"In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was accurately written and the Word sometimes caused offence."

Or some such

It's often a dirty job, but one that keeps society cleaner than it would otherwise be.

To which occupation am I referring? Refuse, care or nursing workers, all of whom are highly valued, if underpaid?

Nope. I offer up the sometimes noble, but always misunderstood (and indeed frequently badly paid) professional scribbler, aka the journalist. In particular, I'm thinking of the Revd. Editor of this parish, young curate Derek Davis, as honest a scriptorium-squatter as you are likely to meet. Revd. Derek has successfully built our local parish mag – Hadleigh Nub News to you – into the most-viewed title for local news, views and features through reporting on the often theatrical shenanigans of the likes of Maritime Minns and his piratical crew at Hadleigh Town Council, Generalissimo Ward at Babergh and Queenie Dawson of wherever-she-fancies, thank you very much (more on her later). Good news or bad news, the divine Derek seeks to inform our local congregations about 'stuff' in which they may be interested. And thanks to the modern divination that are algorithms, he's able to see which stories capture our interest and which, such as doubtless and for instance the incoherent screeds from Guthrum the Grump, probably don't. It so happens that court appearances by various local folk are very much top of the cops, so to speak. However, during our morning prayers this morning, the devout Derek was unusually distracted, muttering the latest Thurlow Nunn league football results in place of the Lord's Prayer. It transpires that he's taken to heart the reaction among some folks to his report into the sentencing of one Gavin Seager to 18 months imprisonment, the latter having been found guilty of stealing property and cash valued at £24,000, in order to feed a £1,500 a week cocaine habit. This is a matter of public interest and although it reflects a very sad side of human nature, it is surely right that the court case is covered? It is certainly newsworthy as it is exceptional, since most Hadleigh residents are law-abiding lambs. Some of Mr Seager's family and relatives responded on one of those social media channels (Faithbook, I think it's called) lambasting Revd. Derek for promoting the story. I do have some sympathy for them as the whole episode must have been both upsetting and painful and they are now to be separated from Mr Seager for a period of time. Yet such an unfortunate episode serves only to remind us that the victims of crime extend beyond those directly impacted. Maybe, just maybe this report might remind others thinking of indulging in a bit of thievery, or similar, to think of others and seek appropriate help and guidance. Revd. Derek had cause to deal with another rather unfortunate story this week: the case of Councillor Queenie Dawson going the full 'I'm a Celebrity' and eating a bogy live on video. To be fair, it was her bogy and I suppose she has proprietorial rights over whatever hardened nasal mucus she excavates from her orifice. However, to do the mining work live whilst participating in a Babergh meeting was, shall we say, rather common? For someone known to have the poshest attitude downwind of Penelope Keith, Queenie will find it hard to turn her nose up at anyone, including Generalissimo Ward, ever again. And spare a thought for Revd. Derek and all the research he has to endure. A journalist's lot is not always a happy one. See Queenie picking a winner here...[L] [L]https://hadleigh.nub.news/n/former-hadleigh-heating-engineer-jailed-for-theft-of-cash-and-jewellery-from-customers39-homes[L+]Seager stole 'irreplaceable' jewellery from the elderly to feed habit