September 2002
Richard Meredith, author, writer and teacher, is elected a Member of the British Society of Authors.
Contact: info@societyofauthors.org


December 2002
Richard claims victory over O2 after the phone company agrees to repay him more than £1300 against his mobile phone bills while travelling abroad.

Richard had claimed the former BT company ignored credit limits agreed on his account and argued an ancient legal rule forbidding companies from "self-enrichment" (taking something they weren't entitled to). O2 paid up just days before the case was due in court after an 18-month wrangle and the story received wide publicity, including an article in Which? magazine, journal of the Consumers Association who had helped Richard with his claim.
Contact: wls@which.net


January 2003
Richard agrees to work with Mondo Challenge, the career break specialists who send volunteers abroad, mostly on three-month assignments, to work in developing countries to improve the quality of life for impoverished people.
Contact: info@mondochallenge.org


November 2003
A 'Daewoo Challenge' house at the SOS Childrens Village in Bharatpur, Nepal, is opened by Richard after he and fellow adventurer Phil McNerney raise £40000 by driving a small family hatchback car from the UK to South Korea. Visit: sos-childrensvillages.com


October 2004
Richard is appointed a visiting lecturer to the BA (Hons.) journalism degree course at the University of Northampton


February–December 2004
A UK Tour of book-signing, speaking and personal appearance events
Information: mercurybooks@msn.com


June 2005
Richard agrees a settlement of £2800 from Royal Bank of Scotland (formally Natwest) after it admits admin errors and overcharging following an investigation lasting virtually two years.


July 2005

The United Nations commission in Bangkok Thailand invites Richard to an historic ceremony marking the "coming into force" of a new transportation treaty for the whole of Asia

June 2007

After nearly two years of planning, Richard sets out from Tokyo to drive the new Asian Highway to Europe in an Aston Martin with travel specialist Phil Colley. They arrived in London on schedule 49 days and 10,000 miles later.


March 2008

Twin cheques for 83,000 Euros - the proceeds of all fund-raising efforts from the historic Asian Highway journey - were handed over to UNICEF officials at matching ceremonies in Newport Pagnell (historic 'home' of Aston Martin in the UK) and in Beijing by the company's sales director.



December 2008

Driven Together, Richard's book of the historic first crossing of Asia's new highway to the West was published with the backing of a group of private investors. Go to www.driventogether.co.uk. Their story was told in The Author magazine, journal of the UK's writing community.


March 2009

The Newport Muster, a community Heritage Event celebrating the Civil War garrison town of Newport Pagnell is launched and will be held in September. Go to www.newportmuster.org


Summer 2010

Richard launches group wanting to turn old Aston Martin assembly plant into an Arts & Design Centre


November 2010

Now it can be told: in November 2005 at Milton Keynes, District Judge N. Hickman ordered the accountant Grant Thornton to repay Richard £16,339 'loss of capital' plus £4000 in damages following a two-year battle in which he accused the firm of mis-selling him so-called 'precipice bonds'. Top city lawyers Reynolds Porter Chamberlain, acting for the accountants, insisted the author sign a five-year 'gagging' order not to disclose the outcome.


February 2011

Indo–British team raised for 'Save Tigers' expedition across India.


March 2013

New website www.wordgo.org.uk is launched for local history and social media publishing; first title Cromwell's Garrison Town has Civil War theme.


May–July 2013

Australasia journey includes witnessing flash floods in northern India that drown 'many thousands' and 10th anniversary visit to orphanage in Bharatpur, Nepal. Go here



MORE NEWS COMING SOON
©2010–2024 Mercury Books