The Telegraph & Argus has a long and proud tradition of standing up for the needs of the Bradford community.

And its work with Mrs Hellmich highlights how local newspapers can take an issue like this and run with it as a campaign.

The T&A acted as a district wide forum for people to come forward with their own sites they felt needed developing.

With the website complementing the print product, hundreds of people were able to send in our download information about derelict sites in the district.

This week is Local Newspaper Week, and the T&A’s Save Our Greenspaces campaign is an example of the positive work hundreds of local newspapers are doing within their community.

It is worth reflecting on what the Save Our Green Spaces campaign has helped to achieve so far.

If nothing else, it has highlighted the issue of the appaling amount of disused and derelict land that is being allowed to go to waste in Bradford, particularly at a time when the pressure is on for land to use for housing, and green spaces are often the first stop for developers.

But it has already gone beyond that.

Bradford Council’s executive member for housing Councillor Paul Flowers says the council has made use of the work the paper has done in collating the information.

He said: “The T&A campaign and work to identify as many of these sites as possible is profoundly helpful to us.”

And since it was launched, a number of high profile housing schemes have been put forward for some of the derelict sites highlighted.

Save Our Green Spaces is one of a long line of successful community campaigns or appeals by the T&A.

These include the Bradford Burns Unit Appeal, Beating Hearts in Bradford, Save Our Swimming, Brilliant Bradford and Born in Bradford.

Elizabeth Hellmich said: “I’m very pleased the Telegraph & Argus is supporting our position with its Save Our Green Spaces campaign.

“We need to protect our green fields because they are the oxygen for the city.

“People need the recreational space and space to look at for their mental and physical well-being.”

“There is plenty of brownfield land to build on but green fields need to be part of our surroundings because it directly influences our quality of life.”

Work of papers is so valuable for communities

Lucy de Groot, Chief Executive of CSV (Community Service Volunteers) writes: “We work in and with many different communities across the UK and we know from experience that local newspapers are an important part of our communications toolkit. Much of our work is about empowering local people to tackle a pressing need in their local communities whether it is helping to protect children at risk of neglect, supporting people with disabilities to live independently in their own homes or creating safer and welcoming green spaces in our towns and cities.

“Especially during tough economic times such as these, we recognise how we can inspire other people to take positive action in their local communities through some of the thousands of articles that are written about our projects every year.

“Not only this, but local papers have also run significant articles that have played a part in helping to save valued work that were threatened by cuts. Most recently this includes a volunteer project in Newcastle that helps breakdown isolation for elderly people living in a tower block and a scheme in Bromley supporting families in need.

“No doubt this year, local papers will again play their own distinct contribution in highlighting the efforts of the local communities they serve and I know that we will continue to value the work of local journalists.”