In the May / June 2023 magazine, we asked readers to answer a variety of questions regarding their thoughts on the Soar Valley Life magazine.
We were delighted with the number of responses and answers will help us to continue to improve upon the content of the magazine.
Some answers are listed below.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Walks
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until the next copy arrives
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … The articles are interesting and local to my area
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles?  This month it was the one from the What’s on lady
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? A month, till the next one comes
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It relates to the area I have lived in all my life.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â I like everything about this magazine and sit down to read it as soon as it pops through the door. As a Community magazine I think its contents appeal to everyone and there’s a good balance between articles and adverts. The locality of everything is great, as reasonably new to the area its contents are invaluable. .
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Till the next one appears.
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â it provides a wide range of information for the local area
Age Range: 45-60
What are your favourite articles? Walks, Competitions, Editorial, Recipe, Gardening, Quiz, Finance, Pub of the month
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until we receive the following one!
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them?  Nothing yet, but I do keep the latest copy and would definitely refer to it if needed.
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It has a good mix of advertising, competitions and useful articles to read and keep.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â Claire Jones gardening advice, recipes and the puzzles
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? About 2 to 3 weeks.
What else would you like to see in the magazine? Can’t think of anything – I like it as it is
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â It’s fun and a great read.
Age Range: 18-29
What are your favourite articles?  I like reading the editors letter, wordsearch / quizzes and the community pages (eg, what’s on in the area)
How long do you keep each magazine? This is the first time I’ve received a magazine (I think) and have really enjoyed reading through it this evening. I haven’t entered any competitions before as I’ve never had the magazine before.
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It’s small, convenient, has everything you need!
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â Local events, short stories, local service ads and competitions
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until the next
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Charnwood Brewery
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â Compact, refer back and you can get through it easily
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? What’s On
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? A few days
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Delta Arials
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … The variation of information is presented in an interesting and visual format
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Â Recipes, What’s On.
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until we’ve read it and entered the competitions. Unless there’s something specific we want to retain (recipes etc)
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â For me it gives a sense of community and a bit of local identity in a world that’s is becoming increasingly homogenised.Â
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Short story and competitions
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? It depends on how long it takes me to find the robin but usually about a week
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It is quite a varied magazine with some interesting articles, tempting recipes and gardening ideas. I do look forward to receiving it.
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Quizzes, articles about places to visit
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? 2 weeks
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It has a great variety of features that have a local interest. Always an inspiring read.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Various depending on the content. The walks. Science facts, recipe, astronomy
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until the next month or sometimes longer
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from? Old wharf tea room
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It is local
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Recipe pages, sudoku, walking routes, updates from the local MP
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Usually until the next one arrives
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from? Fosse 107
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … I enjoy trying out the the recipes
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Â Children’s Puzzle Page, Quick Crossword, Mount St Bernard Abbey this month
Do you enter the competitions? Â Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Â 2 weeks
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â it always feels friendly and positive.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â Competitions! Recipes
Do you enter the competitions? Â Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Â 3 months
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Charnwood Brewery, Derrys Nurseries, Simon Hewitt Joinery
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … it’s relevant to where I live and the advertisers are often useful
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Don’t have one
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Several weeks
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … of the mix of articles, advertisements and competitions
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Â Community pages as new to the area
How long do you keep each magazine? A few weeks
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because …  It’s free and it’s really quite useful
Age Range: 45-60
What are your favourite articles? Â Gardening pages
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? A few days
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Hassall & Son
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Walking maps, recipes
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? A couple of months
What else would you like to see in the magazine? Sports feature, maybe local sportsmen and women and teams/clubs from the soar valley distribution area?
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Gardening, Walks, Motoring, local news, Short Story, Finance
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? 1 or 2 months
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because …it cheers me up with with its interesting, and often humorous articles
Age Range: 45-60
What are your favourite articles? Â Gardening and short stories
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? 6 weeks
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Charnwood Fix
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It promotes local businesses
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â Local activities, quizzes, recipes and use the ads as necessary when we need something fixing/mended etc
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until the next one arrives
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Derrys, Jane Thomas, Gas Servwell, Angels Yard …. I can go on
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It tells me what’s going on in the community
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Jane Hunt MP and the short story
How long do you keep each magazine? Around 2 weeks
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … it offers such a variety of interesting articles to look at and digest
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Walks, recipes, editorial, puzzles, find the robin,
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? About 3 weeks. Cut walks or recipes out sometimes
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – ADT taxis, Derry’s, emailed 5 plumbers for gas fire service quote.
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … There is always plenty to read and competitions and puzzles to keep the brain active. Useful for finding local tradesmen and services.
Age Range: 60+
1. What are your favourite articles?
The walks. The short story.
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? Until the next one arrives
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Derry’s Nurseries.
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … it covers such a wide variety of topics and businesses. Moving to a completely new area just before covid, it helped me to feel more familiar with the locality.
Age Range: 30-44
What are your favourite articles? Â Editorial, recipes, and the local walk page are what I go to first, but I also love the short story, the puzzles/crossword and the gardening tips.
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? A week or two at least, I generally always have a copy about in case I am in need of a local service. And I always tear out and save anything I want to keep longer, i.e. the local walk page and recipes
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – canopy tree services to pollard my eucalyptus, Hollydan did our wetroom conversion. The Old Wharf Tearoom visited last year after seeing the advertisement
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … The magazine has a friendly community feel and includes something for everyone, young and old from puzzles and gardening to astronomy and health. A very useful resource!
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â Editors comment, Great Central Railway, competitions, gardening, Astronomy, walks
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? 2 weeks
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Can’t remember!
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It strikes a good balance between advertising and interesting articles from a wide variety of contributors.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? I love the short stories, gardening page, recipes, community info, in fact I enjoy it all.
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? For a few months or more, I have quite a collection
4. Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Hassall Aerial’s, Derry’s nurseries
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … it feels relevant to me and my lifestyle, from local ads to local walks, plus everything else in between.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Walk recommendations
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? A few weeks
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Quorn Country Crafts
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … It informs me of local services.
Age Range: 60+
What are your favourite articles? Â Editors intro page, gardening pages, wordsearch
Do you enter the competitions? Yes
How long do you keep each magazine? I tear out ads which interest me and keep for future reference. Recycle the remainder once read (1 day)
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
If yes, who from – Derry’s nursery, Old Wharf Tea Room, Great Central Railway. I look up the websites of lots more – Jane Thomas Pilates, Angels Yard Osteopaths, Dream Doors, Harrison Landscaping, Canopy Trees, RJH Home Services
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because …  It’s different from other local publications – friendly, informative, doesn’t feel impersonal
Age Range: 45-60
What are your favourite articles? Â Recipes/Features
How long do you keep each magazine? 4-5 months
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â I enjoy the puzzles and recipes
Age Range: 45-60
What are your favourite articles? The walking guides
Do you enter the competitions? No
How long do you keep each magazine? Read it and pass it on to my husband
Have you used any of the advertisers’ services or bought products from them? Yes
I like Soar Valley Life Magazine because … Â its content is wide ranging, diverse and inclusive


