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Regional press news - this story published 09 August 2005

New chairman for world's oldest press club

by holdthefrontpage staff

Former Birmingham Post assistant editor John Lamb has been appointed chairman of the Birmingham Press Club.

John, who is now press and PR manager at Birmingham Chamber of Commerce and Industry, takes over from Andrew Sparrow, who had been in the role for six years.

John began his career at the Kenilworth Weekly News before becoming deputy sports editor at the Coventry Evening Telegraph.

He has also worked for the Birmingham Evening Mail and as assistant editor of both the Coventry Evening Telegraph and the Birmingham Post as well as national newspapers such as The Sun and the News of the World.

John's deputy will be Fred Bromwich, a former business editor of the Birmingham Post, who currently edits Business and Finance Midlands magazine.

Andrew (left) with John (centre) and Fred

John said: "I am delighted that Fred has agreed to become vice-chairman. The board will be reformulated in the coming weeks and further details will be announced shortly.

"But we are all determined that Birmingham Press Club continues to flourish and is fully representative of the whole Birmingham media scene across newspapers, radio and television."

Birmingham Press Club is the oldest press club in the world. It has more than 200 members and organises the Midland Media Awards as well as an annual press ball.

Andrew will shortly assume the chairmanship of professional services lobby group Birmingham Forward.

He is widely credited with saving the club from extinction in 1998, when debts incurred as a result of moving to new premises in Colmore Row spiralled out of control.

He managed to persuade creditors to release the club from its liabilities, which had grown to £80,000 – and at the same time began to rebuild the board, which had shrunk to just him and two other directors.

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