Maddie Grigg: “It Just Felt Like I’d Found My Writing Home”


As part of our 150th celebrations, we asked our writers to let us know what the “Friend” means to them. Here, our columnist Maddie Grigg shares her thoughts:

“I love writing for ‘The People’s Friend’. I’ve been a writer all my life in some shape or form, having trained as a newspaper journalist many years ago. Being a columnist was always my ambition. And now I’m doing it! I often pinch myself at my good fortune.

“To be able to write about Dorset and the people I love for such a special magazine is a real privilege, and getting feedback from readers is just wonderful. When I started writing my columns, it was like being shown around one of those cosy, warm houses in lush countryside that you see on television programmes. It just felt like I’d found my writing home.

“It’s hard to believe ‘The People’s Friend’ is 150 years old. The magazine is a comfortable, supportive outpost in an often hectic, strange world. So, many happy returns ‘Friend’, long may your warm words of wisdom continue.”

 

Yvonne McKenzie

Yvonne works on the Features team and admits to being nosy, so loves looking after the Between Friends letters and finding out all about our lovely readers. She also looks after our health copy and enjoys writing about inspiring people that help make the articles in the magazine so interesting.