May 2009 Archives

With the Birmingham Mail's Fort Dunlop HQ only in use for the last six months, there has been a series of high profile visits in 2009.

None was more important, however, than today's official office opening by HRH Princess Anne.

And while our newspaper and its companion website will record the plaque unveiling and official posy presentation, I thought Editor's Chair could offer an alternative view of a very special day.

Here's Ma'am correctly deciding which editor was wearing the most appropriate tie, for instance (and yes, mine was judged to be correct as opposed to Post editor Marc Reeves' dotty attempt):

And below you can witness a fisherman's tale in progress from yours truly... 'It was this big, it was, Ma'am, before the Mail went tabloid in the early 1970s.'

The chap who is causing the cheeky giggle on the snap below is Head of Content Gary Denning, designing today's final edition page one with the breaking news of HRH's arrival at Funlop towers. (And yes, we persuaded him to place the picture the right way up in the end...!)

And this was the moment when Anne gently jostled with Sunday Mercury sports supremo Lee Gibson at our all-titles news conference.... (Anne: 'One understands the Sunday Mercury is the story teller, whereas the other titles tell the news?' Lee: 'We certainly like to think that the Mercury offers the in-depth read, Ma'am!')

Also note in the same picture the 'best polished baldies' competition entered for the Royal occasion by, seated from left, features editor Paul Fulford, picture editor Steve Murphy and multi media editor Steve Wollaston...

In all seriousness, it was a memorable occasion having HRH join us for an hour or two and to officially open our new HQ.

These are difficult moments indeed for the nation's regional press, and so it was good to know that there is interest at the highest levels in how we are changing and trying to tackle the latest challenges.

Princess Anne appeared interested enough in how we instantly uploaded pictures, videos and stories of her visit onto our website.

But she was truly impressed when we presented her with an example of the strength of our traditional journalism by changing page one of our late final edition to announce her visit, late-breaking live news carried in papers on sale later this afternoon.

'One hopes that it will still be thought easier by the public to take all the stories home in a paper rather than having to look each one up separately on the internet,' she said.

I hope so, Ma'am, I certainly hope so.

So there I was, warming up under the gaze of athletics star Aisha Hansen, along with nearly 2,000 others in the Birmingham Mail Fun Run on Sunday.

I know I'm over-weight, but this was my moment, a time when I would steadily jog 5km and come in ahead of at least half the runners.

And, in fairness, I did beat a stilt walker (it surely must have been easy for him up there on sticks), and in the final length I was neck-to-neck with a giant dog...!

But I did it! A very steady pace, timed at about 44-minutes, which was 90 seconds faster than last year.

My oldest son, Thomas, 16, came 5th out of the entire field in about 16 minutes (dad's pride/error... Tom tells me this was just over 18 mins). Younger sons Ben, 12, and Daniel, 9, both managed it in about 26 minutes.

Ruth, their mum, made a very respectable 36 minutes (she's the good-looking one on the first picture, runner number 1513).

And, thanks to some very generous sponsors, the Dysons' efforts were worth a grand total of £700.

That was the real pleasure of the day. Nearly 2,000 Brummies out enjoying a sunny afternoon together... for other people.

Sponsorships will take a few weeks to roll in, but going by last year's average we're looking like at least £80,000, and possibly as much as £100,000.

This will be split 85% to Macmillan Cancer Support, the main organisers, and 15% to the Birmingham Mail Charity Trust, helping deprived, voluntary community groups.

Well done one and all! (Especially the dog!!)