Buy Local - Buy Here

We want our readers to go out and support their local small shops, restaurants, pubs, markets and farm shops in the easiest way possible – by spending your money with them.

It is these independent businesses – the local corner shop or café, the local butcher or baker – that are the lifeblood of many high streets and town centres throughout Worcestershire.

Many are family owned and many have been in operation for decades. But all are facing tough times as the recession worsens.

Our Buy Local campaign will run from now until Saturday, July 4 – a date we are dubbing Independents Day.

Between now and then we want to hear from you. Tell us why you like to buy local. Tell us about your favourite local business and why you use it.

You can give us your recommendations by visiting our main Buy Local section here or by filling in the form in today's Worcester News.

What you tell us will form the basis of a directory of the best Buy Local sites across the county which we’ll print in the paper and on our website.

Over the next few weeks we’ll focus on local independent traders across Worcestershire and on the environmental benefits of buying local.

There will also be special offers for our readers from businesses taking part in the campaign.

Worcester News editor Kevin Ward said: “Buy Local is a vitally important campaign. Small independent businesses are struggling the most during this recession.

“The best help they can get is from local people spending money with them.

“That’s what we would like to see our readers doing and over the coming weeks and months we’ll be explaining the benefits of doing so.”

Buy Local is sponsored by Worcestershire County Council, Worcester City Council, Malvern Hills District Council, Wychavon District Council and eco bag suppliers Jutexpo.

Trish Haines, chief executive of Worcestershire County Council, said: “We are delighted to be involved with the Buy Local initiative.

"Supporting local businesses and residents through the current economic climate is crucial to us and this is a really positive and constructive way of encouraging growth on our high streets, shop corners and market places by bringing communities together, and helping local people find the best of local services and produce.”

Phil Merrick, head of community services for Wychavon District Council, said: “Supporting residents and businesses through the recession is our biggest priority this year and the Buy Local campaign fits nicely with this. Buying products locally ensures that money stays in our economy.”

Broadway-based company Jutexpo is sponsoring our campaign and has produced an iconic environmentally-friendly jute bag specifically for it.

We have 5,000 bags to give away to readers – make sure you read your Worcester News next week for full details of how to get yours.

Jutexpo’s operations and compliance director, Sam Turner, said: “As a local business ourselves, we are very excited to be part of this great initiative and delighted that we are involved and able to help.

"We believe that the bag will prove very popular with local people by reminding them about the aims of the Buy Local campaign to help raise awareness of many smaller, independent, businesses throughout the county."

• Click the following link to download your own printable poster - buylocal_poster.pdf
• Click here to return to the main Buy Local page.