Factsheet - history
- In 1983 Plain English Campaign published 'Small Print', a report on the gobbledygook used in contracts.
- In 1984 Plain English Campaign published the book 'Gobbledygook' the campaign's first collection of waffle.
- The Cabinet Office distributed 1,700 copies of 'The word is Plain English' a guide to clear writing for civil servants.
- in 1987 plain English became so successful throughout the Civil service that the campaign introduced the 'Inside Write' awards. These were given solely for internal government communication.
- In 1988 a new training package, 'The Plain English Course', was introduced. This allowed companies to train themselves in plain English for the first time.
- By our 10th anniversary, we were being consulted by the majority of major organisations in the country.
- In 1990 Plain English Campaign launched its Crystal Mark scheme.
- In 1992 a new one-year long 'Plain English Diploma' course was launched. This allowed companies to have a plain English expert in their company. The first graduate, Terry Denham, liked plain English so much that he later became a trainer for the campaign!
- A new corporate membership scheme was also introduced in 1992 to allow organisations to show their company-wide commitment to plain English.
- In 1993 Chrissie led campaigners on a crusade to the United States, protesting in New York and Washington DC.
- In 1994, 'Utter Drivel', the sequel to 'Gobbledygook', brings together another collection of baffling public information.
- Also in 1994, Chrissie was awarded the OBE for her lifetime's campaigning.
- In 1996 we published 'Language on Trial' a crystal-clear argument against legal jargon. The book was so well received that we began specialised plain English courses for lawyers.
- In 1998 campaign representatives John Wild and George Maher visited five continents in 80 days as part of a worldwide series of seminars and workshops.
- Possibly the campaign's finest hour came in 1999 as the lord Chancellor's reforms of the legal system see Latin and legal jargon banished from England's civil law courts.
- In 1999 a television investigation, assisted by Plain English Campaign, found that almost a million people with learning difficulties found party manifestos and ballot papers difficult or impossible to use.
- The first 'Crystal Clear Day' was held in Manchester, and nine people were selected as 'Plain English Champions'.
- In 2002 Lord Justice Auld declared that 'plain English should be the norm' in the criminal courts.
- Plain English Campaign became the first plain language group to be invited to Russia, to speak at a major linguistics and journalism conference in Moscow.
- The campaign celebrated its 25th year for crystal-clear communication in 2004.
- Plain English Campaign representatives were invited to appear in front of the Parliamentary Select Committee on open government.
- In 2005 our staff visited Ireland, South Africa and Jerusalem.
- The Grundtvig Project - a network which links different plain language organisations from around Europe - started coming together.
Last Updated on Friday, 06 November 2009 13:39
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