IT WAS the final edition this week for the man at the helm of the Redditch Standard.
Ian Dipple is leaving his post as editor today (Friday) after four years in the role to take up a temporary position as communications manager at Wychavon District Council.
The move also puts to bed – for now at least – a career with Bullivant Media which has spanned more than 12 years.
The 32-year-old said it was the toughest decision he has ever had to make, but he felt it was the right time to move on and face new challenges.
He added it would also mean he gets to spend more time with his wife Liz and his seven-month-old son Alex.
“I’m sad to be leaving, this job has given me some wonderful experiences from interviewing Prime Ministers to campaigning on behalf of our readers and I’ve met some brilliant people.” he said.
“It has been a tough four years for the newspaper industry as a whole and I’m proud of how despite the pressures we’ve managed to improve the quality of the product we have produced and sustained that consistently week after week.
He added: “I’ve also been incredibly lucky with the amazing team of people I have worked with and also those in the community. Redditch does not realise how fortunate it is to have the array of people out there doing what they do, quietly and without asking for any recognition.”
Ian – who started on the Redditch Standard as a trainee in 2003 and has edited the company’s sister titles in Evesham and Worcester – said he was most proud of the paper’s campaign to raise £40,000 to help Harry Mitchel go to America for an operation to help him walk and his work on the Save the Alex campaign.
He said: “It’s an uncertain time for our hospital but recent events have just reaffirmed my view that we were absolutely right to fight in June 2012 the way we did and must continue to do all we can to protect our services.”
But Ian will not be going too far as he still hopes to continue his voluntary work with Redditch Town Centre Partnership.
His successor is Ross Crawford-Paul, who has a wealth of experience having worked in the industry for more than 30 years for titles including the Solihull News, Sutton Coldfield News and Birmingham Post.
