This September marks 20 years since Oracle Magazine first landed on doormats across Southend and what a journey it has been.
The seed for Oracle was planted in the waiting room of my local dentist in 2005. Flicking through Red magazine, I came across an article about a woman up north who had launched a small black and white brochure filled with local businesses and tradespeople. Her story stayed with me. At the time, I had just completed a local IT course and was looking for a job that would still allow me to be at home for my four young children after school. But everything I found meant long hours away. I needed to find a way to work around my family – not the other way around.
Oracle’s Bedroom Beginnings
Three months later, the Oracle was born from a spare bedroom in my house. I’m sure a few friends and family thought I was mad, but I gave myself a firm deadline: launch the first issue in September 2005, just after the school holidays and in the run-up to Christmas. It’s prime time for local businesses to advertise and, with no social media yet, having an A5 magazine pop through the letter in London agencies before I had even gone to print gave me a unique perspective.
I knew how to plan and buy ads, and now I was simply stepping onto the other side of the desk to sell them. More importantly, it showcased local businesses on what I could actually work out.
That first edition was a huge leap of faith. To protect myself financially, I ensured every advertiser paid upfront so I could cover the printing bill, by far the biggest expense. Month after month, issue after issue, I built the magazine from scratch. It was hard work, driven by deadlines, but the Oracle steadily grew in reach and reputation.
Platform for Transparency
Over the years, many similar magazines have launched and just as many have quietly disappeared. I believe Oracle endured because it has always had a purpose beyond profit. It’s been a platform for truth and transparency – a place where residents could hear news directly, provided it was honest and fair. Having grown up in Southend and with my family having lived here for generations, I’ve always felt a strong responsibility to inform our readers about the issues affecting our town.
We’ve published controversial pieces over the years, but our aim has always been the same: to ensure that important issues aren’t ignored.
Proud Local Legacy
To celebrate Oracle’s 10th anniversary, I wanted to do something that truly gave back to the town. The idea to create a local recipe book – filled with recipes submitted by residents, alongside photographs – became a popular Oracle publication that still brings me joy to look back on years later. Each page was sponsored by a local business to cover the printing costs, and the book went on to raise £6,000 for Havens Hospice, local homeless charity HARP, and a community project.
That sense of duty has taken us far beyond the printed page. Oracle has opened doors to new opportunities, none more meaningful to me than being asked to serve as Chair of the Fair Havens Charitable Foundation.
Speaking as a Resident
More recently, we’ve used that platform to support causes close to the community’s heart, including highlighting the threat to protect Southend’s green belt and the proposed development of 10,000 additional houses north of Bournes Green. The issue of infrastructure that comes with new housing is a breaking point which concerns me and I know resonates with our readers.
We have become involved not as campaigners, but as a local resident who cares about our town’s future – and who wants to help shine a spotlight on issues that could have a devastating loss to our environment and way of life.
Appreciating Our Readers
Running a business hasn’t always been smooth sailing. We’ve weathered economic recessions, the immense disruption of COVID, and all the usual ups and downs of being self-employed. But I’ve been incredibly fortunate to have a loyal, hardworking staff by my side throughout. They are the backbone of Oracle’s success.
To my clients – thank you for believing in a local magazine and for trusting me to help promote your businesses. To our readers – thank you for your loyalty, feedback, and your willingness to engage with the topics that matter. You are the reason Oracle exists.
As we celebrate this milestone, my message is simple: if you have an idea and mix it with hard work and determination, you never know where it might lead.
Here’s to the next chapter.
Emma Wynne-Morgan
OraclePublications.co.uk