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THE SALAMANDER | DECEMBER 2017
Public Relations & Marketing Committee Retirement
A look at Past Master Viv Jones achievments whist being the Chairman of the PRM
A change has occurred at the
PR and Marketing committee.
Past Master (2007/8) Viv
Jones has retired from its
chairmanship after guiding
the work of the team for
almost 6 years.
Viv took over the chair of the
then PR and Marketing working
group in October 2011 from
Steve Neville who had originally
set it up as a working group of
the events committee.
Viv was liveried into the
Worshipful
Company
of
Firefighters in 2001. He had
been involved in the instigation
and management of the
annual Fire Industry Ball which
has been one of the most
successful areas of fund raising
for the Charitable Trust. Viv’s
connections within the Fire
Industry (founder and former
CEO of Vimpex, one of the UK
and Europe’s leading suppliers
of sounders and alarms) were
important in encouraging many
of the UK’s Fire Industry to
support the event. He also
developed a good working
relationship with UBM, the
main
organisation
behind
international fire shows such
as Firex, as a result of which,
the WCoFF was given free
exhibition stands and was often
one of the preferred charities
for funds raised by UBM at their
awards dinner. Viv had also
re-started the very successful
“Meet the Firefighters” events.
Viv recognised the importanceof
goodandregularcommunication
of the Company’s activities to
its members, Fire Industry, the
Fire Authorities and the City.
He drove the working group
to develop better newsletters,
both printed and on-line
versions. . One of Viv’s key
successes was the drive to
improve the Company’s web-
site, not only as a source of
information on the Company
but also as a tool for members
to use to book up for events
and to order memorabilia. He
was also keen that a Member’s
directory would prove useful as
a skill and capability data-base
for members to use.
Viv steered the working
group, widening its scope to
becoming a committee in its
own right and reporting into
the management board. Viv
was an important driver of
Robert Farquhar
PR & Marketing Committee.
Worshipful Company of Firefighters
the Company’s involvement
in celebrating the Company’s
25th anniversary, the Queen’s
golden jubilee celebration and
in marking and celebrating
the 350th anniversary of the
Great Fire of London of 1666.
Viv also helped to create a
good memorabilia offering for
members, often using the good
auspices of Vimpex to store and
post articles on behalf of the
Company.
The PR and Marketing
committee would like to record
its thanks to Viv for all his
efforts for the committee (often
having to get to meetings with
his foot in plaster), particularly
for his guidance, humour and
friendly cajoling of members in
their actions. Although Viv is
retiring to live in Portugal, we
hope he will continue to be a
source of help and support to
the committee for many years
to come.
Home page from our website showing our presence at the Lord Mayor’s show
Past Master Viv Jones 2007/08