Last Monday marked the first anniversary of the new Rye News Instagram account @newsrye
Over this year we have tried to highlight our beautiful little town through its many seasons, the fascinating people who live and work here and the wonders of the surrounding area. It’s part of the changes that we are bringing to Rye News.
We hope that you enjoy the new layout of the paper, to which we will slowly be incorporating additional features. As you know, because the paper is weekly, there is little chance to react to national or international events, or breaking news. Instagram is a way of being more spontaneous and yes, instant.
When the queen died, we were able to put up a post immediately, with the statement from Buckingham Palace. I also posted photos of the millions of beautiful flowers left in Green Park. I was in London and although not a Rye story specifically, I thought that you would like to see them.
Other stories that came out first on our Instagram page, were Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson, in her last role, filming ‘The Great Escaper’ at Camber Sands and Bexhill. Thank you @rafeeddington for sharing that magnificent photo.
What I hadn’t expected was just how generous a platform Instagram can be. People share and exchange information all the time and Instagram friendships are formed. As I have mentioned many times before, I work in the hospitality business. On my personal account I have become friends with a woman in Australia who produces olive oil. We admire each other’s photos and cook each other’s recipes. And then one day, she posted from her husband’s bedside in hospital. The next day, she and I suddenly had something else in common, she became a widow. I contacted her, she sent me her email address and we are now pen pals. Another account I follow is @awidows_walk , I was overjoyed when I actually met Carolyn by pure chance, at an event in Rye. Again, a virtual friendship is now a real one.
We cover the high days and holidays, showcasing the best of Rye, as well as many of the events happening in town, #julyplanning. Even weather events. When there was a spectacular rainbow over town last December, after posting, I reposted Vickie’s photo from @simply.rye . Many of you then sent me fabulous photos, all of which went up on our page, all with credits. Talking of Vickie, I recently reposted a picture of Rye, sent to me by @cityscapesart. Vickie saw the post, contacted the artist and now stocks her in the shop; Rye News the matchmaker!
We post campaigns #prostatecancer; run series #museumobjects, #herstory and #shopshuffle, breaking the news that Day Lewis pharmacy were moving into Simon Milne’s old shop.
We bring politics ever so slightly onto our page. As a newspaper we are politically neutral, but politics is in everything, we are not an island; the war in Ukraine and food banks touch us even here in Rye.
I’d long wanted to find someone to take on our Twitter account, but to no avail. In any case it may have taken a turn for the worse recently, so I’ve signed us up to newly launched Threads. It will be purely for information and not comment or opinion.
So look out for our Stories every Friday morning, highlighting some of the articles carried in the latest edition of the paper #ryenewsfriday. You’ll also find Ryecast created by the lovely James Stewart @ryecastsussex and an irregular record of life in our town, keeping you informed, up to date and entertained. To paraphrase Mr Spock, “It’s news Rye, but not as you know it”, #ryenewsmynews.
Image Credits: Natasha Robinson .