After a month of parties, Phil makes a Swift exit

Phil, fifth from left on the bottom row, with Howden colleagues

One of Fleet Street’s most likeable characters, Phil Swift, was due to shuffle off into retirement this month. But in truth he didn’t shuffle at all - he went out with several large bangs. I guess it is hardly surprising that, despite being 67, a man who has worked for newspapers for almost half a century knows how to throw a good bash. I was working a long way from the party venues in Howden so couldn’t go (I was disappointed, but my liver was so happy). One event was fairly civilized with speeches and a meal, with Swifty true to form picking up the tab. Most of the revellers were in bed by 4am. But my spies tell me that at another one there was early-morning shirt swapping, people locked in cupboards and plenty of drinking shenanigans. The landlord gave up at 2.30am and Swifty baled out at 4.30am. Others didn’t turn-in until 7.15am. Some night, some stamina.

Charles Griffin's caricature

One of the highlights was a caricature of Phil by Daily Mirror cartoonist Charles Griffin. Charles and Phil worked together at the Mirror but had not seen each other for 20 years. One of Phil’s colleagues, Kay Harrison, sent a snatched picture of Phil to Griffin who replied saying: 'Thanks for the picture of Phil's dad. Now can I have one of Phil?'
Other gifts included an inscribed lighter from one of his former trainees Laura Wileman, a ball made of elastic bands to remind him of when they used to play late night indoor cricket matches in the Mirror newsroom, enough wine to start a business, books and Bose headphones.
I first met Phil when he joined PA Training a decade or so ago. I was able to use him as a senior consultant - doing production and training work, particularly in Ireland - and we became good friends.

Phil receives gifts at his desk

Phil’s career began as a Daily Mail news sub. He then spent more than 20 years at the Daily Mirror, sub-editing, chief sub-editing and night editing - before becoming features editor and deputy editor. He also worked at the People, the Sunday Mirror and Today. Up until his retirement he had been working for the Press Association team in Howden which was producing the Mirror’s pages.
Phil was a great newspaper production man - but he was also an excellent trainer. It is a testament to his popularity and mentoring skills that his many leaving parties were attended by dozens of people less than half his age - many of them his former trainees. I wish him a long and happy retirement - though I suspect he won’t be putting his feet up just yet.

Have a crack at the newsquiz - 17.5 to beat

In Howden again this week and, apart from doing headlines, layout and design with the Telegraph trainees, I found myself refereeing a game of football in the park and in the dark. It was a competitive match with tackles flying in. The Daily Mail, with two sports trainees, were determined not to lose to the 'broadsheet lot'. And so it proved ... the Mail (plus international guest) beat the Telegraph (plus international guests) 5-3. Despite some robust challenges there were no major injuries, just a ball in the face for one of the girls and lots of aches and bruises the next day. As the Telegraph trainees are off to the law courts in Newcastle tomorrow, we had to do the quiz earlier this week. It was the highest scoring week so far with the Telegraph's Jess Winch edging it with 17.5 and three others (Jenny O'Mahony from the Telegraph and Lottie Young and Tom Clarke from the Mail) all on 17. Is it easier this week or is it, as I prefer to believe, that everyone is paying closer attention to the detail in the news stories?  
There are a possible 21 points. See how you get on:

1. Who said: "You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new."?

2 Why was Maya in the news?

3.  Which country has introduced a 'fat tax'?

4. Jessie J won four categories at the MOBO awards. What does MOBO stand for?

5.  How much is a dog licence?

6. The London based Irish Post will be back on the streets after being bought by Elgin Loane. Loane owns which other publication - which he bought from the Daily Mail and General Trust last year?

7. Soham killer Ian Huntley was attacked in prison. Give the name of the prison and the city in which it is based (half a point for each).

8. Portsmouth Pub landlady Karen Murphy won a European Court of Justice ruling that allows her to air Premier League football without subscribing to Sky. What is the name of her pub?

9. Amanda Knox is now back at home in which American city?

10. The Daily Mail and Sun online were among those who wrongly published that Knox had been found guilty of murder. The confusion apparently arose as Knox was found guilty of another charge. What was that charge?

11. Charlie Gilmour says he didn't realise he was swinging from what?

12. Which singer has been forced to cancel a US tour due to illness

13. Why was Jessica Palmer in the headlines?

14. The Defence Secretary has been accused of putting national security as risk by allowing a former flatmate access to the MoD. Who is the Defence Secretary?

15. The Great British Bake Off - the TV series which has become a big hit for BBC 2 - caused a stir by showing an explicit picture of what?

16. If England beat France in Saturday's Rugby World Cup quarter final they will meet the winners of Quarter Final One in the next round. Name the two teams (that they might meet in the semi-final). Half a point for each team.

17. Who, according to the Palestinian leadership, has 'become of no use at all'?

18. What do Israeli Professor Daniel Shechtman, Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer and US physicist Saul Perlmutter have in common?

