ABOUT US
LONDON PRESS CLUB BALL COMMITTEE
PATRON
Lord Rothermere
CHAIR
Philippa Kennedy OBE
TREASURER
David Selves
COMMITTEE
Steve Oram, Bill Hagerty, Eugene Duffy, Bob Satchwell, Susan Ryan, Richard Compton Miller, Paul Crosbie, Virginia Eastman, David Eliades, Robert Jobson, Ray Massey, Aidan McGurran, John Kay, Gill Martin, Kate McMillan
EVENTS ORGANISERS
Entire Affair
HONORARY COMMITTEE
Hayley Barlow, Amanda Barrie, Lord Black of Brentwood, Mark Bolland, Hilary Bonner, Matthew D’Ancona, Robin Esser, Alastair Campbell, Paul Dacre, Robin Esser, Mark Gallagher, David Ilott, William Lewis, Sir Nicholas Lloyd, Kelvin MacKenzie, Carole Malone, Fiona Millar, Jean Morgan MBE, Piers Morgan, Colin Myler, Carole Stone, Prof. Donald Trelford, Jeremy Vine, Tina Weaver, John Witherow, Peter Wright.
THE LONDON PRESS CLUB
The London Press Club (LPC) is one of the oldest press clubs in the world. When Fleet Street was in full flow it had an active membership and a robust reputation both for its conviviality at premises in Salisbury Square, not least as an after-hours drinking establishment for journalists.
Through the years it has also been a regular promoter of events, exhibitions and lectures associated with journalism, photography and printing. In 2003, the Board began to rethink the London Press Club’s role and concluded that if it were to attract new members and maintain its relevance it needed to become a more professional organisation, embracing as many other associated groups as possible and concentrating on key events in the journalistic calendar. A five-year plan developed as a result includes increasing our membership, exploring the possibilities of promoting what is already a powerful brand and developing our links with international press clubs. The LPC website is now linked to the International Association of Press Clubs and the European Federation of Press Clubs websites. The long-term objective here is to provide a reciprocal international network of home-from-home facilities for visiting members from other countries, with good value accommodation, office space and a ready-made network of contacts available.
We have a first-class working relationship with Women in Journalism, the British Guild of Travel Writers, and The Publicity Club of London; with whom we have run joint functions. Other relationships include The Media Society, The Society of Editors, and the British and American Business Institute, the European Federation of Press Clubs and the International Association of Press Clubs. Our current membership is now more than 700.
President: Professor Donald Trelford
Chairman: Steve Oram
Ball Committee Chair: Philippa Kennedy OBE
Treasurer: Richard Dymond
Board Members: David Selves, Dr Martyn Bond, Robin Esser, Dr Dennis Griffiths, Bob Satchwell, George Westropp, Bill Hagerty,
Company Secretary: Peter Durrant
Administration: Kate O’Reilly and Nathalie Smith
THE JOURNALISTS’ CHARITY
Charity Registration Number 208 215
Pickering House
The Journalists’ Charity was created by a group of journalists who met in a pub near Fleet Street around 1860. They drew up a list of prominent people of the day and appealed for funds. Charles Dickens, a noted editor before he turned to writing novels, spoke at the first annual dinner in London. A council of journalists was elected to the newly formed Newspaper Press Fund as it was originally called. The name was changed to underline the charity’s commitment to journalists across the media and not just in the press.
The charity was granted a Royal Charter in 1890.
Originally its grants concentrated on the relief of hunger, provision of clothing, household essentials like coal - anything which might otherwise be conspicuously absent and they have continued to do so up to the present day.
By the end of the 1950s the charity became aware that accommodation for the elderly was a nationwide problem. The council set up a special fund for a retirement homes scheme and from that grew the substantial provision for retired journalists and their dependants.
The charity today spends about £4,000 every week supplementing benefits and income to remove or reduce the distress caused to journalists and their families by ill health, unemployment, sickness, old age or plain misfortune.
In January 2006, Journalists’ Charity Patron Lord Rothermere, laid the foundation stone for the new £3m care home in Dorking and pledged £250,000 from the Harmsworth and Daily Mail Fund to the appeal. The new home was opened in September 2007 by HRH the Duchess of Wessex.
This year’s press ball is being dedicated to the memory of former Journalists’ Charity chairman Bob Warren who died on week after his 73rd birthday in January. His family, friends and colleagues miss him greatly and the Journalists’ Charity and London Press Ball Committee hope that his energy and dedication will be reflected in support from fellow journalists for the charity that was so close to Bob’s heart.
Urbane, charming, unruffled and fondly known by all as the “Admiral”, having served in the Royal Navy, Bob was a consummate journalist who ran the News of the World newsdesk for 20 years and served the newspaper for 45 years. He is survived by Madeline and their children, Angela and Charles. For a full obituary see the Journalists’ Charity website