Unless you’re in Chorley that is.

The rank and file of the mass media appear to have set their morbid predictions to stun, but the Chorley Guardian is trying to stand against this relentless tide of pessimism and actually take some positive action.

The money saving socks

Galvanised by a recent front-page story that showed Chorley’s streets devoid of shoppers - accompanied by the headline Ghost Town - the Johnston Press owned paper has launched the ‘count on us’ campaign.

This sees a collection of cartoon characters called the ‘Crunch Bunch’ gracing the paper’s pages with practical advice on how to economise and ‘beat the crunch’ on the run in to Christmas.

The bunch are: Porky Pig (let’s hope Warner Brothers aren’t reading this, Ed), the face and body of the campaign; Thrifty and Nifty, two money saving socks; Helpful Elf, who will be joining with the town’s traders to give presents to needy residents; and The Count, a vampire who will count down to Christmas (let’s hope there’s no Sesame Street executives reading this, Ed) and help advertise special events.

A campaign with teeth

Guardian editor Chris Maguire said of the initiative: “Everyone’s is feeling the pinch and as the local paper we want to do our bit to help our readers.

“It’s a serious subject but the ‘Crunch Bunch’ gives it a light-hearted edge that we hope will engage with the community.”

He concluded that the characters might “hopefully lift the doom and gloom that is hanging over the country.”

How-Do concludes with ‘a very good luck to them.’

*The Chorley and Leyland Guardian was voted the Newspaper Society’s ‘Campaigning Newspaper of the Year’ earlier this year.

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