19. Michael Le Vell has been arrested on suspicion of a sexual offence involving a young girl. What is the name of the character he plays in Coronation Street?

20. Boris Johnson impressed many journalists with his performance at the Conservative Party conference and on Newsnight this week. Johnson is, of course, a journalist himself but which magazine did he edit from 1999-2005?

And for a bonus point, which magazine does his younger sister, Rachel Johnson, edit?
Answers are here.

This week's news quiz - let's hear it for the girls

Howden has been buzzing this week with three separate courses running at the Manor. Press Association Training is entertaining a group of international journalists for the next 13 weeks. At the same time the Daily Mail subbing diploma began, with eight wannabe sub-editors spending five weeks learning how to sub, write headlines and draw pages to national newspaper standards. The Daily Telegraph also has seven trainees on a seven-week course. It means that there are 27 students in the Manor as well as a steady stream of trainers and speakers, including Linda Christmas, David Banks, Paul Jones, Mike Watson, Tony Johnston and the Telegraph's Richard Preston. Over the next few weeks there will be sessions my many other big-hitters including guest speakers from the Mail and Telegraph.
As usual we finished with the newsquiz to ensure all are reading the papers properly. This week's joint winners are the Mail's Lottie Young and the Telegraph's Jennifer O'Mahony with 11.5pts out of 21. They narrowly beat the Mail's Kirsty McEwen and the Telegraph's Jess Winch who both got 11. No men in the top four! See how you do - although I will be astonished if you can answer question 20. 

1. Why is it the end of the world as they know it for Michael Stipe and Pete Buck?

2. The Liberal Democrat party conference was held in Birmingham this week. Next week it's the turn of the Labour Party - but in which city will its conference be held?

3. Nick Clegg sported a sombre grey suit for his speech but his wife wore a bright yellow Topshop dress. What is his wife's full name? (three names needed for 1pt, 2 names gain half a point)

4. Why were Lesley Norris and Bruce Scott in the headlines?

5. Kate Winslett gave a gushing speech at the Emmys after she won the leading actress award. But who won best supporting actress?

6. Where was a cage fight between two boys held? For a bonus point, the Culture Secretary described it as very barbaric. Who is the Culture Secretary? (1pt for each answer)

7.  Troy Davies was executed in which US state?

8.  Why was Vincent Cooke in the headlines?

9. Former newspaper tycoon Eddy Shah was arrested over under-age sex allegations.  Which national newspaper did he launch?

10.  Johnny Vegas has recreated a famous Demi Moore pose - in which magazine did the original photograph appear?

11.  Which football club closed its doors to men and had women and children only in attendance?

12.  Geri Helliwell graced the pages wearing what looked like a wedding dress. She was attending a gala event for which charitable foundation?

13. Conjoined twins Rital and Ritag Gaboura were successfully separated by surgeons at which hospital?

14. The unfinished portrait, called Portrait of the Hound 2011, is to go on public display next spring? Who is the artist?

15. The FTSE 100 plunged by 4.7pc on Thursday, the biggest drop in 30 months. What does FTSE stand for?

16. Diplomats walked out of the UN General Assembly during a speech by Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. He is president of which country?

17. Which newspaper carries the slogan The World's Greatest Newspaper on its front page?

18. Simon Day died of a heroin overdose an inquest heard. Who was his grandfather?

19. The mayor of which city has rejected an electric car in favour of a Jaguar?

20. What is the name of the hairdresser's salon on the corner in Howden, the last shop before the entrance to the Manor?

How did you do? Check the answers here.

Always look on the bright side of the newsroom

Since August I have been with trainees from the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph in Howden and London. They were all hand-picked from journalism colleges and their talent is beyond doubt. We have certainly seen some stars of the not-too-distant future. But, as a couple of guests confirmed, journalism is as much about attitude as it is about skill. Be there early, be willing to go the extra yard, have an appetite for taking on projects and take the brickbats and the long hours on the chin. As Quentin Letts told the trainees, whatever you do, don't cry. When Mail news-editor Ben Taylor was asked what he wanted from them, he told them to smile. He enjoyed his job and didn't want to be surrounded by miserable people, he explained. And Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver, passing briefly through Howden, told them it "was all about relationships." Be nice to people, both your colleagues and those you deal with professionally, she said. Good advice. We have all worked with newsroom curmudgeons, determined to inflict their misery on all around them. That doesn't mean there shouldn't be conflict, disagreements, passionate arguments - all of these are the lifeblood of newspapers - but however tough it gets we shouldn't roll up every day looking as if we have lost a shilling and found a sixpence. So, even if the system doesn't work, you haven't had a pay rise in three years, half of your colleagues have been made redundant and you have a pile of Press Releases to plough through, be nice to others. Mind you, such advice clearly passed Nick Robinson by yesterday.