In the late 1950s when I left Cumbria to be an undergraduate at Manchester University, the Guardian became part of my daily life: a stimulating change from the years of the Telegraph, favoured by parents who were equally dumbfounded when I chose to vote Labour.
Through years of working in Germany, Malawi, Mali and Kiribati, the Guardian was a constant companion, either acquired daily on the Nato base in Rheindahlen (Germany) or, in the case of Africa and the Pacific, received via airmail in its Weekly version, through subscriptions. It keeps me in touch with the rest of the world, and its book reviews ensure there is no end to book buying.
I haven’t been the only one to derive pleasure from the Guardian. Once enjoyed in my own household it has gone to neighbours, colleagues, and in Kiribati even to the outer islands.
When I settled in Australia, my happy addiction to the Guardian’s quality writing continued, and Friday is still a high point when the Weekly appears in the mailbox. When my partner and I have devoured the paper, off it goes again to other readers.
I cannot imagine life without the Guardian and know that it has brought me not only superb reading but new friends (such as Margaret Wilkes) who watch to see if I’ve made it into Notes & Queries.
If you would like to appear in this space, send a brief note to guardian.weekly@theguardian.com
Guardian Weekly readers leave their mark on the world. Click here to view our interactive community map.
