JUST A CLICK AWAY...
James Forrest takes a look at OWPG’s Advice Notes
O
ne of my favourite OWPG-related hobbies is
emailing obscure and technical questions to
Ronald Turnbull. Without fail his answers are
not only astute and insightful, but also dripping with
quips and wit that leave me in hysterics. Ronald’s dry
sense of humour oozes from his email replies. Here are
a few examples:
James Can I claim mileage expenses on my tax return
for trips that are part-business, part-pleasure? And how
do you distinguish between business trips and non-
business trips?
Ronald A trip where you combine climbing a hill with
some non-business purposes such as assassinating the
Prime Minister is not deductible. If you just happen to
come across her on Horsehead Moor and shove her over
the edge, the trip is still deductible.
James A publisher that owes me £500 has gone into
administration – what are my chances of getting my
money back?
Ronald HMRC get fi rst slice of any assets of the
company, then the bank, with remaining suppliers like
us ending up with something between a very very small
amount or something rather less than that. Don’t expect
to see any money, then you’ll be pleasantly surprised
when £1.27 arrives in three years’ time.
However, on top of his humorous replies, Ronald
often refers me to the OWPG’s suite of advice notes,
which are published in the members’ area of the OWPG
website - www.owpg.org.uk/members-area. (You’ll
need your OWPG password to view the members’ area.)
These guides – on a plethora of topics including rights
of way, publishing contracts, late payments, self-
publishing, image theft, fl at rate VAT and many more
- have always been a brilliant resource of information
for me.
They’ve helped me with refi ning and improving
my pitches to editors, thus securing me more work;
enabled me to fi ll out my self-assessment tax return
correctly and effi ciently; supported me to re-negotiate
a book contract; and increased my understanding of
the business of writing.
Why not delve into them yourselves? You might just
learn something. Or, if you need cheering up, just drop
Ronald an email instead.
The Bonners tenner
Roly Smith spots a familiar face on a bank note...
G
uild president and mountaineering legend Sir
Chris Bonington may never have had money on
his head – but now he has his head on money!
Chris is the latest local hero to be featured on the Lake
District’s new community currency, the Lake District
pound, which can only be spent at local independent
businesses.
The 84-year-old climber, who lives at Hesket
Newmarket, near Caldbeck, appears on the new £10
note in the currency. Three other legends of the Lake
District are also featured: Peter Rabbit author Beatrix
Potter (£5 note); National Trust founder Canon
Hardwicke Rawnsley (£20), and educational pioneer
Charlotte Mason (£1). The notes all feature the work of
local portrait artist Rebecca Gill.
Chris told Outdoor Focus: “I was obviously delighted
and honoured especially to follow Joss Naylor and
because of the help it is giving to our local tourist
industry.”
The Lake District Pound is a community currency
designed to help locals and visitors enjoy Cumbrian
culture, support local businesses and help look after the
area’s landscapes and communities.
Launched last year, the LDP is a complementary
currency, which can be used interchangeably alongside
Sterling, but can only be spent at local businesses. The
aim is to attract more customers to unique retailers,
shops, cafés, attractions and other businesses in the
area.
Ken Royall, founder and director of the Lakes
Currency Project, said: “It’s been an amazing year for
the project and we’re so happy that tens of thousands
of Lake District Pounds are now in circulation.
“It’s great to be able to reveal the next set of
designs, which will be valid through to January 2020.
We can’t wait to carry on pushing the project forward
next year, growing the number of businesses and places
you can use the Lake District Pound and supporting
more and more of our local businesses.”
Since its launch, around LD £140,000 has gone into
circulation, with more than 350 businesses accepting
the currency.
Creative director Sophie Crewdson said: “With
exciting new designs every year, the Lake District
Pound is an amazing creative platform not only to
celebrate the endless inspiring people and stories
associated with the Lake District and Cumbria, but also
to showcase the creative talent that exists in our region.
“For 2019, we wanted to delight people with a new
and exciting style, and so chose to work with up-
and-coming local artist Rebecca Gill, whose bold and
colourful portrait elements give an amazing vibrancy to
the notes and the characters featured on them.”
spring 2019 | Outdoor focus 3