FOR years the Bicester Advertiser has had a regular place on coffee tables and in work canteens across the town.

The newspaper remains at the heart of the community and acts as a voice for its 15,383-strong readership, both in print and online.

This week papers up and down the country will be celebrating Local Newspaper Week and The Bicester Advertiser and its sister papers, including the Oxford Mail, will be celebrating its continued commitment to providing trusted, local news and making a difference in the community.

Since its first edition its design and shape may have changed, but the focus remains firmly on delivering trusted and accurate news to its readership.

That means being at the heart of the community and capturing everything from the heart-breaking disasters to the most precious moments of success.

As well as playing a role in promoting local campaigns, underpinning local democracy, the paper acts as a watchdog holding local and national organisations to account.

Bicester town mayor Les Sibley has previously said local newspapers play a vital role in championing community causes and raising issues important to the whole town.

He said earlier: "It is very important to have a local newspaper which plays a vital role in letting people know what is going on."

He dubbed the Bicester Advertiser a campaigning paper which has helped raise issues including saving green spaces and the town's community hospital.

The Bicester Advertiser also played its part in backing the local community campaign to get more public defibrillators provided.

The paper helped to raise the profile of the cause headed by Bicester Methodist Church and resident Mike Black, who has so far managed to secure enough money to fund 15 public access defibrillators.

He said previously this was largely due to the help of articles including those in the Bicester Advertiser, which sparked interest from one anonymous couple who donated £10,000 to the cause.

The Bicester Advertiser works hard to act as a voice for its readership and this is exactly what Local Newspaper Week is all about.

When an issue matters to our readers, we listen and seek to do what we can together to bring about change.

Bicester Advertiser managing editor Sara Taylor said: "Local Newspaper Week is a celebration of all that papers such as the Bicester Advertiser do in making a difference within the communities they serve.

"Whatever happens and matters to you in your neighbourhoods, also matters to us. We live here too.

"And we’re proud to make a difference with our coverage and keep you informed – whether that is reporting from the courts to show justice is being served or holding public figures to account.”

A lot of what we do involves campaigning and this year the Bicester Advertiser's sister paper the Oxford Mail has been nominated for the Making a Difference Award in the Society of Editors Regional Press Awards, which will be held on Friday.

This follows the Oxford Mail Drive for Justice campaign, sparked by heart-breaking stories from families who got in touch after 'lenient' penalties were dished out to dangerous drivers.

Readers can vote for this campaign during Local Newspaper Week, which is being held as a celebration of high quality, trusted local journalism in the run up to the general election on June 8.

To vote for the Oxford Mail campaign see localnewspaperweek.co.uk