This year is the 150th anniversary of the Kent Messenger in Maidstone and to celebrate, we have a host of events, features, archive material and exhibitions throughout the year.

The Maidstone Telegraph - the forerunner to the Kent Messenger - was first published on New Year’s Day, 1859.

To kick off our coverage this month, we will be republishing the front page of the first ever copy of the paper on January 16 , and the Kent Messenger Group’s president, Edwin Boorman, is the subject of a special Friday Interview on January 9.

We will also be taking an in-depth look at the news through the years, how the newspapers changed, and some of the events we brought our readers.

We will also be looking at how Maidstone has changed in the last 150 years and how the news team and the way the papers are produced have evolved through the ages.

Events being planned include a photographic exhibition of some of the iconic images our photographers have brought you, and a Victorian-themed family day.

Throughout, www.kentmessenger.co.uk will be carrying all the articles and details, to ensure that if you’ve missed any of our papers, you can still keep up with our coverage.

We also want to know what part the Kent Messenger and its forerunner played in the lives of our readers.

We would like to hear from you if the paper touched your life in any way, whether it was through the reporting of a major event, or if you or someone you know was featured.

Contact us using the form below or by calling 01622 695666.