Support us

Help us to continue bringing you independent and original news

Thank you for signing up to our mailing list. We have been receiving great feedback since our launch in January and have a number of investigations underway that will be published in the coming weeks.

We launched NN Journal at the start of this year.

Marc Webber @marcwebber

Well, hello #northantshour. How’s post-snowmageddon life treating you? Just a quick note to say how I am loving the new @NNjournalism and all the quality stories they are creating. Give them a follow and send them some stories!

Become a member

For the first two months we have provided our news without charge, but from early March we will be introducing an optional paid subscription in order for us to continue bringing you this independent news service.

For those not in a position to pay, you do not need to do anything, simply stay on our mailing list and you will receive two free pieces from us each week.

Anyone who does subscribe will become an NN Journal member and will receive our e-newsletters five days a week plus bonus material occasionally on Saturdays. Members will also be able to join in our open news meetings and help shape our news agenda. 

We would ask for £5 a month (or £1.25 a week) to help support NN Journal to continue. This will cover the cost of producing the work and also allow us to invest in our workshops.

Our news model is one without advertising so we can be truly independent (and so that you do not have to wade through adverts while reading your news). 

If you do not wish to pay, or think you have not seen enough of our journalism yet to invest, PLEASE remain signed up. You will receive at least two emails a week with original news about Northamptonshire.

Next week we will give final paying subscription details and so for now please just keep opening and reading our emails whenever they land in your inbox. 

Sally Keeble @Sally_Keeble

Great to have info about what our #Northamptonshire local government changes mean for our family finances. Thanks @NNjournalism -excellent local journalism

NN Journal @NNjournalism

We take a look at the budgets for the new unitary councils https://t.co/vyOiJ7rpqg

Reasons for our existence

We decided to start our venture in response to the decline of local journalism in our county over the past few years. The explosion of social media and the demise of traditional advertising streams has sadly led to the established local newspapers either closing (as was the case with the Herald and Post in 2016 ) or having to lay off staff and reduce the number of reporters.

As a result the coverage of Northamptonshire society and its communities has not been as comprehensive as it was a decade ago, with public organisations not being held to account as they could/should be.

We don’t want to sound too worthy about it, but local journalism is one of the cornerstones of our democracy and needs to be as robust as possible in order that society functions as well as it should.

Shirish Kulkarni @ShirishMM

Natalie and Sarah are doing such amazing work @NNjournalism. This is just one example of how much they care about their community, but do check it out if you're just interested in how to do the very best local journalism.

Natalie Bloomer @natalie_bloomer

Last month I met Greg who has been living in his car for six years. Yesterday afternoon Northamptonshire police took away his car - his only shelter and where he stores all his belongings. https://t.co/lgO57dKn1w

We are two experienced local journalists with many years experience of reporting.

Natalie has written for national publications such as the Guardian and The Bureau of Investigative Journalism and Sarah was most recently an award winning BBC local democracy reporter covering the local councils in the county.

Our pledge is to look at the issues that are being unreported and dig behind the headlines.

WeAreFairCop @WeAreFairCop

We deserve to know what the police prioritise and why.

NN Journal @NNjournalism

In 2018 and 2019 there were 61 incidents of so-called honour based abuse reported to Northants Police - not a single one led to a prosecution https://t.co/JMIs6BTa9m

We will never reproduce press releases without asking further questions of the organisation that sent it and will only send to you stories that we think have a local importance.

So far our coverage has looked at a variety of topics including the growing far right presence in the county, the plans for the new unitary councils, and we have told human interest stories such as that of Greg who is homeless and had been living in his car for six years.

Gareth Davies @Gareth_Davies09

Insightful analysis about the financial collapse and apparent recovery of Northamptonshire County Council by the recently launched @NNjournalism

nnjournal.co.ukHave Northamptonshire’s commissioners been worth it?By the time they finish their appointment, Northamptonshire’s two commissioners will have been paid around half a million pounds between them. How have they got on?

In the months ahead with local elections coming up in Northamptonshire, we will be concentrating on those standing for election; what the political parties are pledging to deliver and how they intend to run the two new unitary councils.

A social enterprise

NN Journal is a community interest company and a social enterprise. Part of our aim is to ensure that local journalism not only survives but thrives and we will be playing our part in helping to inspire and train the next generation.

To this end we have already started running free journalism workshops with Northamptonshire young people and have plans in the pipeline to work with other community groups.

Leigh Wolmarans @leighwol

#positivetweet 22 - I got a chance to watch @natalie_bloomer work with our young people from @SilhouetteYtc as they begin their work on journalism with @NNjournalism - exciting times ahead!

From March we will also be running a monthly open newsroom for members, which will be virtual at first, but once the pandemic is over we will be hosting the newsroom in community venues across Northamptonshire.

We want to hear what our members would like to see reported and will do our best to find the answers to the questions you have.

We are always grateful of feedback so you can comment on the stories themselves or send us an email at sarahward@nnjournal.co.uk or nbloomer@nnjournal.co.uk

Thanks again for supporting us,

Best regards

Natalie and Sarah