Leeds lockdown 2: How YEP will be with you every step of way

This isn’t a throwaway remark – we mean it sincerely.

At the start of the crisis we made that pledge to be right there with you every step of the way. And we will stick by that promise as we head into a second national lockdown.

None of our team are unaffected by what is going on. After all, we live and work in this city alongside you.

Many of our own colleagues across the business have spent the last seven months on furlough, sadly some people have left.

And all of the team here at the Yorkshire Evening Post took pay cuts for several months to ensure that we can keep telling your stories and making sense of what is happening in our city.

We’ve not returned to our newsroom since March. Like many of you, we’ve been working from home so we know all too well what is like to feel isolated.

We’ve all struggled with the sad reality that we haven’t been able to see our loved ones and many of us have been left picking up the pieces after coronavirus has impacted our lives.

It’s been tough for reporters who have been covering every twist and turn on a daily basis. Many people might choose to take a break from the news for a few days when it all becomes too much, but we have no escape nor would we wish to ignore the unprecedented crisis facing the world.

We do this because it’s so important for communities here in Leeds to remain informed and now, more than ever, the value of trusted local media cannot be underestimated.

When stories were breaking on Saturday evening following the Prime Minister’s lockdown announcement, we were trying to get to the bottom of whether the city would still head into in Tier 3 or not as planned.

National broadcasters weren’t troubled by it – and judging by the most widely read stories on our website, it was one of the biggest questions you, our readers, had that day.

We care about what happens in Leeds. We champion, celebrate and hold our city to account, and that’s what sets us apart.

With people being told to stay at home again, more of you are turning to our website than ever before. We’ve always asked you to support our journalism by buying a paper and now we’re asking those of you who prefer to read our coverage online to consider a digital subscription.

We want to make sure that we can continue to stand up for Leeds and its people, not just now but for years to come. Without local journalists informing you and holding power to account, our city would be a much poorer place.

We’re working incredibly hard behind the scenes to look at how we can do this and your continued support of the YEP – online and in print – will help to protect this vital local coverage in the weeks ahead.

We know others among you much prefer a copy of the newspaper but can’t pop to the shops daily right now, so we’re giving new print subscribers six weeks of free delivery. Please visit www.localsubsplus.co.uk/YEP for print subscriptions and www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/subscriptions for digital.

Thank you, on behalf of the whole YEP team, for your continued support.

A message from the Editor:

Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890. We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds.Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe. For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.