08 Oct 2026
The St Albans Times was namechecked by the former editor of the Today programme, the London Evening Standard and The Sunday Telegraph as an example of a grassroots, community-led revival of local news.
Sarah Sands, who has also held senior positions with Reader’s Digest, The Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph, was presenting the annual lecture of the Religion Media Centre, an impartial and independent organisation which aims to help the media to better report and understand religion and belief.
Sarah, who is the new chief executive of Hymns Ancient and Modern, told a gathering at St Bride’s Church off Fleet Street that the media has a responsibility to capture a renewed interest in religion.
She said people were genuinely interested, curious and open to religion “in a way that they probably hadn’t been for a generation, and so the media has a responsibility to capture that”.
She said the natural relationship between the news industry and the gospels was “bearing witness” and the right to ask questions must be defended, warning that “the forces against asking questions are closing ranks”. She said some journalists encountered danger, hostility and lies, and they died trying to find out the truth.
Addressing the challenging financial climate for the press, where there are no longer the resources “to allow some serious reporting around the country”, she said there was “a thrill to see green shoots”.
She gave examples such as the St Albans Times flourishing and new audiences emerging with community-based publications and suggested: “Wouldn’t it be cheering to see a wider grassroots, community-led revival, both of churchgoing and of news.
“We could think of it as the return of the parish.”
Rev Peter Crumpler. associate minister at St Paul’s, Fleetville, and a former communications director with the Church of England, said afterwards: “It’s good to see the St Albans Times being singled out for praise at this important lecture, given at the spiritual home of British journalism, St Bride’s Church in Fleet Street.
“From its launch, the Times has sought to cover all aspects of our city’s life, and faith plays an important part in the lives of many people living in St Albans, named after the country’s first Christian martyr.
“The Times is demonstrating that independent local journalism is much in demand, and can thrive where reporters know and respect their community and are committed to its wellbeing.”
