The Bridge is an independent news service for Berwick Upon Tweed. A periodical news magazine printed six times a year – reaches at least 1200 readers in Berwick and beyond.
It’s here to inform and celebrate our lovely community and fill the gap left by legacy media (mass media institutions that dominated prior to the internet). It also helps address the local democratic deficit – covering Governance matters in town, county and beyond.
The Bridge is part of a new wave of independent publishers; reporting WITH the community not just about the community. There are growing opportunities for readers to contribute and help.
Editor Wendy Robertson (pictured above, NOT winning a Press Gazette British Journalism Award) trained at The Scotsman/Newcastle Journal, worked at BBC Radio Newcastle and in freelance TV production on programmes such as ‘Location, Location, Location’.
‘I fell in love with Berwick and hope to make a contribution to this wonderful town.’
2024
A big year for The Bridge. First there was a shortlisting in the Publisher Newsletters Awards, then a placing in the finals of the Press Gazette British Journalism Awards to recognise and reward public interest journalism.
One of the BJA judges said of the submission by The Bridge, which comprised several reports about Berwick Town Council:
‘Hyper-local, granular stories like this are becoming a rarity. The odds were heavily stacked against The Bridge in attempting to pursue this one, not least its lack of resources.
‘The tenaciousness shown here is an exceptional reminder that it is still being done at the grassroots level.’
Longlisted in the Tenacious Awards for Journalism for proposing a piece of journalism investigating the growing scourge of stalking.
In October 2024 Wendy spent a weekend in Glasgow at the annual PINF – Public Interest News Foundation – Conference, learning and discussing ways to improve local reporting to serve our communities even better.
February 202
The Bridge launches. Intended to address the information vacuum in Berwick on Tweed, Tweedmouth and Spittal.
Originally a monthly printed folded A3 in black and white, it was distributed free.