Tether is an independent publication telling stories about the people, places and projects shaping community life — third places, conservation, culture, and the everyday work of people building something worth being part of.
Unlike in mainstream coverage, where this kind of story is often a footnote, here it's the whole point.
What will you find here?
Stories about the cafés, canals, clubs and community projects that quietly hold places together. Profiles of people doing the patient, often unglamorous work of stewardship and care. Reporting on the arts and culture that shape how a place feels, and the conservation and place-making efforts that shape how it endures.
We're rooted in the North of England, but the stories we care about aren't limited to any one postcode.
Why Tether?
A tether is what keeps something connected — to the ground, to each other, to a place that matters. It doesn't restrain; it holds steady. That's the role we want this publication to play: something that ties people back to where they live and who they live alongside, especially at a time when so much pulls us apart.
We believe in quality over quantity. No clickbait, no ads taking over your screen, just proper writing and reporting on the things that make us feel like we belong.
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Our contributors
Michael Wilkinson
Michael is Editor of Tether. In his career as a Daily Telegraph journalist, Michael covered big national moments from the EU Referendum to the birth of Princess Charlotte, but his roots are very much in community journalism, having worked as a reporter at the Wiltshire Times and public affairs correspondent for the Gloucester Citizen.
Lois Barnett
Lois is a staff writer and photographer for Tether. She recently completed her masters degree in Visual Journalism at the University of Greater Manchester.