About The Old Mail
The Origins of The Old Mail
When The Old Mail started in June 1983, the first issue was number 150. Why, you might ask? For quite some time earlier, the churches of Potterspury and Yardley Gobion had circulated a typed news sheet giving church times and details of local events on two sides of A4. When The Old Mail took over this role, it also took over the numbering sequence.
Anthea Sharp, who had recently moved into Potterspury, was responsible for bringing together a group of motivated individuals to start a local newsletter that would be delivered to every house in both villages. The original production team printed at Great Linford Media Centre what started as a very slim magazine comprising two folded A4 sheets, making eight sides of A5 in all, and established not only the name, but the basis of the format that we still have today. The name, The Old Mail, came from a horse-drawn wagonette or brake which took workers from Wicken, Potterspury and Yardley Gobion to the Wolverton railway works, and back home in the evening. It also carried parcels and post, and was known as The Mail.
The Old Mail news sheet, as it was described in the early days, was an instant success in Potterspury and Yardley Gobion, and less than two years later, in March 1985, Cosgrove joined in and took its place as the third part of The Old Mail.
The first edition bore the PYG logo, but the wheeled cart soon took its place and has remained an essential part of our front-page header ever since.
The Evolution of The Old Mail
From a beginning in the mid-1980s as an 8-page paste-up of typescripts, that was copied and assembled by hand, much like a cottage industry, The Old Mail has evolved to run regularly to around 50 pages and is assembled electronically, with most contributions arriving by e-mail, and it is printed professionally by New Bradwell Reprographics. The major changes, firstly from typing to word-processing, initially with submission of hard copy to our printers, and subsequently to electronic files supplied first on memory sticks and later sent by email, were gradual, starting in the 1990s and reaching a steady state around 2013. Although the printed pages remain in black and white to keep production costs to a minimum, the whole magazine, which includes many items, especially adverts, in full colour, may also be accessed online. Online provision started at the beginning of 2015 and all issues since that date are available to view or download.
The Old Mail Production Team
Marilyn Abbott
Longest serving member, since its inception in 1983; involved with page sequencing, liaison with the printer, and division of around 1550 copies into batches for distribution.
Jeff Haigh
Yardley Gobion editor, since 2022
Trevor McCarthy-White
Cosgrove editor, since 2022
Liz McCarthy-White
Cosgrove editor, since 2022
Chris McIlroy
Assists with adverts, updating and design, since 2006
Simon Norris
Treasurer, since 2014
Gill Webb
Potterspury editor, since 1999
Peter Webb
Collates copy, supplies electronic files and liaises with the printer, since 2010; assists the Potterspury editor; also Advertising Administrator, since 2019
Members of the production team may be contacted directly as detailed on the right centre page of every copy of The Old Mail or through our email address: contacttheoldmail@gmail.comThe Old Mail Team, our Helpers, our Contributors and Advertisers
Marilyn Abbott is the only member of the current Old Mail team to have been involved from the start in 1983. Currently the team involved in the production and management of The Old Mail are the village editors: Gill and Peter Webb (Potterspury); Jeff Haigh (Yardley Gobion); Trevor and Liz McCarthy-White (Cosgrove); page sequencing and distribution are managed by Marilyn Abbott; our treasurer is Simon Norris and our advertising administrator is Peter Webb. We also have assistance from Chris McIlroy as graphic designer to help with the production of adverts when necessary. The services of many others are called upon to assist with distribution in all three villages. We are very grateful for all this entirely voluntary, unpaid help. We are always grateful for any offers of assistance.
Members of the Old Mail Team and supporters at the 40th anniversary event in 2024.
Over the years (to the end of 2024), a number of individuals have been the backbone of the team, in particular, Marilyn Abbott (42 yr) originally for layout and paste-up, later pagination, as well Christmas artwork and managing distribution from the beginning; Katie Thomas (26 yr), former Cosgrove editor and distributor; Gill Webb (26 yr), Potterspury editor; John Giddings (24 yr), former advertising manager; Betty Toombs (20 yr), former distributor in Yardley Gobion; Katherine Stonex (19 yr), formerly layout and paste-up, and for some years, Yardley Gobion editor; Mags Sharp (16 yr), the first treasurer, and former Potterspury editor; and Jill Stillman (15 yr), former treasurer.
Members of the Old Mail Team and supporters at the 30th anniversary event in 2014.
We should not forget our contributers. Without those who provide reports of village events and the activities of organisations, there would be no magazine. We are particularly grateful to all those who manage to adhere to our copy deadlines which we have to set well in advance of distribution. Unfortunately, we cannot compete with social media for instant dissemination of information, but if your club, group or organisation needs to promote its activities, to provide information for the community at large and encouragement for new people to join, don't depend entirely on social media, not everyone uses it: The Old Mail reaches everyone interested enough to read it.
Without the income from advertisements, the financial contributions from many of our village organisations, and donations from generous individuals, it would be impossible to provide copies of The Old Mail free of charge to every household in the three villages. There was a time, around 2010, that the financial viability of The Old Mail was in question, but with support from all quarters, its finances recovered. More recently, there have been several years of losses as advertising has never entirely recovered since Covid, but losses are diminishing and we hope soon to be breaking even once again.
The Old Mail CIC (Community Interest Company)
In June 2015, The Old Mail CIC was set up to manage formally the business as a Community Interest Company (CIC), to take forward the publication of The Old Mail for the future. However, in practical terms, there was no change to the magazine delivered to letterboxes ten times per year.
So why was this done? There were two main reasons:
Firstly, the new company would be regulated by The Regulator of Community Interest Companies and would formally exist to benefit the community and not any individuals. The company would be bound under its constitution to use any surplus or profits that might be generated for the benefit of the three villages. This put our operation and assets onto a proper legal footing for the first time.
The second reason concerned the financial support that we receive annually from the three parish councils. As a CIC we are in a better position to seek that support and the parish councils can be more confident that the public money they donate will ultimately benefit the communities that they serve.
So, while there was to be little visible change and the same people would continue to be running the new company, we would be operating on a firmer legal foundation that we felt would be essential for the long-term future of the publication.
The stated objectives of The Old Mail CIC in our Articles of Association are to carry on activities which benefit our communities, and in particular:
(i) To publish a parish and community newsletter supporting voluntary, charitable and community organisations in our three villages.
(ii) To provide a communication channel available to all villagers and to promote the development of a vibrant and inclusive community.
The Old Mail continues to be produced by a team of volunteers, the main expense being printing costs, which are met through income from advertisers and through donations. Advertising normally provides around 80% of our income. Donations are received from our parish councils, village organisations that publish contributions in The Old Mail, and from appreciative individuals, for which we are most grateful.