INDUSTRY NEWS

The Challenge of Maintaining our Hall

12 NOVEMBER 2025

This month, Nick Long, Hall Manager took the Trustees of the Stationers’ Hall Charity on a tour to see at first hand where the latest capital grant for summer works had been spent. We started by entering the roof above the card room through the door at the end of the third floor meeting rooms.  The repaired windows, roof covering, resealing and repointing of the brickwork  was clearly visible.  It was a view we had not seen across into Amen Corner and the little garden and the Roman Wall to the side of the Old Bailey.  We also looked at where parts of the cornices had been repaired from the courtyard and at the partial re-rendering of the Tokefield Centre.  Abseilers had accessed some of the harder to reach parts of the buildings but the immediate decision was what was most urgent for repair.  Shocking to us all was the state of the main side wall that holds the Caxton Window.  You can see that it is the original brickwork and it is crumbling.  There have been numerous bits of repointing over the centuries, often with unsuitable materials.  Scientific analysis has allowed the team to ensure that in future the appropriate plaster and materials will be used to avoid the present a sticking plaster solution.  One area that the Clerk is describing in the photos is an experiment with layers of a sealant that allows brick to breathe applied so we can monitor it over the next year and assess whether it is a solution for the entire wall once we have the funds to repair it.

A Night to Remember at Stationers' Hall - Fablittlebag wins at IEA's

11 NOVEMBER 2025

The seven category winners of the awards, organised by The Stationers' Company, were unveiled at a packed ceremony and champagne lunch last Friday (17 October).

The flagship award, Innovator of the Year 2025, which was presented by Dr Vanessa Lawrence CB, was award to us for our sustainable and discreet period disposal bags. Our bags are designed to tackle the plastic pollution caused by tampons and pads in waterways, by stopping people flushing them down the loo. We are also seeking to normalise the conversation around periods and period waste disposal. 

https://fablittlebag.com/blogs/news/fablittlebag-wins-stationers-company-innovator-of-the-year-2025

Chair of Warrants Committee John Livingston launches Operation Christmas Child

10 NOVEMBER 2025

Last week Freeman John Livingston took a break from his work chairing the Stationers Warrants Panel to launch the Operation Christmas Child appeal at his church. John is a lay preacher at Datchet Baptist Church who have been supporting the “Shoebox” appeal which sends boxes packed with gifts to kids in less developed countries who would not get a present at Christmas.

Micropress Strengthens Digital Print Capacity with the UK's First HEIDELBERG Jetfire 50

6 NOVEMBER 2025

Consolidating its commitment to innovation, Micropress has announced its investment in the UK's first HEIDELBERG Jetfire 50, further strengthening its growing digital inkjet print offering.

“We first invested in inkjet technology at the start of 2024, and it has proved extremely successful for us,” said Rob Cross, Joint Managing Director at Micropress. “In fact, we’ve now reached capacity. We needed an additional machine to cope with growing demand, and the Jetfire 50 fits that need perfectly.”

Freeman Sharon Magnus launches new book 'Feminism, UK Women’s Magazines and the Women Who Created Them, 1975-1992: More than Just a Glossy Cover'.

4 NOVEMBER 2025

Launch date Wednesday 3^rd December 2025

Invitatation to the University of Hertfordshire's  Heritage Hub's upcoming Women's Heritage Seminar to celebrate the launch of Dr Sharon Maxwell Magnus' recently published book, 'Feminism, UK Women’s Magazines and the Women Who Created Them, 1975-1992: More than Just a Glossy Cover'. Sharon will be talking about coverage of Feminism in women’s magazines of the period, with particular reference to the Sex Discrimination Act (1975) and Equal Pay Act (1970), on the anniversary, or very close to it, of their enactment. There will also be a talk by Penny East, Chief Executive at the Fawcett Society, who will discuss what Millicent Fawcett's work on equal pay and equality can tell us about the future threats of AI and technological change to the gender pay gap. 

Sunday Times - get Britain Reading

3 NOVEMBER 2025

Books bring us joy. They can ignite our imaginations and reshape our view of the world. Yet Britain is facing a reading crisis. We are losing the habit of reading for pleasure. How do we change that?

LINK