Newsquest’s Welsh newspapers, including the Western Telegraph in Pembrokeshire and The Leader in Wrexham. In February, they launched “Our Communities Together” – an appeal to address the cost-of-living crisis. They asked their readers, local businesses, and organisations to donate funds that would be used to support community-based projects aimed at improving the cost-of-living.

The launch of the campaign was widely publicised across their two daily newspapers, namely the Argus and The Leader. It was also covered in their weekly newspapers, such as the Barry & District News and Tivyside Advertiser, among others. In order to maximise the impact of each donation, they offered to match donations up to £25,000 from individuals, matching every £1 contributed with an additional £1.

Several backers, including The Steve Morgan Foundation, The Waterloo Foundation, and the Moondance Foundation, contributed towards enabling business donations of up to £25,000 to be matched. However, the major breakthrough came when the Welsh Government committed £1 million to the fund. A few weeks later, NatWest pledged £100,000 towards the same cause. As a result, the team behind the campaign successfully distributed over £1 million in grants to 80 different groups across Wales. The grants, which amounted to a maximum of £15,000 per group, were provided over a period of three years to help people during the winter season.

In October, the Argus reopened the appeal for donations to extend support to more people in need next year. The money received was distributed among various groups that provided essential assistance, such as food banks, heating vouchers, financial advice, and lunch clubs, among others. The Argus specifically aimed to assist community groups, being better equipped to reach individuals who required urgent aid. Their outreach and community networks allowed them to identify more such groups that required funding, and the Community Foundation was able to engage with them for the first time.

The Argus still hope for a sustainable funding solution, rather than just a temporary fix. Therefore, they decided to provide support for group activities and services, instead of giving short-term grants to individuals. Their collaboration with the Community Foundation enabled them to build relationships with larger donors, and to accept donations and distribute grants with expertise. Overall, the campaign was a compelling indicator of the power of local media, which the Argus was able to harness to serve and benefit their communities.