Editors of community magazine donate complete set of editions to Grantham Museum

A popular local community magazine which ceased four years ago has been archived at Grantham Museum.

Grantham Now magazine was compiled and distributed by man and wife team Richard and Andrea Coppin from 2007 to 2018 when the couple retired after an eleven year publishing run.

A complete set of editions was given to Tracey Smith, the museum's director, who very kindly agreed to archive them.

Tracey said that it would be of value to future generations and local historians to learn how Grantham used to be.

Richard said: "Right from the start, Grantham Now set out to be a truly readable magazine, running interesting articles instead.

"For most of the run a serialised story became a very much loved part of the magazine as did Malcolm Knapp’s ‘Grantham Then’ local history page. At the outset 14,000 issues were delivered free to the homes of Grantham on a bi-monthly basis."

Richard has recently published a psychological thriller novel, as well as releasing a recording of a poem that he wrote.

In May 2015, the magazine got its own web site from where it was enjoyed by readers online as far afield as Hawaii and the Falkland Islands.

In 2011, Grantham Now won the Grantham Journal Business Award for ‘Contributions to the Community’. Among the stories covered were the Olympic torch run through the town, a night out with Carole Thatcher and an evening with Edwina Currie.

Richard added: "Its mainstay though was its focus on local people who were brave enough to set up their own businesses. One that stood out was Dave Mundin who created a gutter cleaning company. He not only got customers from the magazine but a fan club type following too."

Richard and Andrea hope that in a hundred years' time local people will be fascinated by the old fashioned computers, cars, kitchen designs, clothes and simply how we once lived our lives in this little corner of England.