Gander News

You may have noticed some massive changes to the printed Gander magazine recently - but in case you haven’t, here is what’s been going on behind the scenes!

Upgrading the Print & Technical Quality

The Summer edition marked our very first litho-printed, “full bleed” run - saying goodbye to ugly white borders and hello to sharp folding, crisp binding, and upgraded advert quality.

Because there is always room for improvement, we have since been carefully scrutinising paper weights and adjusting the stock to make the magazine more “flickable,” while keeping it lightweight for our hard-working army of deliverers. As your editor is a graphic designer, getting the technical print quality right was step one. Now, the real work has begun.

"This is no longer just the Goxhill Village Magazine - it’s taking a giant step toward being the Goxhill COMMUNITY Magazine."

Have you noticed that this Autumn issue is a bumper 52-page edition? Or were you distracted by the extra colour pages, the broader variety of features, and the complete layout overhaul? We’re getting there, but the work is never done. We are actively inviting more community contributions and locally focussed content. The Gander isn't just a noticeboard for local institutions; it exists to bring us all together, get people involved, and improve village life.

Featured Highlights & Interactive Extras

The Gander has always focussed heavily on our rich local history, promoting community organisations, highlighting charitable efforts, and keeping you informed about local arts, entertainment, and village traditions. This Autumn issue packs in even more variety and fun:

• 🎨 Get Creative: Download and print pages from the new Gander Colouring Book!
• 🧩 Test Your Brain: Done with the magazine? Check your results with the online Crossword Answers.
• 📚 1987 Archive Backlog: Explore our newly searchable digital archives, now updated with the very first 1987 Gander Issues.
• 📖 Features Galore: Enjoy new cartoons, educational snippets, feature articles on nature, horticulture, food & farming, the history of our library, GCSE study tips, and inspiring local work on reducing food waste.

Community Initiatives & The 10th Short Award

We are also celebrating 10 years of running the Short Award under our wing! We invite everyone to cast their vote online for the Short Award Nominees to recognise those who make an outstanding contribution to our village.

Furthermore, despite several businesses withdrawing support and tightening our budget, we have decided to push forward with the Gander Grant scheme - so keep an eye out for that in the upcoming Winter issue!

Highlighting What Matters: "From the Gripevine" & Watchdog Reporting

Improving village life also means pointing out where things need to improve. To keep this publication relevant to parishioners, we must report on what really matters to you.

This issue touches on how we can step up our game in the Best Kept Village Competition, which naturally means highlighting areas that need work. We have also introduced a new feature called “From the Gripevine” to spotlight issues raised in general village chatter over recent months. Not everyone uses Facebook, so bringing this feed into print gives everyone a clearer picture of local concerns (including wildlife, traffic, and environmental issues around the Kiegar development, bird trapping on the Green Ramper, anti-social behaviour, and the ongoing planning and traffic impacts of the carbon capture pipeline). Following heightened debate over local finances, we hope our educational piece on how parish finances work will be a huge help.

This is Your Magazine – Come and Be a Part of It!

This is the Goxhill COMMUNITY Magazine, which means it is YOURS. Whether it’s history, educational content, a niche interest, a bit of fun, photography, or a controversial local topic, we welcome your voice. As The Gander approaches its 40th anniversary and its 157th issue, every article and photograph becomes a permanent piece of Goxhill’s history.

Come and be a part of it - submit your ideas and articles today!