Description:The Saltley News was produced by Birmingham Community Development Project- a government initiative aimed at addressing social deprivation in a number of British cities. The first issue of the Saltley News was published in June 1974 and was edited by Mahmood Hashmi who came to Britain from Pakistan in 1960. Hashmi worked as a journalist in both Pakistan and Britain, contributing to Urdu newspapers and local and national newspapers in English. You can listen or read about Hashmi's life in the Millennibrum Oral History archive (MS 2255/2/072.)
Before it appeared there were already a number of community newspapers in Birmingham such as Sparkbrook's 'Spark' and Lozells' 'Trapeze which reflected the activities and concerns of people in their respective parts of the city.' Saltley News was different in that it was to become the city's and Britain's first local community newspaper in Urdu.
The newspaper was intended to be both informative and an expression of its readers' views on local issues, and it encouraged Asian residents to participate in bringing positive change to the area in which they also belonged (Saltley News 1st June 1974, p.3.)
Unfortunately the Community Development Project was closed down by the local authority in 1976 due to what were considered its 'radical leftist' politics.
Author: Sarah Dar