Her Majesty the Queen has joined the drive to recognise the work of journalists and broadcasters working during the coronavirus pandemic.

A series of tweets on the Royal Family’s twitter account backed a campaign by the Journalists’ Charity, and thanked all those ‘from the national titles and broadcasters, to the local and regional outlets making a difference to the communities they serve’.

The Journalists’ Charity, of which the Queen is patron, has been running a scheme of adverts both online and in print to highlight the efforts of journalists to keep the public updated with the latest Covid-19 information.

The Royal Family twitter account voiced their support for the community fundraising initiatives and ‘Health Hero’ recognition spreads run by many regional and local papers, saying: ‘#ThankYou to the local newspapers using their platform to help others, from fundraising to distributing supplies.’

A tweet added, ‘As The Queen said on #WorldHealthDay: “In testing times, we often observe that the best of the human spirit comes to the fore.”’

The Journalists’ Charity scheme is backed by the SoE to highlight the uncertainty faced by those working in journalism under the current crisis.

Commenting on the campaign, the charity’s CEO James Brindle said in an email to members: “For millions of people in this country, the idea of living through lockdown without journalism is simply unthinkable. Journalists have been working tirelessly to serve their audiences at a time when their normal working lives have been turned upside down, and many are facing an uncertain future.
 
“The coverage of this crisis shows the depth and quality of British journalism, from the national titles which continue to set the agenda, to the local and regional outlets which make a difference day in, day out, to the communities they serve. In so many ways, journalists are providing an essential service and it’s right that we acknowledge and celebrate this vital role.
 
“What’s particularly encouraging is hearing from members of the public who’ve been in touch to share their support for journalists at this crucial time, with many pledging generous donations to support our efforts to help those who’ve found themselves in dire straits.” 

Click here to make a donation to the Journalists’ Charity.