Baroness Dean named as The Printing Charity’s 2017 president

Print Solutions

At its 189th Annual Luncheon, The Printing Charity announced that The Rt Hon. the Baroness Dean of Thornton-le-Fylde has accepted its invitation to be the 2017 president.

Baroness Dean said, ‘Once printing is in your blood, it never leaves you. I am looking forward to continuing my association with what is still a great industry as the charity’s 2017 president and supporting the annual Print Futures Awards.'

Baroness Dean started her working life in the trade union movement and was subsequently elected general secretary of the Society of Graphical and Allied Trades (SOGAT), the printing, publishing and paper trades union. She was created a life peer in 1993 and a member of the Privy Council in 1998.

Lord Blunkett, this year’s engaging guest speaker and the charity’s 2016 president, said: ‘The industry has grown beyond recognition since the charity was set up in 1827, but its work is as important today as it was then. Its welfare support for people in the industry and focus on championing new talent in a sector that continues to innovate are vitally important.’

Jon Wright, The Printing Charity’s chairman, described this year as one of positive change for the charity. New chief executive Neil Lovell has refocused the charity’s activities, concentrating on welfare and education. The charity has already helped over 1230 people so far this year, more than the total for 2015.