Euxton woman brings us The Happy News

Emily Coxhead is brimming with positivity and is very keen to share it with the world.
Emily Coxhead, of Euxton, who runs The Happy NewsEmily Coxhead, of Euxton, who runs The Happy News
Emily Coxhead, of Euxton, who runs The Happy News
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From knitted jumpers for penguins to wonky veg, the 25-year-old has been writing and collating feel-good news for the past two-and-a-half years through The Happy News newspaper and has recently had her first book - Make Someone Happy - published.

Her Happy News brand has become so successful she has branched out with a set of greetings cards, stationary and giftware.

Emily Coxhead, of Euxton, who runs The Happy News, with her products in John LewisEmily Coxhead, of Euxton, who runs The Happy News, with her products in John Lewis
Emily Coxhead, of Euxton, who runs The Happy News, with her products in John Lewis
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Emily, who operates from a small office in her Euxton home, says: “I started with my first edition of The Happy News in December 2015. I thought there should be a platform to share positive news and restore faith in humanity.

“It was a silly idea to start with, but it has grown so much. I did a Kickstarter campaign to fund it and I set up a target of £500. I got triple this and I started my first edition. I am now on my 10th edition. It is published quarterly and I have more than 2,000 subscribers from the UK, as well as America and Australia.”

Emily, a former Parklands High School pupil who graduated from Manchester School of Art in 2014, adds she loves browsing the web for light hearted and funny stories all across the world.

She says: “I publish stories about things happening all over the world - many things people have never heard about in mainstream media.

Emily Coxhead, who runs The Happy NewsEmily Coxhead, who runs The Happy News
Emily Coxhead, who runs The Happy News
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“I have a small team of three dedicated writers from all over the UK and an editor who works with the writers to bring things in from different platforms.

“We share uplifting, feel-good stories, writing about scientific discoveries, new research and acts of kindness. Each issue we have a section called Everyday Heroes, where people can nominate someone who has helped to make the world a better place. That is my favourite part of the job because it is so real.

“One of my favourite pieces of news was about the oldest man in Australia knitting tiny jumpers for penguins who had been affected by an oil spill, so they would not peck at their dirty feathers. Another good one was a scientist breeding sections of the Coral Reef back to life.

“I try to cram as many stories in as possible to prove there is a lot of good happening in the world.

Emily Coxhead Coxhead, of Euxton, with her book Make Someone HappyEmily Coxhead Coxhead, of Euxton, with her book Make Someone Happy
Emily Coxhead Coxhead, of Euxton, with her book Make Someone Happy
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People are also sending stuff in, meaning the paper is a magnet for good news.”

Emily was amazed when Penguin Random House contacted her with a view to publish a book.

She adds: “Someone from the publishers emailed me asking if I had thought about doing a book, so I started to pull a few ideas together and came up with Make Someone Happy, which is the ethos of the newspaper.

“It is a creative journal where you write stuff in it and cut things out to pass to other people. You can write a nice letter to your bus driver, shop keeper, boss, milk man or anyone. It encompasses the happy ethos and shows that if we all did something nice it can make a big difference.

Make Someone Happy book by Emily CoxheadMake Someone Happy book by Emily Coxhead
Make Someone Happy book by Emily Coxhead
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“I also have a range of greeting cards which are sold in Paper Chase, Clintons, Sainsbury’s and independent gift shops and I have some stationary, gifts, snapbacks and photo clips sold in John Lewis.

“It is overwhelming how this has taken off. It it a dream come true.

“Ever since I was little I have made drawings, written letters and taken photos so it has all come together.

“I never thought something like this could be my job.”

Emily adds she is primarily a positive person, which helps her in her job.

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She says: “A lot of people think I am happy all the time, but that is not always true. I am human and have my off days.

“I did win Biggest Smile award in my final year of high school, so that may have something to do with it.

“I try to see the positive side, although it is not always easy. I find that social media and news are the things that impact me the most.”

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