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Year Book editors stepping down

By 23rd November 2013July 27th, 2023No Comments
News

After a remarkable 31 years’ service to the Guild, Peter and Wendy Ryder have decided to step down from their role as editors and publishers of the Year Book.

In a letter to Guild chairman Jane Craigie, Peter says: “I write with mixed feelings to let you know that Wendy and I have decided that we cannot continue to produce the annual Year Book on behalf of the Guild.

“Between us we have produced the book for 31 years (1982-2013) and have enjoyed doing so. However, we feel the time has now come for us to call it a day.

“As a Senior Fellow, I remain deeply interested in the Guild’s activities, Wendy continues to be an active trustee of the Charitable Trust and we will carry on serving the non-online members with their own ‘snail mail’ Bulletins.”

The Year Book is one of the most valued benefits of Guild membership, providing a ready source of contact information. But before it drops on to members’ doormats each June, a considerable amount of work goes into checking and updating the reference information and bringing the membership listings up to date.

Encouraging commercial and other organisations to advertise their media contacts in the Year Book and so help cover the print and distribution costs is another important aspect of the job that Wendy and Peter handled – so they carried the risk of an income shortfall as publishers on behalf of the Guild.

In response to their decision, Jane said in a letter to Wendy and Peter: “The Guild is so very grateful for all of the time, care and good cheer that you have both put into the Year Book; it has been an invaluable element of membership.

“We are sorry, but wholly understanding of your need to relinquish the task – hugely time consuming that it has been.

I would also like to thank you both for the huge amount of work that you have selflessly put into the Guild and the Charitable Trust over the years. You both always have the best intentions of the organisation and its members at heart in all that you do.”

The Year Book will continue but may take another form; Guild member representatives on the management Council will take the opportunity at their meeting in December to consider different options in addition to the established format.