Knowle West newsletter returns to print

For almost 20 years, residents of Knowle West had a community newsletter put through their door four times a year. That was, until earlier this year, when The Knowledge was scrapped due to funding cuts. But now it is back, with a new look and format.

The Knowle West Alliance (KWA) – a collective of local residents and organisations – has worked with The Knowledge team at Knowle West Media Centre (KWMC) to produce the new edition – the first in ten months.

“The Knowledge is an amazing vehicle and we’re really excited to be partnering with The Knowledge team,” says Lucy Holburn, the KWA coordinator.

Lucy says responses to a survey sent out to the community during the lockdown were what made the KWA want to resurrect The Knowledge: “A lot of people responded saying a newsletter, knowing what’s going on and celebrating neighbourliness, is really key.”

The new edition of The Knowledge is focused on the work of the Knowle West Alliance. Photo courtesy of Knowle West Media Centre

Since the start of the pandemic, the KWA has been running the Knowle West Covid-19 Support Hub, connecting volunteers with people in need.

“When covid hit in March, we were really keen to make sure that nobody was isolated, scared or unsupported during this changing time,” says Lucy.

“When there’s a crisis, it’s all hands to the pump and I think [Knowle] Westers represent that in many ways.

“You want somebody from Knowle West with you in a crisis because they will rise up to that challenge, not be fazed by it.”

The Knowle West Alliance of local residents and organisations was launched in 2019. Photo courtesy of Knowle West Alliance

The new edition of The Knowledge is 12 pages long, and unlike previous issues is focused on what the KWA has been doing in the community through the pandemic.

“It’s a celebration of an amazing community that has risen up to support each other with creativity and passion,” says Lucy. “That alone is a reason to pick it up and have a read.”

“There’s some really inspirational and touching information in there,” she adds. “It’s powerful to see what can be achieved by working together.”

Local stories in this edition include that of Mike, a pensioner who asked the Support Hub for some sunflowers to grow for his neighbours’ children. Local volunteers donated him more seeds than he was expecting, so he also asked the Hub if they could help him find a home for them all. The flowers ended up being planted across the community, ‘spreading a touch of sunshine across Knowle West’.

The Knowledge has covered stories such as the saving of Skemer’s Boxing Club in Knowle West. Photo by Lewis Campbell

The December issue of The Knowledge is being funded by the KWA via funding from the Coronavirus Community Support Fund, distributed by the National Lottery Community Fund. This will also fund another KWA-focused edition of the newsletter in March.

Previous editions were funded by Neighbourhood Renewal money. When this stopped, KWMC shortened, then scrapped, The Knowledge.

KWMC says it “worked hard to find ways to make the newsletter sustainable including seeking advertising revenue and using some of KWMC’s own reserves”.

“However we were unable to find enough revenue to cover the production costs and the time it takes to train community reporters and coordinate the newsletter.”

There have been more than 80 editions of The Knowledge, which has been running since 2001. Photo courtesy of Knowle West Media Centre

Sue Mackinnon, from KWMC, is the editor of The Knowledge, and is “really pleased” that it has made a comeback.

She says: “It is still a community newsletter, letting residents know what’s going on in the area and featuring local stories, but the focus of these new editions is to make sure people know where they can get help during the pandemic.

“It’s a really useful source of local information – as it is the only printed publication which goes out to every household in Knowle West – as well as venues such as schools, shops and community centres.”

The December edition has been delivered by local police officers and also volunteers from GoodGym.

Sue adds: “I feel there’s a real need in this area for a printed newsletter to help people keep in touch with their community – especially as a number of residents aren’t online.”

The Knowledge stories are also available to read on the Knowle West community website run by KWMC: www.knowlewest.co.uk

Charlie Watts is reporting on Knowle West as part of Bristol24/7’s community reporter scheme, a pilot project which aims to tell stories from areas of Bristol traditionally under-served by the mainstream media

Main photo of the Knowle West Alliance working group by Ruth Spencer

Read more: How Knowle West community is coming together to get through pandemic