NEXT week the Malvern Gazette launches A Very Malvern Christmas, our popular annual campaign to champion local businesses during the festive season.

We will be banging the drum for the town's wonderful range of shops, pubs, restaurants, cafes and other services in print, online, on mobile and on social media using the hashtag #VeryMalvern.

Apart from what they sell and the services they provide, local businesses are a vital part of the mix that makes our town such a vibrant place in which to live and work.

We will be reminding shoppers just how fabulous Malvern is during Christmas.

Each week until Christmas Eve we will turn the spotlight on the expert service and terrific value offered by one our independent traders.

The exciting events going on around the town at this time of year will be showcased too.

As well as publishing all this in print, online and on mobile, we will be speading the message via social media.

Businesses simply have to add the hashtag #VeryMalvern to their own social media posts so our search engines can find them. We will then share them on our own social media platforms – bringing them to a much larger audience. The hashtag works on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Shoppers, please do your bit to support Malvern’s businesses. Use #VeryMalvern to tell everyone how magical shopping in Malvern is at Christmas time.

But most of all shop local… and ask your friends to do the same!