TODAY the Evesham Journal launches A #VeryEvesham Christmas, a sparkling 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 #VeryEvesham.

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

We will be reminding shoppers just how fabulous Evesham – and Pershore – 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 are also encouraging businesses, and their customers, to get involved on the various social media platforms.

Businesses and individuals using the hashtag #VeryEvesham when they post Facebook and Twitter will be included in a live report running on the eveshamjournal.co.uk website until Christmas Eve.

We will be sharing all your #VeryEvesham posts and tweets through our Twitter account @veryevesham and our Facebook page facebook.com/veryevesham.

And you’ll be able to read news about the campaign in the special section of the Evesham Journal website at eveshamjournal.co.uk/veryevesham (where you can also download a campaign poster to display in the window of your business).

Please do your bit to support Evesham’s businesses. Use #VeryEvesham to tell everyone how magical shopping in Evesham is at Christmas time.

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