Ten years ago a meeting was called to start a Community Magazine. There was enthusiasm and pessimism in equal measure. The Beacon has been entirely funded by adverts from a very early issue, but some 25 businesses in Pickering took out advertising space and a further 15 sponsored our inaugural copy, and that without us having a completed magazine to show them. We have to thank those who put trust in us for that first issue. That first issue was delivered in a flurry of snow in early December 1998, by a very small team of deliverers, some of whom are still delivering for us today. Our delivery team has expanded, both within the town and local areas, now enabling many people in nearby villages to be regular readers. We thank all our deliverers for their help in getting the Beacon to you, our readers.

          Our core team has had its ups and downs as we found the best way to run a magazine which relies almost entirely on its readers for copy. The team do try to keep tabs on the daily listing section and look out for new groups, and maybe more importantly, those which have become defunct and do not tell us. At times there is quite a discussion about what we have to leave out (or leave over to the next issue) because there is not enough magazine space.

          Some of our regular contributors have moved away or are no longer able to contribute so we no longer have the Dilly Duck Cartoon, Gardening Feature or Weather Watch. For two or three issues there was a youth page but the young people moved on. Many people look forward to the crossword, quiz section and the poems too. One of the problems of running a quarterly magazine is that events can have come and gone in the life of Pickering and have not been mentioned. A flood or the result of the Wells Walk Inquiry. Perhaps we should have an end of year listing of important events.

          Alan, our editor has also provided most of the photos, but this is not written in stone! Emailed high definition photos are welcome. And dear readers if there is anything else missing it is up to you to tell us or write it.

          For any readers who would like to speak to us in person, we have requested a table at the “One World Coffee Morning and Fair” on Saturday October 25th, 10am -12 noon. Drop in and have a chat.  If you require any back numbers, let us know and we will have them there for you.

Judy Dixon.

We now have a colour front page, so why not send that favourite photo of Pickering to us, it could be on our front page? Ed.