Village newspaper celebrates 50-year anniversary

Charlie Crew, the Dyddi's first editor, said "people could not get enough" of the paper

A village newspaper is celebrating its 50th birthday and 600th edition.

The 'Dyddi' has been delivered free of charge to Didmarton residents in Gloucestershire every month since October 1975. Over the decades, it has evolved from a single piece of folded paper to 36 pages.

To mark the milestone, newspaper bosses are hosting a big party with contributors and editors from the past.

The Dyddi's first editor Charlie Crew, who only took over the role because no one else volunteered, said people "could not get enough of the newspaper".

Didmarton lies on the outskirts of the Badminton Estate, and is home to about 350 people

Mr Crew admits he only got the job in 1975 because no one else put their hand up at a committee meeting.

"It went all the way around the table, and none of the others wanted to know. Then the chairman said 'oh Charlie, you won't let me down will you?'

"I said, 'OK I'll have a go, I didn't have clue what I was doing'," he said.

Mr Crew was given three guidelines to use when creating the newspaper: it had to be informative, non-political and could be used by anyone to air a grievance.

"I tell you what, people couldn't get enough of these copies," he added.

Front page headlines over the years have covered everything from the new Village Hall opening in 1992, to parties celebrating the Queen's Jubilee and the newspaper coming runner-up in a national competition.

The Dyddi has gone from a single piece of folded paper, to 36 pages and colour printing

In 2025 the independent newspaper - now called the Dyddi Digest - is designed and compiled using computer software, printed in colour, and has 36 pages.

Roxzanne Fox-Roberts, former editor, said: "It's the sheer bloody mindedness of the village - they're not gonna let it die, and if it's late various people tell me they've been waiting for it."

Historian David Michel has a copy of every one of the Dyddi's 600 editions

Didmarton's historian David Michel has kept a copy of every one of the Dyddi's 600 editions.

"It's more than just Didmarton, it reflects the changes in society over that time," he said.