This year, with two major events the Diamond Jubilee and London 2012 Olympics, the nation has much to celebrate.

Through their reporting, in print and online, local newspapers have a vital role to play in bringing these events alive for communities across Britain.

That is what this year’s Local Newspaper Week (21-27 May) aims to highlight.

Whether it’s a story on a visit to the local area by The Queen, or a report on the progress of a local athlete competing in London, local papers get the inside track.

And our readers know the value of this reporting.

Thirty-three million people in Britain today read a local newspaper in print each week, and 42 million unique users log on to a local newspaper website each month.

This growing digital audience, which increased by 40 per cent over the last two years, has allowed local newspapers to reach more people than ever before.

The trust that people place in local papers also extends to their websites.

Local news from a trusted source, be it delivered in print or online, remains a highly sought after commodity.

The internet isn’t the enemy of local press – it has allowed the industry to develop new and innovative ways of bringing trusted news and information to readers.

Ever since the birth of the British press more than 300 years ago, newspapers have consistently found ways to innovate and adapt.

That is exactly what they are doing now in the digital age – finding new ways to report on events that matter to their readers.

In this Jubilee and Olympic year, local papers will be pulling out all the stops to provide their readers with relevant and up to date information on these important national events.

And that is what we are celebrating in this year’s Local Newspaper Week.