Love Stokesley
A new magazine putting local stories first
A brand-new magazine is about to land on thousands of doormats across Stokesley and the surrounding villages.
Love Stokesley is a free, quarterly magazine covering Stokesley, Great Broughton, Hutton Rudby, Great Ayton and nearby communities. Published by Sauce Marketing Group Ltd, the Love Stokesley magazine aims to bring together local stories, community news and carefully targeted advertising in one high-quality publication.
I met with Ryan, Head of Operations at Sauce Marketing, to find out more about the idea behind the magazine and why the team believes it offers something different.
More than just a directory
Ryan explained that the concept grew from a simple observation.
“Most people will be familiar with the free directory-style magazines that drop through the letterbox. We wanted to create something different,” he said.
Rather than filling every page with adverts, the team has committed to a 50/50 split between editorial content and advertising.
“That means readers will find local property news, food and drink features, business updates and stories from around the community. The advertising then sits alongside content that people genuinely want to read.”
The editorial content will come from a variety of local sources, including residents, businesses, community groups, the town council and local events.
Spotting a gap in the market
The idea for Love Stokesley emerged from Sauce Marketing’s wider client work.
“We manage marketing for businesses across the UK, so we see a lot of local publications,” Ryan explained. “Jamie, our Head of Projects, has a background in magazine publishing and spotted an obvious gap here in Stokesley.”
However, Ryan was clear that he only wanted to pursue the project if the final product felt special.
“I said yes to the challenge on one condition – that it had to be high quality. I wanted something people would actually enjoy receiving through their door and look forward to reading.”
The team behind the Love Stokesley magazine
Love Stokesley is being produced by a small local team.
Alongside Ryan and Jamie is non-executive director Oliver, who runs Wentworth Security and Fire Ltd from Terry Dicken Business Park. The three first met at a local networking event four years ago, and that connection eventually helped bring the magazine to life.
Making advertising easy
One advantage the team has is its background in software development.
“We build bespoke software for businesses, so we created a self-service platform for the magazine,” said Ryan. “Advertisers can choose their edition, select a full page, half page or quarter page, upload artwork and complete the booking online.”
Of course, not everyone wants a digital process.
“If someone prefers the traditional approach, we’re happy to handle everything manually too.”
Real local stories
Ryan is keen to stress that Love Stokesley is not simply a promotional magazine.
“We want genuine community content,” he said. “If a local group is holding an event, a charity is fundraising, or a business has won an award that benefits the area, we’ll try to feature it.”
At the same time, the team is careful to keep a balance.
“If something is primarily promotional, we’d usually suggest advertising instead.”
Reaching thousands of local readers
The magazine will be printed in-house on high-quality paper and delivered free of charge to more than 4,490 local households.
In addition, around 500 copies will be available from collection points such as GP surgeries, cafés and waiting areas.
For readers outside the distribution area, a free digital edition will also be available online.
“On a desktop you can use a page-flip reader, and on a phone it works with a simple swipe, so people can read it wherever they are.”
A Stokesley Show special
The first edition will be a special preview of the Stokesley Show, one of North Yorkshire’s largest and most respected one-day agricultural events.
“It seemed the perfect launch,” Ryan said. “The show has more than 166 years of history and is such an important part of Stokesley’s identity.”
Readers can expect behind-the-scenes features, highlights from this year’s programme and a closer look at what is new for 2026.
Supporting local businesses
Because the magazine is printed to a high standard, advertising plays an important role in making it sustainable.
“Ideally we want Stokesley-based businesses involved,” Ryan explained. “Tradespeople, service businesses and local retailers are exactly the sort of advertisers who will benefit most from reaching people on their doorstep.”
The team also hopes the magazine will become a place where local businesses can celebrate their successes and share positive news with the community.
Life at Terry Dicken Business Park
Finally, I asked Ryan what he enjoys about being based at Terry Dicken Business Park.
“Probably the best thing is the business community,” he said. “When we launched the magazine, we already had businesses right here on the park ready to support it.”
“There’s a real sense that people know each other, help each other and want local businesses to succeed, so it made getting started much easier.”
Save the date
The first edition of Love Stokesley magazine will begin arriving through letterboxes during the first week of September.
A free digital version will be available online for non-residents, while the second edition is planned for December.
Businesses interested in advertising in the December issue should note that the booking deadline is 11th November.
With its mix of community stories, local news and high-quality design, Love Stokesley is aiming to become a magazine that residents don’t just receive. Rather one they actually keep and read.
Love Stokesley Magazine is published by Sauce Marketing Group Ltd who can be found at Unit 26, Terry Dicken Industrial Estate, Stokesley, TS9 7AE
For more information or to book for the next issue visit the Love Stokesley website or contact hello@lovestokesley.co.uk
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