#Worldwide / #UK / #EU - Tony Bunyan retires as Director of Statewatch after 30 years

 

Tony Bunyan retires as Director of Statewatch after 30 years

After 30 years as Director I have decided to retire at the end of September. The Statewatch Board of Trustees agreed unanimously that on my retirement I will become Director Emeritus as a lifetime position.

Director Emeritus is an advisory role. I will continue contributing to Statewatch work by writing news, doing research (including access to documents), speaking at meetings and work on developing the Library & Archive. This means the management of Statewatch will be passed to our new Executive Director, Chris Jones. As I move to a new role with more time to read and write I look forward very much to working with Chris and the team.

I am so proud of what we have achieved in our first 30 years. Rarely has so much been produced by so few staff for so little pay. This could not have been done without invaluable help from volunteers and the contributors group and from all the Trustees who have given their time for free over the years. Thanks too to all the NGOs who helped us so much – and still do.

These are challenging times for civil liberties and democratic standards, and we need your support more than ever. If you are able to make a regular donation to support our work, please do so and help Statewatch continue for another 30 years and beyond.

As our President, Gareth Pierce, commented some years ago:

“One is driven to wonder what Statewatch could have accomplished, and could accomplish in the future were it to have even a tiny percentage of the resources enjoyed by other organisations.” 

Ann Singleton and Paddy Hillyard, Co-Chairs of the Statewatch Trustees said:

"We congratulate Tony on his vision and tremendous achievement in establishing Statewatch and leading its continually ground-breaking work over 30 years. We are delighted that Chris Jones, as Executive Director will now lead and develop this work, with full support from Tony and the Statewatch Trustees in the challenging times ahead."

Chris Jones, incoming Executive Director said:

"Tony has been the driving force behind Statewatch's work for almost 30 years, and it is an honour to be asked to succeed him as Executive Director. I and the rest of our staff, trustees, volunteers and contributors will do our utmost to uphold his vision and commitment as we continue the struggle for civil liberties, democratic standards and fundamental rights in Europe. We all look forward to working with him in the future as Director Emeritus."

Contact: [tony@statewatch.org]tony@statewatch.org

The statement continues on our website: Reflection on Statewatch’s origins and challenges