Full members
Full members of the Midland Group are those working in automotive media as writers, editors, authors or other editorial content creators.
To contact all the members use our contact form.
AUCHTERLONIE, Robin
Motoring writing career started in 1981 with some well-chosen words on the Ford Cortina Crusader. Former editor of the Milton Keynes Citizen and the paper’s motoring editor. Now freelance, contributing a weekly road test and other copy to National World papers across the UK. Website at wheelwrite.co.uk.
Status: Freelance
Publications: National World titles nationwide. Managing Editor of wheelwrite.co.uk and contributor to Vale Life magazine, Media Publishing Group and Ship Management International
Circulation: National
Email: auchies@icloud.com
Tel: 01908 367467
Mobile: 07748 046164
AUCOCK, Richard
Wrote for classic car club magazines and a local paper, then won the 1996 IMCO Motoring Writer of the Future award and 1998 Sir William Lyons award. Joined Motoring Research in 2001, providing a wide range of copy for a variety of national and international publications. Chairman of the Guild of Motoring Writers.
Status: Director, Motoring Research Ltd
Publications: Contributor to Auto Retail Bulletin, Auto Retail Profit, Auto Italia, MSN Cars, City AM, motoringresearch.com
Circulation: National, International
Email: richard@motoringresearch.com
Tel: 01902 650154
Mobile: 07967 823529
BUTTERFIELD, Gareth
Gareth’s fascination with the motoring press began at the tender age of six, when his father bought him a car magazine to shut him up. And he finally got the opportunity to write about cars professionally in his late 20s. Now he writes reviews and features for Mirror.co.uk’s motoring page and a cluster of parent company Reach PLC’s regional online titles.
Status: Motoring editor, Mirror.co.uk and Reach PLC regional titles
Publications: Mirror.co.uk
Circulation: National
Email: gareth.butterfield@reachplc.com
Mobile: 07974 684999
inkedin.com/in/gareth-butterfield
DUFFY, David
Compiles road tests, news and features for Newsquest Oxfordshire and Wiltshire, and supplies road tests via Newsquest Digital Media to 200 publications. Winner of the GOMW/Mitsubishi Award for Innovation in Regional Motoring Journalism 2010, 2011 and 2012. Shortlisted for Automotive Regional Journalist in Newspress Awards 2017, 2018.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Newsquest Oxfordshire and Wiltshire. Publishers of the Oxford Mail, The Oxford Times, Oxfordshire Limited Edition, Herald Series, Witney Gazette, Bicester Advertiser, Banbury Cake and Wiltshre's The Buddy magazine. Newsquest websites nationwide.
Circulation: Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, National
Email: duffydavid@btinternet.com
Tel: 07815 603959
GOULD, Mike
Status: Freelance
Following a 30-year career at Land Rover and its predecessors, the last six in public affairs, Mike began a freelance career in 2003. Mike has written four books and contributed to a fifth. Mike was editor of Land Rover World and Range Rover World and is now a regular contributor to Land Rover Owner International.
Publications: Land Rover World, Range Rover World, BBC Radio Oxford. Contributor to The Land Rover File and author of The Land Rover Scrapbook and Range Rover: the anniversary guide
Circulation: National, International
Email: mikegould48@btinternet.com
Tel: 01235 550534
Mobile: 07780 507381
HADLEY, Paul
MGMW Committee Member
Editor of Motor Verso since 2013, and has been running the publication as a full-time business since 2015. Writes on all motoring topics from car reviews to testing related products and services. Specialises in photography, producing unique images for Motor Verso.
