21 October 2004

Young Paper Printer of the Year Award

On 13 October at The National Liberal Club, Whitehall, London, 28 year old Stephen Fletcher was proclaimed Young Independent Paper Printer of the Year 2004 and presented with a cheque for £500 by Mike Gee of Denmaur Papers plc and Andrew Denny National Chairman of the Young Managing Printers (YMP) network. The prize, which is given jointly by paper merchants Independent Paper and YMP, rewards printers up to the age of 30 whose work has in some way supported a charity. Product quality, innovation of design and concept, effort and ability and overall effectiveness for the charity concerned are all taken into account by the judges. Judges Mike Gee and David Wiggins of Denmaur Papers and Andrew Denny were impressed with Stephen’s entry, which he produced whilst working as Junior Graphic Designer for Ends (UK) Ltd, Braintree, Essex. “The winning work was the production of a set of personalised Christmas cards used to raise funds for schools. A local school teacher had approached Stephen to help find a way to raise money and we were enormously impressed with the complete business solution he devised and with the success of his project.” Says Andrew Denny, Managing Director of Fix-a-Form International. Stephen developed a pack of Christmas cards, which were sent to all schools in the Braintree area. Children could draw and return their own individual Christmas card designs which were scanned and sample cards produced. Parents could order packs of 12 cards @ £4.99 from which each school made £1.50. Cards were digitally printed and supplied with envelopes. With no outlay, one individual school sold 330 packs, raising nearly £500. This successful venture will now be rolled out by his company throughout the UK. Runners up were Christopher Gaughan of J Thomson Colour Printers/Glasgow College of Building & Printing for "Getting Better Together" colour brochure promoting healthy living in Glasgow area donated by J Thomson Colour Printers, and Stuart Nimmo of Warwick Printing Co for substantial pro bono brochure promoting local Scout Group activities. For information on submitting an entry for next year’s prize, contact Samantha Dell-Ashby 0121 789 5114.