A7CA magazine

[Terry McGrath]

2018A Grey A7CA magazine was a wonderful improvement on this quarterly publication.  2018B promises to be equally good.  Yet it seems the new editor is about to be sacked for his independent views.

[jonmilne7@yahoo.com]

Please tell us more ???

[Lowespeed]

Please tell us more ???

Dear All
Just to put the record straight here is an explanation of why I am no longer Editor after 2018B,  an email from Chris Garner to the Committee and a copy of my reply.
Regards,
Les





From: chris garner [mailto:ulster29@hotmail.co.uk]
Sent: 11 March 2018 10:03
To: treasurer@a7ca.org; archivist@a7ca.org; registrar@a7ca.org; backissues@a7ca.org; webmaster@a7ca.org
Cc: secretary@a7ca.org; Ruairidh Dunford; nick@inside-outbranding.com
Subject: Editor's post
 
Fellow Officers.
 
It is with some regret that Les Gammon, our Editor, has stepped down from the post and will not be offering himself at the AGM as our future Editor.
 
The Editorial Team worked hard to maintain the post but in the end it was felt that differences in policy on Editorial control were irreconcilable.
 
The 2018B edition has been put together by Les and the Team would like to thank him for both the copies he has produced.
 
As an interim measure Hugh Barnes has taken over as Editor whilst we look for a new candidate. We hope you will all give Hugh your support and already 2018C is well under way.
 
Correspondence to the Editor’s email address will be diverted to Hugh’s for the time being.
 
Many thanks.
 
Chris

---

From: Secure Team <lesgammon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2018 9:39 AM
To: chris garner; Hugh Barnes; Nick Turley; Chris Heeley; Phil Baildon; registrar a7ca; advertising@a7ca.org; Howard Annett; Chris Charles; Graeme Brown
Subject: A7CA Editor
 

Dear Team

You have not done me the courtesy of copying me into your recent email,but as you can see I have sympathetic friends within the Association.

Let me make it quite clear to you all that at the meeting here in Redditch on 14th Feb. where I put a list of complaints and suggestions about how the Magazine should proceed, the triumvirate attending considered their position. The Editor was called into the room and the words used by the Secretary were, "We think you should give up". At this point I said take my name off the 2018B issue only to be prevailed upon to finish it. At no point did I resign or stand down or any other euphemism. Meeting closed.

I will fulfil my duties until the AGM in terms of thanking contributors to 2018B, although I note that the Editorial email address now no longer comes to me.

I wish you well with 2018C and look forward to seeing it.

Regards

Les

[Steve Hainsworth]

I read with interest the outcomes from the revamped clubs association magazine.
I have been receiving it since its inception in 1970 and my bookshelf dedicated to it is one of my most prized and used possessions.
I really liked the  new format and printing materials used. I do know that continuity of supply of paper etc can often affect long term and uniformity production .
I cannot make judgement on the editorial problems without knowing the circumstances or the personalities involved.
About 50 Austin Register members here in New Zealand subscribe to the magazine and they too have been unanimous in their liking of the new format and materials.
I am sure we would all like to know if the format and materials will stay much the same, or are we looking at it reverting to the previous style ?
Personally I disliked the layout //typeface used in the  immediately last editions. My family have been involved in printing for several generations, so I have become somewhat discerning.
Whatever eventuates  I would wish everyone involved thanks and that the outcome is amicable .
Regards to all.
Steve Hainsworth

[Tony Press]

Please tell us more ???

Dear All
Just to put the record straight here is an explanation of why I am no longer Editor after 2018B,  an email from Chris Garner to the Committee and a copy of my reply.
Regards,
Les





From: chris garner [mailto:ulster29@hotmail.co.uk]
Sent: 11 March 2018 10:03
To: treasurer@a7ca.org; archivist@a7ca.org; registrar@a7ca.org; backissues@a7ca.org; webmaster@a7ca.org
Cc: secretary@a7ca.org; Ruairidh Dunford; nick@inside-outbranding.com
Subject: Editor's post
 
Fellow Officers.
 