Status: Editor, Motor Verso
Publications: Motor Verso
Circulation: National
Email: paul.hadley@motorverso.com
Mobile: 07732 089986
HICKMAN, Bob
MGMW Treasurer
Contributes to and publishes numerous titles aimed at the emergency services market. Editor of Firestyle magazine and compiler of regular eight-page motor supplement, and also responsible for commissioning life style articles for the magazine. Also contributes on occasions to Midland newspapers.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Narpo News, Police Review, Overdrive, Copper Wheel, Wolverhampton Lifestyle, Village Life, Shire Magazine, Worcestershire Lifestyle
Circulation: National
Email: bob.hickman@blueyonder.co.uk
Mobile: 07973 440969
JOHNSTON, Tom
First-ever reporter on Auto Express, later news editor and associate editor, also motoring correspondent for the Daily Star and contributor to the Daily and Sunday Express. For 17 years he was PR manager for Jeep UK. Now as a freelance writer, content creator and copy editor, Tom works with websites and magazines on varied, though mainly automotive, projects. Best COTY judging panel member.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Phonebox Magazine TheCarExpert.com TheVanExpert.com
Circulation: Buckinghamshire, south Bedfordshire, south Northamptonshire, national, online
Email: tom@johnstonmedia.com
Mobile: 07715 622567
McCARTHY, Bill
MGMW Secretary
Motoring writer for Driving Force database which supplies regional titles and their websites throughout the UK. Also provides copy for Midland News Association titles and websites, plus own websites at motorstravelopinion.com and occasional motoring copy at sutton-life.com.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Pendragon plc (Stratstone, Evans Halshaw and Carstore websites), Eurekar.co.uk, Midland News Association titles and websites, motorstravelopinion.com, sutton-life.com and publications across England, Wales and Scotland, including various websites
Circulation: National, International
Email: macfive54@gmail.com
Tel: 0121 308 8677
Mobile: 07855 733220
NOAKES, Andrew
MGMW Chairman
Award-winning automotive journalist and editor. Former technical editor of Fast Car and editor of Classics, now freelance. Author of more than 20 motoring books. Writes about new cars, classic cars and automotive technology, and runs the unique automotive journalism Masters course at Coventry University. Former Guild of Motoring Writers chairman.
Status: Freelance, lecturer at Coventry University
Publications: Classic Cars, mgmw.org.uk, automotivejournalism.uk
Circulation: National, International
Email: andrew@pgan.com
Mobile: 07980 293539
PERKINS, Neil
Supplies features, news and images to automotive, lifestyle and sporting publications and websites on five continents. Manages press office and editorial distribution for several rounds of the FIA World and Middle East rally championships and FIA World Cup Cross-Country events. Freelance writer in several global motor racing and rally series.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Motor sport publications globally, especially Middle East, plus lifestyle and owner publications globally
Circulation: International
Email: ndppublicity@googlemail.com
Tel: 01952 825001
Mobile: 07831 123153
RUSSON, Chris
MGMW Vice-Chairman
Chief motoring editor for Driving Force, the exclusive editorial content provider for Pendragon plc which sees its news feed, used car reviews, road tests and first drives appearing on the Stratstone, Evans Halshaw and Carstore websites. Combined these have a monthly viewing figure in the region of 1.8 million.
Status: Chief motoring editor, Driving Force
Publications: Pendragon plc (Stratstone, Evans Halshaw and Carstore websites – 1.8 million viewers per month), Eurekar.co.uk
Circulation: National
Email: chris.russon@drivingforce.uk.net
Tel: 0121 234 5469
Mobile: 07590 985128
SLACK, Mark
Contributes to a number of motoring supplements in both weekly and evening newspapers, monthly lifestyle magazines and web based media.
Covers new car tests, product news, features and opinion pieces.
Status: Freelance
Publications: The Luxury Report, House & Lifestyle Magazine (Dorset & Hampshire editions), EuroWeeklyNews, South Devon Magazine Group, Accouter Design, Staffordshire Life
Circulation: East Midlands, West Midlands, Devon, Dorset, Hampshire, mainland Spain and the Balearic Islands, National and International via agency
Email: markslackmedia@gmail.com
Tel: 01773 853132
Mobile: 07769 583383
linkedin.com/in/mark-slack-55006522
STEPHENS, Ed
Edits travel and motoring pages of the Birmingham Mail and Birmingham Post as a freelance, after 40 years on the staff. Writes road tests and news stories for both papers, Driving Force and various other motoring publications.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Birmingham Mail, Birmingham Post, Pendragon plc (Stratstone, Evans Halshaw and Carstore websites), Eurekar.co.uk, various other motoring publications
Circulation: National
Email: edwardstephens@talktalk.net
Tel: 01922 620756
Mobile: 07802 920006
TAYLOR, Syd
Taylor’s weekly road tests and motoring features spread far and wide into many titles. He also writes about motorcycles, reviews restaurants and pens pieces on security. Before turning to the typewriter, he taught in secondary education and higher education colleges. Taylor also writes as Rory Dumfries, Simon Winterbourne and Mason Tinley.
Status: Freelance
Publications: Touchbase Magazine (occasional), In and Around Magazine, In Business, numerous ‘in-house’ publications, Elite Living, Ribble Valley Life, The Hype, The Stone and Eccleshall Gazette, Totally Bromsgrove, Your Midlands, My Shrewsbury, Arnolds Publishing, Partnership Publishing, M.O.T. Professional plus evening regionals, weekly newspapers, and ‘lifestyle’ supplements via a press agency
Circulation: National
Email: sydtaylor000@gmail.com
Tel: 01902 845052
