WRITERS' GUILD OF GREAT BRITAIN - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair of the Videogames Committe
Job Titles:
- Policy and Campaigns Assistant
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- Assistant Organiser - Craft
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- General Secretary
- Head Office Staff
"I write drama for screen, audio and stage. TV credits include The Beaker Girls and My Mum Tracy Beaker (lead writer); the 2019 revival of The Demon Headmaster (lead writer); The Worst Witch (lead writer); three series of Eve (lead writer and co-creator); several episodes of The Dumping Ground, Hetty Feather, The Story of Tracy Beaker, Young Dracula and many more. Stage work includes the Olivier Award (2020) winning adaptation of The Worst Witch and an adaptation of Jacqueline Wilson's Hetty Feather (Olivier nominated and CAMEO Award winner). Awards include three Writers' Guild Awards for Best Children's TV Episode, and two British Screenwriters' Awards for Best Children's Show. In 2016 I received two nominations for Best Drama in the Children's BAFTAs.
"I joined WGGB as soon as I was eligible, and have been active on committees for over 10 years now. Writing is a tough and lonely business, but by standing together, we can help to ensure that our creative work gets the recognition it deserves (both financial and otherwise) - not only at the time of writing, but for as long as it is read, watched, downloaded, listened to or performed."
"I was writing a series when, out of the blue, I was called by Richard Carpenter, a writer I respected but had never met. Kip (as he quickly became) asked if I would join him and other writers in the Guild? As we talked I realised that even though I had an agent, and a good one too, I still owed a large part of the professional fees, conditions and terms I enjoyed to the Guild. I liked the thought of the pension and perks, joined and was proud to receive my membership card.
"I poodled along happily for years when I got a call from another writer, the legendary Rosemary Anne Sisson. She asked if I would stand for the Guild's Executive Council (really, I've got to stop taking calls). There were precious few women comedy writers and Romy (as she quickly became) thought I had something to contribute. Since then I've been Television Chair, Deputy Chair, Chair and now Treasurer. I've seen at close hand how the Guild has helped members with problems and the Guild's also resolved a few of mine. Companies rarely give writers better pay and conditions out of the goodness of their hearts. I'd hate to think where we'd all be without the Guild."
Job Titles:
- Assistant Organiser - Nations & Regions
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- Organiser ( Recruitment, Training and Events )
Job Titles:
- Co - Chair of the Audio Committe
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- Co - Chair of the Equality and Diversity Committe
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Comedy Committe
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- Co - Chair of the Audio Committe
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- Legendary Television Writer
Legendary television writer Peter Whalley sadly passed away on Wednesday 26th July aged 71. Peter's quiet and self-assured voice held sway around the Coronation Street writer's table for thirty-five years. He came to the team in 1979 after teaching English at a school in Pontefract and quickly became one of the stalwarts of the show. In 1983 he was tasked with writing the climax to the Ken - Deirdre - Mike love triangle, an episode that gripped the nation and dominated every front page the following day. He went on to mastermind iconic storylines as Ken's affair with Wendy Crozier and Peter Barlow's bigamy. In 2009 he was completely shocked, and very touched to be presented with a lifetime achievement award at the British Soap Awards. When he retired from the Street in 2014 he had written 601 episodes, more than any writer to date.
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Theatre Committe
"I am honoured to take my place at the end of such a long line of illustrious Presidents - JB Priestley, Maureen Duffy, David Edgar, David Nobbs and Rosemary Anne Sisson, to name but a few. They were all leading writers and campaigners of their times and I pick up the baton from Olivia Hetreed who worked tirelessly to stamp out the bullying and harassment and gender inequality that blights the screen and other industries in which we writers work. I also join the Writers' Guild as it celebrates its diamond anniversary and I look forward to playing my own part in helping to write the next chapter of its important history."
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Books Committe
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- Chairman of the Television Committe
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- Co - Chair of the Equality and Diversity Committe
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- Administrator - Member Support
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Film Committe
"I identify as a scriptwriter, but really my work requires writing in many different areas - yet I can see the Writers' Guild's impact in every one of them. I'm now in my second term as Deputy Chair and it was during my first run that I truly got to see just how much and how often the Guild is working for us. Not suggesting, not hoping, but actively and successfully working to improve and protect the pay, conditions and rights of all writers.
"That's all writers, without exception. If a writer somehow managed to go through life without hearing of the Guild, let alone joining it, he or she would still have benefited gigantically from all the union does. We're stronger together, and right now we need to be, so I am proud to be a member, proud to be Deputy Chair, and I hope to live up to work of the Writers' Guild officers."