It is with some regret that Les Gammon, our Editor, has stepped down from the post and will not be offering himself at the AGM as our future Editor.
 
The Editorial Team worked hard to maintain the post but in the end it was felt that differences in policy on Editorial control were irreconcilable.
 
The 2018B edition has been put together by Les and the Team would like to thank him for both the copies he has produced.
 
As an interim measure Hugh Barnes has taken over as Editor whilst we look for a new candidate. We hope you will all give Hugh your support and already 2018C is well under way.
 
Correspondence to the Editor’s email address will be diverted to Hugh’s for the time being.
 
Many thanks.
 
Chris

---

From: Secure Team <lesgammon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Monday, March 12, 2018 9:39 AM
To: chris garner; Hugh Barnes; Nick Turley; Chris Heeley; Phil Baildon; registrar a7ca; advertising@a7ca.org; Howard Annett; Chris Charles; Graeme Brown
Subject: A7CA Editor
 

Dear Team

You have not done me the courtesy of copying me into your recent email,but as you can see I have sympathetic friends within the Association.

Let me make it quite clear to you all that at the meeting here in Redditch on 14th Feb. where I put a list of complaints and suggestions about how the Magazine should proceed, the triumvirate attending considered their position. The Editor was called into the room and the words used by the Secretary were, "We think you should give up". At this point I said take my name off the 2018B issue only to be prevailed upon to finish it. At no point did I resign or stand down or any other euphemism. Meeting closed.

I will fulfil my duties until the AGM in terms of thanking contributors to 2018B, although I note that the Editorial email address now no longer comes to me.

I wish you well with 2018C and look forward to seeing it.

Regards

Les

I am very surprised by this seeming inexplicable series of events leading to the loss of a recently appointed editor.

When I was recently President of a small but active local Meccano Club with a full colour 16 page A4 magazine produced six times  a year, the committee appointed a new editor from the members and gave this person full editorial responsibility.

I would assume that the A7CA editor was appointed by the committee from the members of the A7CA, with full editorial responsibility and find it strange that after one issue found it necessary to effectively sack him at seeming short notice.

I have looked through my copy of the magazine 2018A  and can find nothing offensive.

I have been following the activities of the A7CA from afar for the past seven years and remember some very strong words to the committee over an unfortunate incident with water which was very satisfactorily resolved, resulting in a very excellent archive freely available on the website, so I would expect calm heads could equally well resolve this recent unfortunate incident. 

Regards, Tony Press, Committee Member Austin 7 Club Inc.

http://www.austin7club.org/

[bystander]

Has Donald Trump infiltrated the Committee?

( Twitter style rant)

"He was a good Editor. We need more like him. Information required. Bad decision!"

Seriously, can the Committee afford to alienate such a respected and knowledgeable figure as Les, steeped as he is in Austin Seven lore and a frequent contributor over many years?

[Charles P]

Yes. All seems very odd.
The January A7CA Committee minutes praise the revitalised magazine (and team) and spend some time discussing a price rise for the magazine to help with anticipated budget challenges. This is demonstrably easier when the magazine is on a up trajectory with a clear vision.

Charles

[Duncan Grimmond]

Don't understand why I sometime do and sometimes don't get this grey magazine. Perhaps it's only running on three?
I received one in January which gave me a big wide grin as it was presented in a rather well done imitation of an earlier period style. If this caused the sacking of the editor I'd guess that the committee had lost their sense of either humour or reality?

[John Raeburn]

I can only describe the new magazine as "A breath of fresh air"
Wonderful Job Les thank you.
J

[Martin Prior]

As a reader and as an advertiser, I was delighted with the new/old look 2018A.  So, it would seem, was everyone else.

The discussion on this Forum leaves me none the wiser.  Obviously some deep politics are going on here, understood by very few.  A clear statement of what is going on would be very helpful, before the rumour mill goes into overdrive.