Newsletter
The Stationers’ e-newsletter is a periodic update of current news and events for all members of The Stationers' Company – Court Assistants, Liverymen and Freemen – as well as for the media. We hope you find it useful, but you may, of course, unsubscribe simply by emailing admin@stationers.org
Latest Issue, No.20, May 2010
Latest News
The Company has a new communications channel: the Clerk’s Blog!
“Much more useful than the quarterly bulk mailings”
Within days of taking office as the Stationers’ new Clerk at the beginning of March, William Alden took off into cyberspace with his own web log, or Blog, designed to tell members what’s going in the Company. It’s another symbolic leap into the future for a guild that still remembers how its manuscript writers came to grips with the printing revolution. Now it’s digital media – and social networking.
Announcing his Blog, the Clerk said he saw it as a useful way of keeping members in touch with what’s going on in the Company. “It really is a valuable means of communication,” he said. “In these fast moving times, it will prove much more useful than the quarterly bulk mailings.”
The Clerk’s Blog is accessible from the Members Only section of the Stationers’ website. Members can use it to leave comments and ask questions. “There are only two rules,” the Clerk added. “All comments will be attributed and they will be seen by everyone else, but that shouldn’t stop you telling me exactly what you think!!”
So what has the Clerk been telling us? His reflections on the latest social events, certainly, but also remarks on matters of importance to the success of the Company. For example, how to strengthen relations with our industries (see Sector Champions, below) or how to maximise hiring out the Hall during the 2012 Olympics. All ideas welcome.
The message of the Clerk’s Blog is: read – and respond!
RNIB Auction of Dreams – Now Live! In the Mood
Linked to the Midsummer Night's Dream Gala Dinner on 21 June 2010, the Auction of Dreams is now up and running on the Company website and waiting for your bids (click here).
A large number of attractive items are on offer, all donated by Stationers and their friends. You can bid for any of the offerings up to 7:00 p.m. on the day before the Gala Dinner. Seven items will be reserved for auctioning during the Gala evening, with no bids accepted in advance. If you want to know what the reserved items are, check out “Only on the night!”
All proceeds from the auction and dinner will go to support the admirable Talking Book Service of the RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People), the Master’s chosen charity for his year of office.
Marking 300 years of Copyright
The Stationers’ Company, long the keeper of copyright, is marking the 300th anniversary of the first legislation protecting intellectual property, the Statute of Anne, with a new website – www.copyright-debate.co.uk – and a double bill event on at Stationers’ Hall on Monday, 8 November. The website puts into the public domain an important collection of papers which set out the arguments around copyright and explain why the protection of intellectual property is still so critical to a successful creative economy. In the autumn the Company will be publishing a collection of the works through Wildy and Son, the legal publishers, and the papers will also form the basis for the two events: an academic conference organised by University College, London, and an Evening Forum. Both events will be open to the public and full details, including booking online, will be available in the Events section of the Company website nearer the time.
More on Copyright: New Date for Digital Media Group Roundtable
A new date has been set for the Digital Media Group (DMG) event which was originally scheduled for 4 May but had to be cancelled due to the illness of the speaker.
The Roundtable will now take place on Tuesday, 22 June at 7 pm in Stationers' Hall.
Following on from the theme of the last meeting, Alex Hardy of the Orion Publishing Group will lead a discussion on online copyright infringement in the publishing, music and computer games industries. Joining Alex will be two stimulating experts in the field. Simon Chapman is a partner at Lewis Silkin LLP, specialising in the protection and enforcement of IP. Nicholas Lovell is the founder and director of Gamesbrief, a company providing financial and strategic advice to the digital media industry.
NB: The Digital Media Group has its own website, which you can reach by a link from the Stationers’ website or directly at: http://www.thedigitalmediagroup.co.uk/523.cfm
Industry Sector Champions
The Company has eight new Sector Champions who have agreed to monitor the most important companies in each of the industry sectors linked with the Stationers. Welcoming the volunteers, Clerk William Alden said: “This will help to keep us up to date with what is going on throughout the entire graphic communications industry and make sure we are fully engaged with all sectors.” The eight Champions are:
• George Brock, National Newspapers
• Geraldine Allinson, Local Newspapers
• Nick Steidl, Paper Makers and Agents
• Mike Clark, Packaging
• Trevor Fenwick, Online and Magazine Publishing
• Andrew Gilfillan, Book Publishing
• Jason Cromack, Printing
• Philip Lawson, Office Products
In the Mood!
