I've been thinking about this for a while: expanding Hello Hamilton to include original local reporting.

Hamilton is New Zealand's fastest-growing city. There’s heaps happening here.

But if you're anything like me, it doesn't always feel that way. It’s surprisingly hard to keep up with what’s going on.

I hear it all the time: People say they don't feel very connected to Hamilton. They want to know what's new, what's opening, who's doing interesting things - but there just aren't many ways to stay in the loop.

National news media only drops in for crime and politics. The Waikato Times covers a huge region and sits behind a paywall. Local Facebook groups are mostly rumours, complaints, and arguments. Instagram shows us cafés in Melbourne but misses what's happening down the road.

Most of what’s happening in Hamilton never reaches us. It’s incredible how much happening here flies under the radar. There are stories everywhere, but very few are being told.

The startup building something world-class from an anonymous warehouse in Te Rapa. The chef in Hamilton East betting everything on a new idea. The teenager in Chartwell creating something extraordinary. The community project changing a neighbourhood. The workshop you've driven past a hundred times without knowing what's inside. The local business everyone will rave about six months from now.

One of the best parts of living in a city is feeling connected to it. Knowing what's changing. Discovering new places. Having something interesting to tell your friends.

That's the gap I think Hello Hamilton can help fill.

This project continues to evolve. Over the next few weeks, I’ll start experimenting with original reporting that helps us feel more connected to this place - here in your inbox in our existing weekly e-publication and across our social channels.

Stories about interesting Hamiltonians doing interesting things here. News that helps us explore and understand our city. Reporting about Hamilton that you can’t get anywhere else, with no pop-up ads, and no hidden agenda.

Hello Hamilton is building independent, reader-funded local journalism. Every membership helps pay local people to tell local stories. It means we can spend time uncovering the Hamilton stories that deserve to be told, instead of chasing clicks.

I'm looking for journalism students, local writers, and genuinely curious Hamiltonians who want to tell great stories. You don't need to be a journalist - you just need to care about this city, enjoy talking to people, and have the nack for telling a good story. If that sounds like you, or someone you know, I'd love to hear from you.

Know someone doing something interesting? Seen a business, project or idea that deserves more attention? If you've spotted something worth sharing, let me know.

Thanks for being part of Hello Hamilton. What started as a little side project has grown into a community of more than 38,000 Hamiltonians. I’m super proud of what we have here, and I'm excited about where we go next.

As always, if you've got a question, an idea, or just want to chat about where Hello Hamilton is heading, reply directly to this email. I'd love to hear from you!

— Ben