A Shell Cove local, Lesley Roulston is one of the primary reasons that Shellharbour now has its own Flame magazine. If you see her out walking, please share your story tips!

Thanks to Lesley for sharing her story today as the final instalment in our series marking the first collective Our News, Your Voice fundraiser for independent publishers.

As a writer of community news, over the years I have found immense joy in discovering the stories of people in both my local neighbourhood and all along the South Coast. It’s rewarding to shine a spotlight on those who without fuss do so much for others or who have enormous skill that deserves an audience.

I have discovered in my own backyard talented sports people and wonderful artists, hospitality crews who are driven to provide fresh local produce, busy mums who open their homes to foster children and those who care for unwanted dogs waiting for their forever homes. There are amazing people doing good in the world with fabulous stories here where I live that I would never have known about if it wasn’t for community news.

The Illawarra Flame magazine has recently launched in my backyard, Shellharbour, bringing a much-needed community news platform to this thriving city of approximately 80,000 residents. As a part of this incredible team, I have helped inform householders about all things local – events and happenings, interesting people, beautiful places to visit and more. Overall, I think we have managed to entertain, bring smiles to faces and expand worlds.

Recently I interviewed Lily Piccolo, a blind paracyclist from Shellharbour who is able to pursue her dream of elite cycling because of the volunteers in a local organisation called Exsight Tandems. Lily’s story is inspirational in itself. I can’t imagine what it must be like to lose most of your sight, then start a new challenge such as elite cycling, but there’s another story here too – about the organisation who helped make this possible.

I had no idea there was such an emerging arts scene in Shellharbour until I was given the task of covering it. For example, learning about the Shellharbour City Arts Society – a not-for-profit that does so much to promote local artists – was joyful. To think that there are so many people volunteering their time to promote others brings happiness. A whole new world in my own city has opened up to me, and the challenge of discovering its array of fascinating people, its amazing history and the incredible landscape that is just like no other is indeed a privilege I do not take for granted.

The challenge with providing community news, of course, is funding. Securing advertising is all important to keep the stories flowing. Advertising is an opportunity to tell people about businesses and organisations that can help. The community news sector is an incredible marketing platform, mostly untapped, that can link businesses and service providers with their local community.

I have toyed with the idea of writing fiction and maybe one day I will scratch that itch, but right now nothing seems to appeal as much or seem as important as the process of meeting new people with unique offerings and giving them exposure – applauding the humble and highlighting the unique.

I doubt I will ever tire of telling these stories and lifting up the incredible people behind them.