Archant’s North Somerset Times weekly newspaper has marked its 35th birthday with a celebration party and the launch of a community campaign.

A 35th birthday bash was held at The Salthouse pub in Clevedon on May 29, attended by numerous local business representatives and contacts of the newspaper.

As well as a barbecue, party-goers also had the chance to sample a slice of celebratory birthday cake.

The event for staff, readers and advertisers featured a bouncy castle for the children to enjoy, live music from Clevedon musician Tom Bullimore, and an impressive front page cake.

Times commercial director Sally Eyre said: “The event was a great success and we all enjoyed toasting the Times’ longevity. The cake, created by Sarah at Cake Kitchen, was amazing and the younger ones certainly enjoyed their time on the bouncy castle.”

Archant has been publishing in the Nailsea, Clevedon and Portishead area since 1980, with the paper previously known as Scan and then the Admag before it became the Times. The birthday edition was the 1,822nd to be printed and distributed in the north of North Somerset.

The birthday was also marked by the launch of The Times’ Birthday Presents campaign. The initiative seeks to help 35 worthy causes in the area, getting readers to nominate chosen causes and businesses to sponsor them and fundraise too.

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