THE Freemen’s Association’s 40th Annual Dinner celebration at Stationers’ Hall on April 23 was assured to go with a swing on the appearance of Chris Smith and the Big Band Sound of the String of Pearls Orchestra. The band played the first part of the concert after the canapé reception and over 90 guests sat down to a menu based on the first Annual Dinner in 1971.
Chairman Martin Bloomfield was unable to attend and Andrew Watley stepped in, armed with speech notes provided by Martin. The Master, Richard Brewster, made the response. In the second half, Freemen, Liverymen and their guests joined in a lively session in the Hall with the 14-piece Big Band and two vocalists delighting the crowded floor.
Inter-Livery 10 Pin Bowling Competition – 13 July
In aid of the Lord Mayor’s Charity Appeal, The Worshipful Company of Basketmakers is organising the first ever Inter-Livery 10 Pin Bowling Competition, on Wednesday 13 July at the Kingpin Suite, Tavistock Hotel, Bedford Way, London WC1H 9EU. The evening will begin with registration at 6.00pm and the first round of bowling at 6.30 pm. The second round will take place at 7.30 pm and then there will be an opportunity for anyone to try their luck after the competition, up to 10 pm. A cold fork buffet will be served and the cash bar will remain open through the evening. Contact the Clockmakers’ Clerk, (email: clerk@basketmakersco.org) for further information.
How about organising a Stationers' Company team? Contact Helen Ashworth at events@stationers.org.
Calling all Golfers! – 14 July
Liveryman Will Straker wants to raise a team of golfers to take part in the 2nd Freemen V Old Stationers golf match.
“Last year was a great occasion and this promises to be the same,” he said. “I am looking for a 12 man team to take on the might of the Old Stationers at Croham Hurst Golf course (www.chgc.co.uk) in Surrey on the 14th of July.
“Our Tee off will be in the afternoon and will be followed by a light 2 course meal and presentation. If the weather looks good we might even fire up the BBQ!”
The cost will be £45. If you would like to play please email or call Will Straker on:
E: William.straker@officeteam.co.uk
T: 07801 676 015
Future Events
Full details of Company events can be found on the Stationers’ website at http://www.stationers.org/events.html
June
1 Richard Johnson (‘Bubble’) Service,
St Bride’s Church
14 Industry Group Summer Forum
21 Midsummer Night’s Dream Gala Dinner
22 Digital Media Group – Round Table
July
6 Installation of New Master
12 Digital Media Group – Summer Event
September
6 Digital Media Group – Round Table
15 Livery Autumn Dinner
October
7 Benevolent Golf Day
18 Livery Luncheon
25 New Members’ Evening
November
8 Joint DMG / Industry Group Event: Academic Seminar & Open Forum
New Freemen
The Company welcomed the following new Freemen:
Admission to the Freedom on Monday 17th May 2010
Andrew Illes (Photograph)
Business Manager, Phillimore and Co Ltd
Stephen Mason (Photograph)
Chairman, Denmaur Independent Group
Jeremy Scott (Photograph)
Print Management Account Director, AccessPlus
Admission to the Freedom on Monday 19 April 2010
John DURSTON (Photograph)
Chairman Britton Group, Director Linpac Senior Holdings & Plantic
Technologies & Frontier Medical Products
Robert Joseph KELLER (Photograph)
Chairman and CEO, ACCO Brands Corporation
Mark John KIRWAN (Photograph)
Retired (Packaging)
Peter MUNK (Photograph)
Executive Vice President and President ACCO Brands International
David Edward Henry NEALE (Photograph)
Company Director, Neale Dataday Limited
John PEACOCK (Photograph)
Group Production Director, Macmillan Publishers Limited
Martin Lavington PERKINS (Photograph)
Retired School Teacher and Editor of a Maths Magazine
Kenneth Peter SMITH (Photograph)
Retired Printer (Times Newspaper)
NB: We hope you find this newsletter useful, but if not you may unsubscribe quite simply by e-mailing admin@stationers.org
