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Former regional motoring writer wins NUJ life membership

A regional daily’s former motoring correspondent has been awarded life membership of the union he has been with for 40 years.

Les Oliver, formerly of the Sunderland Echo, has received the accolade from the National Union of Journalists in recognition of his service to the organisation.

The honour was presented by NUJ co-president Adam Christie at a special social night held by the Sunderland, South Shields and Hartlepool branch of the union.

Les served as a district reporter, splash sub and deputy features editor at the Echo.

Les Oliver, pictured front centre, pictured with fellow NUJ Sunderland, South Shields and Hartlepool branch members

Les Oliver, pictured front centre, with fellow NUJ Sunderland, South Shields and Hartlepool branch members

However, he was best known to readers as the newspaper’s long-serving motoring writer – a job he held from 1980 to 2008 when he accepted redundancy.

Les, 68 next month, joined the Echo straight from school in 1966 and became a member of the union almost immediately.

He said: “In those days it was very much the done thing to do that. You became a journalist and you joined the NUJ – you were proud to be eligible to be a part of it.”

Les served as chapel clerk for many years and was a stalwart in the two industrial disputes Echo journalists were involved in during his time at the paper.

He won awards for his work as a splash sub and also for his motoring columns, the latter presented by Sunderland-born Kate Adie.

Next year will be half a century since Les first joined the paper.

He added: “I was with the Echo, man and boy, and it was a fantastic paper to work for in its time.

“I was splash sub at the time of the Falklands War when, unusually, national and international events often led the front page.

“And I was motoring correspondent of course when Nissan first came to Wearside in 1986 and Margaret Thatcher visited to open the factory.”

Les is the third NUJ member of the Sunderland, South Shields and Hartlepool branch to be awarded life membership in recent years, with Tom Fennelly and the late Bob Horn also receiving the honour.

Graeme Anderson, branch chairman, said: “We were delighted that Adam Christie travelled up to make the presentation but Les deserved no less.

“He’s one of those journalists who were the life-blood of the union and of journalism – quiet, unassuming and self-deprecating but always loyal, reliable and professional.”

In a separate and coincidental recognition, Les is also set to be awarded life-membership of the Northern Group of Motoring Writers this month.

5 comments

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  • November 18, 2015 at 11:54 am
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    My congratulations to Les on gaining his NUJ life membership.
    However, your “win” headline suggests that becoming a Life Member is a lottery. It certainly is not. I know numerous people who would dearly like to call themselves Life Members but they don’t qualify.
    I became a Life Member on November 1 2007. The honour is mostly awarded after 40 years’ continuous membership although, I believe, there are exceptions.
    No way do I want to belittle Les’s achievement but, I believe, the headline should be changed.

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  • November 18, 2015 at 12:38 pm
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    Well done Les – worthy recognition of the sort of unsung but dedicated journalist that local newspapers have been founded on for generations.

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  • November 22, 2015 at 2:47 pm
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    I’m sorry that I was unable to be at Les Oliver’s presentation. I was Editor of the Sunderland Echo for eleven of his years at the paper. He was a reliable, versatile and talented member of staff, the sort of journalist every newspaper needs. And he was a warm and friendly colleague. Congratulations, Len.

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