Current and former staff of The Impartial Reporter joined in tribute to former Farming and Features Editor Brian Donaldson at a special meal to mark his retirement from full-time journalism last week.


After 40 years on the paper, Brian’s role has changed. He will still write farming news for The Impartial Reporter but will not have a day-to-day role in the office. The popular and highly regarded staff member, who is valued among his colleagues for his approachability, his easy-going nature and his wealth of experience in all types of reporting, was joined on the evening by his wife Diane. 


In his speech, Brian recalled the changes in newspaper production since he began with The Impartial Reporter in 1976, when there was a reliance on mail in the post and faxes and when electric typewriters were considered a leap forward in technology.


He paid tribute to staff in all departments of The Impartial Reporter for their dedication to the newspaper.


He finished off by saying that after being associated with the publication of around 2,100 Impartial Reporters, he was calling time on his full-time career with the quotation; “A journey is best measured in friends, not miles.”