The very first Buntingford Journal went on sale in January 1976, selling for the grand sum of 3p. The readership has increased vastly since then, and now produces approximately 1,000 copies per edition. The Buntingford Journal is published 10-times a year with combined issues over December/January and July/August.
In March 2002 the Journal won the Cambridge Building Society 'Village & Community Magazine Awards and received a 'Highly Commended' for the same Award in 2003.
The Journal is published by, but is editorially independent of, Buntingford Civic Society. It is delivered free to members of the Civic Society or it can be purchased from the following retail outlets:
A Cut Above, Basras Supermarket, Co-op Supermarket, Country Flowers, Delissimo, Flutterby's, Hare Street Shop and Filling Station, Kirkams, Mark Doel, Piggotts, Quiller Books and Westmill Tearoom.
With a wide range of features, pen portraits, letters pages, up and coming events diary and much more, it is tremendous value for money at the current price of only 40 pence.
The revenue comes mainly from the advertisers (38 pages of advertisements covering many local trades and businesses), and these monies go towards projects for Buntingford town itself, via the Buntingford Civic Society.
Some of the projects that have been funded or have benefited the Town over the years have been:
- The new Town Boundary Signs
- Erection of the Town sign on Market Hill
- Installation of Christmas lights
- Fitting of Blue plaques to buildings of historical interest
- Improvement of Town notice boards
- Provision of seats in Layston Gardens and on the Causeway
- Tree planting in Layston Court Gardens
- Provision of a Layston Garden water supply
- Illumination of the Almshouse frontage
- Installation of the Seth Ward plaque at the Community Centre
- The Cage at the bottom of Church Street
- The Jubilee pump on Market Hill
- The milestone by St Peter's Church
- Preparation of a set of illustrated Town trails
- Assistance with Buntingford area footpaths map
Buntingford Civic Society is a registered charity (no. 1014873)
The intention of this Society is to work for a town to be proud of and to emphasise amongst all age groups the importance of Civic Pride within the community. We would like to help shape its future while safeguarding its past.
To do this, the Society will communicate with its members through the medium of meetings, publications and talks to agree a general consensus as to what matters are important within Buntingford and the surrounding villages.
The Society will endeavour to develop, co-ordinate and influence new and existing partnerships with other local, area and national groups and organisations who are involved in similar regeneration, conservation and planning issues.
The current editor of the Buntingford Journal is Aliya Chowney and she can be contacted by telephone on 01763 272040 or emailed at aliyachowney@btinternet.com