Saturday, May 9, 2009

Community Life....

Even several months on people still come into my shop and say things like: "...when are you going to start writing the Tonbridge Community column in the Courier again?" Which is nice, but the problem is that they didn't treat us Community Life correspondents too well, otherwise I'd still be writing it. Apart from abruptly deciding not to pay us all (and they were only paying us £9 a week anyway!) they never asked us in to see the print works or editorial floor, nor did they ever pay us the odd visit. They lost a lap top computer containing all our personal information, including bank details, and offered us a derisory compensation to fob us off. They never even organised a get together once a year for us all, consequently I only ever got to share ideas and chat with around three or four of the other writers. You'd have thought that with us all being so spread out they might have at least done that once in four years. So I'll never say never but I have to say it's very unlikely that I'll write the column again in the foreseeable future. £100 a week, a car and free luncheon vouchers? When do I start!...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

It seems that the new person who has taken over the column has taken on all of Tonbridge and is not doing a bad job at all.

Anonymous said...

Yes the new correspondent is doing ok - not that I ever read or have read those columns much or bought the Courier regularly. But this new one has taken on 3 areas it seems (correct me if I am wrong). Better looking than the last correspondent :))

Anonymous said...

Anonymouse responds:-

I have heard that the new correspondent doesn't get paid a penny so one can only assume that she is doing it for the right reasons, and that is for the good of the community. Good on her - we need people who attempt to pull the community together. I agree the photograph is an improvement.