AND FINALLY

we’re not just a

one-man band at Rotary Magazine

It’s now seven-and-a-half years since I stepped out of the pressure cooker of editing regional newspapers and into editing Rotary Magazine.

A lot has changed since 2017 – my hair has receded and become a lot greyer against the inevitable battle of the bulge, while the state of media in 2024 has evolved at such a rapid rate; good and bad.

I now teach multimedia journalism at a London university, while editing the magazine forms part of my professional practice serving to keep up-to-date with the latest publishing trends and innovations.

That’s why this year we have expanded from print to a monthly digital platform, along with an audio magazine, all of which runs in tandem with the Rotary Great Britain & Ireland website and social media outlets.

But while my byline and ugly mug features regularly in those publications, it is quite a formidable team who also works on the products.

Pulling all the strings is James Bolton, Rotary GB&I’s Senior Communications Manager, who is based at the Rotary Support Centre in Alcester near Stratford-upon-Avon in Warwickshire and is the strategic head.

Also based at Alcester is designer Martin Tandy who shaped the design for

Rotary Digital and works with me on the physical production of the print magazine. Until recently, we had a third communications specialist, George Bicknell, who did a lot of content creation for the digital and print platforms.

I should also mention Claire Haines, who works as Rotary GB&I’s Customer Insight & Research Officer, and Nan McCreadie, the former Rotary GB&I President, who both assist with proof reading, and are forensic in their work.

Meanwhile, the magazine’s publisher is Jennifer Allen, a Rotarian from London, who liaises closely with our advertising agency, CPL One which is based in St Albans, Hertfordshire, and also deals with post-production, such as liaising with the printers and distributors.

Because of the monthly cycle of Rotary Digital and the quarterly nature of Rotary Magazine, writing and production – along with signposting everything on social media, and pulling together accompanying newsletters – is frenetic.

That’s not forgetting Rotary Audio which I record quarterly in conjunction with a team of readers from the Royal National Institute of the Blind, and which is then published by James and the team onto your favourite audio streaming platforms.

But, as you might have seen from the new bylines springing up, our editorial team is expanding – and we’re seriously looking for more writers!

These are the talented band of Rotarians who I have managed to recruit to the fold:

Sue Campbell: journalist, public relations specialist and media trainer from Darlington, County Durham.

Glyn Mon Hughes: journalist, public relations consultant and journalism lecturer from Birkenhead, Merseyside.

Maxine Thorne: journalist and council PR from Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire.

Gill Webster: journalist from Norwich, Norfolk.

Crez Dickens: journalist from Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire.

Geoff Mackey: public relations expert and communications specialist from Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Becky Turner: writer and book worm from Kings Hill, Kent.

Next month, we will be focusing on the North Star membership initiative which aspires to build a membership of 60,000 Rotarians in Great Britain & Ireland by 2028.

In order to achieve those ambitious goals, we need to be telling Rotary’s story, not just at a national level, but within our districts and clubs who are being whipped into shape by Phil Dyer from Prescot Rotary Club on Merseyside, who is Great Britain & Ireland’s Public Image Lead.

I am on a talent search across England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland to join the team nationally and write regularly, as well as helping with video and social media. And thank you to those who responded to my request last month which has unearthed some positive leads.

It’s important we grow our communications in a sustainable way. You don’t need a journalism background, but you do need to be a good communicator. The commitment is not huge, but if you love writing, are interested in the work of Rotary and want to be published to a large audience in quality products, then here is a perfect opportunity.

Please get in touch if you are interested because I would be very keen to work with you. You can email me at: editor@rotarygbi.org.