With the lockdown being extended for at least three more weeks, I want to give you an update on the “Friend”.
The great news is that the transition to working from home has gone smoothly. We have put several issues to press on time and without problems.
There is no reason why that will not continue.
We are able to do everything we need to produce each issue to the standard you expect. We have even signed up three debut fiction authors since lockdown!
And, of course, we have welcomed a new member of the team in Abbie.
The biggest problem for us is that everything is taking that bit longer to achieve than it would in the office. And we miss each other!
So please, rest assured that the weekly “Friend”, Special and Pocket Novel continue to be published exactly as planned.
Getting your copy
Actually managing to obtain a copy, however, might not be so easy at the moment.
Many of the shops that usually sell the “Friend” are currently closed.
We are working hard to ensure supplies get to the retailers that are open, but this isn’t always simple. Many of the small local stores that people are now using in greater numbers traditionally receive only a limited number of copies.
Subscriber copies continue to be sent out on time every week. I know, because my own copy has been arriving promptly through my letter-box.
However, the postal service is under huge pressure, and delivery times are being impacted in some areas.
If your copy doesn’t arrive when expected, please be patient. In most cases, they are turning up after a short delay.
Unfortunately we can’t send out replacement copies at the moment as our offices are closed during the lockdown.
The sales team, like the rest of us, are working from their homes and don’t have access to supplies of magazines.
If you have missed an issue, one option is our digital edition. Single copies can be bought very cheaply, and a subscription is great value, too.
Subscribing still remains the best way to obtain your “Friend” in the current situation.
We have made it as affordable as possible, with 13 issues available for just £4. You’ll find details here.
Our aim is to keep providing you with quality feel-good reading to make the time in lockdown pass a little more bearably.
Stay safe, friends.
Read more from Editor Angela in her Editor’s Diary here.
Angela Gilchrist I am the former Editor-in-Chief of “The People’s Friend” magazine. My passions include cats, Highland ponies, good books, vegetarian food and long walks in the Scottish countryside. My favourite place to get away from it all is the magical Isle of Skye.
