'Thank you for your understanding and for your support'

Our journalists report not just the local news, but provide all the essential information – in an honest, straightforward manner – which enables everyone in our community to stay safe.

We bang the drum for our local businesses and shine a light on the many successes and achievements at such a difficult time.

We entertain, inform, and campaign to preserve the very best of what this area represents.

Our website – chad.co.uk – provides all the breaking news, increasingly with video not just words.

Your stories are our stories and we are proud to share them with the whole community.

We are very conscious of our environmental responsibility and the recycled paper content of UK newspapers is 69.2 per cent.

Today, we ask for your understanding.

The cost of the paper on which we print this title has soared.

At the same time, transport costs have also risen – as they have for all businesses.

So we need to increase the cost of this title by a very small amount each week.

Next week's edition, dated Wednesday, January 5, will be priced at £1.50.

We believe that it still represents excellent value for money.

We hope you do too.

Thank you for your understanding and for your support.

We couldn't do it without you.

Wishing you a Happy and Prosperous New Year

Jon Ball, your Chad Editor.