NGMW Newsletter Spring 09 - The Northern Group of Motoring Writers

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News from the Northern Group of Motoring Writers Autumn 2009 Frederic’s a winner THE Northern Group has The award scheme has been sponsored scored another ‘first’ with the by headlineauto, the relatively new but highly respected provider of winner of a new media award motoring news to the newspaper being named as former industry who recruited PR’s from a chairman Frederic Manby, now wide range of companies to judge it. working as a freelance but still Frederic was nominated for the among the Leeds-based Regional Journalist of the Year award Yorkshire Post’s top writers. along with Carmel Stewart, who is the Group’s new website editor, Chris Known for his often blunt approach Russon, who now runs the Driving but praised for his honest to goodness Force freelance agency, and the Scots articles, he has just completed 40 Stephen Park and David Morgan. years with the newspaper, the last 30 as its motoring man. Frederic was first indentured into Adrian Taylor. THE new unprotected website for the Northern Group, ngmw.co.uk, continues to thrive thanks to the efforts of Carmel Stewart. The site, sponsored by Renault, currently features Carmel’s experiences when she changed her old banger for a new car under the Government’s scrappage scheme while there’s also another article from our Aussie based former member, Adrian Taylor who describes the ever-present dangers in Queensland from snakes (12 of the world’s deadliest 14 live there!), journalism on the Craven Herald and Pioneer in Skipton and gained his NUJ diploma in Sheffield. He took over from the celebrated Sydney Burton at the Post where he also became one of the paper’s top feature writers. His decision to become a freelance earlier this year came with a contract to continue motoring and weekend supplement features. His motoring features are also being used in Scotland on Sunday and the Sheffield Star. Ade weaves on Group web sharks, crocodiles and even magpies. To Alan Domville’s delight Adrian, who will be back in the UK for three weeks from December 17, also reports that his son is now playing rugby. The site also features members who have been happy to provide personal details and there’s a definitive history of the Group penned by Keith Ward and well worth reading. A second group website, the protected version, continues to be serviced by Newspress. Page Four In Brief John moves back onto two wheels ONE-time Yorkshire based member, John Carroll, a former Land Rover and 4 x 4 magazine writer, has returned to his love for motor-cycles by moving both his job and his residence to Lincolnshire. John has become staff motoring editor for Classic Motorcycle Mechanics and Motorcycle Monthly based in Horncastle with the Mortons Media Group. His new contact numbers are 01507 529461 (office), 07798 808475 (home) and 07834 049696 (mobile) with his e- mail addresses as jcarroll@mortons.co.uk and ferricoxide@hotmail.com John was previously with the Kelsey Publishing Group in Kent and lived near Huddersfield. Julie’s grand ride for nurse’s charity THE biking hobby of Julie Marshall, our member for Wakefield, has raised £1,130 for the Macmillan Cancer Support nurses in South Yorkshire. Julie with her daughter, Rachel, riding pillion, took her motor-bike with 100 other women on what is known as the Breast Way Round Run, in Scotland. She was sponsored by the Group and many of its members. Altogether £37,129 was collected, over £11,000 more than in last year’s inaugural run.
News from the Northern Group of Motoring Writers Autumn 2009 Fings ain’t what they usedapple toapplebe! Bernard Gent - that’s him on the left sharing a silly hat moment with Alan Domville in Sweden in 1984 - recalls... The good old CAN you remember the good old days when an early morning sing-song around the hotel piano was almost a tradition and when 'April-fool' type jokes were played on journos and PR's alike? Sadly it's not like that any more. The breathalyser has killed off the 'party nights' atmosphere - some still call them momentous p***-ups - and, even before the current recession, there wasn't the same amount of cash in PR budgets to spend on more than just the chosen few. I remember well the classic send-ups of a top PR man who is still affectionately remembered, especially by Northern Group members for producing a nude model supposedly recovering from a nervous breakdown to give an eye-opening display around the pool at a posh chateau. The same clever mischief maker had us testing wine which was pure cheap vinegar and, with another group, had them rolling up their trousers to step into a sloppy solution of godknowswhat as an antidote to foot and mouth which was non existent at the time. I can recall wonderful trips to the States where, on some occasions, our partners joined us and, only as a motoring scribe could you have flown on Concorde on its maiden flight to Germany. days I still have the plaque, signed by the chief pilot - the date: 17 August 1983, flying supersonically from London to Munich. I remember a massive temporary stand had been erected along one side of the runway in which thousands were seated to see us land and there was a typical German oompah band and the best bubbly to welcome us. That particular trip was for the international launch of a new VW Golf. Just about everyone - if not everyone - in those halcyon days of motoring journalism was taken on trips to Japan (there have been trips to other countries including South Africa, South Korea and Top of page: Keith Ward (standing), Roger Stansfield, Peter Myerscough, Geoff Rumney and Val Jessop are among those posing for a multi-Group photograph in Sardinia on a Ford trip. Can you date it? Left: What a talented line-up – From left: Messrs Smith, Gent, Whinyates, Stansfield, Orme and Kitson playing cowboys on a Toyota launch in Spain which included a visit to a film-set where the Good, the Bad and the Ugly was shot. Below: Don Booker is pictured among this group of national and regional writers on a Press trip to Japan. Mitsubishi were the hosts – and the engaging Denise Baldwin is there to prove it. Do you know the year? India in even more recent times) and they often finished with a return ticket via somewhere exotic like Hawaii with the chance to relax on the famous Wakiki Beach or make a once-in-a-lifetime visit to Pearl Harbour, scene of the wartime kamikaze attacks. Across the Pacific we crossed the date line - another rare experience for a humble journo - because it meant that, in terms of the day and the time, we arrived in Honolulu before we set off from Osaka! What memories - and they're just a few of mine. Have YOU got others to recall? Willappleyouapplehelpapple recallappleoldappletimes? Northern Group members are invited to contribute to this new feature which will run in forthcoming editions of this newsletter with reminiscences of years gone-by – and photographs to back up the story lines. Page Five
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NGMW Newsletter Spring 09 - The Northern Group of Motoring Writers

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