At a surprise party in the Kino cinema, the team from Rye News last week recognized the enormous contribution made by Kenneth Bird, not just as the co-founder, along with Dennis Leeds-George, to the newspaper, but to the town itself.
Kenneth stepped down from his role as director of Rye News just a few weeks ago, but in a presentation to mark his retirement from the board and a step away from weekly editorial duties, Dennis Leeds-George said:
“There has been a lot of talk recently about Kenneth being the founding-father of Rye News. He wasn’t. He was actually its creator and his ideas and drive have brought an awful lot more to Rye than just a very good newspaper.”
It was fitting that his leaving “bash” be celebrated at the Kino, as Kenneth was a driving force behind the creation of the most comfortable, convivial, and stylish of cinemas, from the shell of an old church building.
Editor Chris Lawson referred to him as the “commander-in-chief”, and John Minter, a former editor and one of the longest serving editorial members of the team, expressed the respect and affection that everyone felt for Kenneth.
A framed presentation of the first story written by Kenneth for the paper and his last story published the week of his retirement, was made by John, after which Kenneth toasted the future of Rye News.
While the paper will never be the same without Kenneth’s quiet, but firm, tactful leadership, it was impressed upon him that retirement will only provide more time for him to write stories for his creation.
Image Credits: Kt bruce , Martin Bruce .
Dear Kenneth, you are an inspiration to us all and we thank you, for all the work you have done, to create the Rye News – it is now always the first port of call on a Friday morning – and, of course, as they say, we look forward to you continuing to write for it.
I’m sure, like any media magnate, that Kenneth has always been a stickler for accuracy, so could I point out that the buildings occupied by the Kino were never church buildings, as a shell or otherwise. Indeed, they were built as a state school just after and in response to the 1870 Education Act, and latterly were part adult education and part East Sussex Country Library. The buildings have always been in secular and public ownership.
Anyway, congratulations to Kenneth for launching the good ship Rye News and to all its, past, present and future crew!
I read the other day that Brooklyn, the oldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, claimed to have personally invented the idea of double barrel surnames, after wedding the fragrant Nicola and adding her surname to his to become Brooklyn Peltz Beckham. I’m thinking Dennis Leeds-George might have just beaten the former model and photographer to it!
Kenneth Bird has been outstanding in his stalwart guidance of ensuring Rye News was always there with the latest news items affecting the town. I was once for many years before Rye News was born to be the regular columnist for the Rye Observer, before it became part of the Hastings Observer, when I was a Town and Borough Councillor. I know how much it meant to the people of Rye to have local news and opinions on matters close to the politics affecting Rye, some of which may have been controversial. Thank you Rye News for being here, and may it always continue in spreading the word for its Rye residents.