Bangalow Heartbeat - Origins
In the late 1990s, founding editor Colin Cook had the idea of setting up a ‘Newsletter for the health and well-being of the Bangalow community’. So he set about establishing a volunteer group, Bangalow’s Heartbeat Incorporated, to make it all come to life.
The idea of the newsletter was to help the community of Bangalow:
- to become more cohesive, caring and stronger;
- be able to strongly influence how the area develops in social, cultural, commercial and environmental ways; and
- move into the 21st century recognising both its heritage and its responsibilities to future generations.
Initially, Heartbeat took the form of a single white photocopied page. This slowly grew and changed colour, becoming for scores of photocopied issues, a distinctive green colour throughout.
Colin Cook’s run as editor was followed by many years with Fay Bogg, which was followed by Stephanie King working with co-editor Ivo Correia, who’s now stepped back from co-editing to resume full-time study. Today, the editorial and production team is headed by Stephanie, assisted by Karen Jordan.
By issue No. 100 in December 2006, we switched from green photocopies to full colour, and shortly after, the quality of the paper and production, too, a giant leap forward.
What’s remained constant is that this newsletter would not appear were it not for the hard work and good cheer of volunteer workers. More are always welcome!
Production costs are paid for by revenue from local advertisers, which, in turns brings them local customers.
