GCA’s Amanda Fergusson joins Stationers’ Company debate
Writing by hand faces as big a threat today from new media and technology as manuscript writers did over 500 years ago when William Caxton introduced printing to England.
The world is full of stationery lovers and users, but some commentators claim no one writes by hand anymore and that letter writing and card sending are in serious decline, so the Stationers’ Company and Manuscript Pens have set up a special event to look into the subject.
And GCA ceo Amanda Fergusson is joining in as a speaker to give the greeting card industry’s point of view, alongside Writing Instruments Association chairman Graham Craik, Cult Pens online retailer Claire Durney, and Dr Mellissa Prunty, chairperson of the National Handwriting Association.
The debate at London’s Stationers’ Hall aims to examine the emotive subject which has major implications for many including schools and teachers, printers and publishers, and retailers and suppliers of greeting cards, writing and paper products.
It will be chaired by Helen Esmonde, past master of the Worshipful Company Of Stationers And Newspaper Makers, with tickets now available to attend the 23 October, 2023, event in person at the 350 year old hall in Ave Maria Lane near St Paul’s Cathedral, or it will be live-streamed.
While world population and literacy levels are rising, so are postage costs, all at a time of ever increasing digital communication.
Helen said the panel of industry leaders will look at the facts, trends and threats, and discuss whether being able to write by hand matters any more.
Alongside his WIA role, Graham’s day job is as sales director at Pental, and he said: “I’m passionate about handwriting, with particular emphasis on its place in education and the benefits of using colour in writing and drawing.”
Graham has calculated that during his career so far, he has been responsible for the sale of roughly seven billion pens and pencils – one per head of the global population!
Former Moonpig.com commercial director Claire joined Cult Pens in 2019 then took over running the business – which claims to sell “the widest range of pens on the planet” – from founders Simon and Amanda Walker in early 2020.
Stationery business Leuchtturm1917’s latest Think With The Hand promotion is in tune with the Stationers’ concept, and it has with posters and pos for its retailers to reinforce the company’s manifesto that writing by hand is thinking on paper.
The Is There A Place For Handwriting In A Digital Age? debate run by the Stationers’ Company and Manuscript Pens starts at 6.30pm on Monday, 23 October, with drinks and networking, followed by the 90-minute discussion at 7pm, then a buffet.
Tickets are £30 for Stationers’ Company members, £35 for non-members, or £10 for virtual attendance. Click here to book.
