We’re incredibly proud of our history, and we owe enormous gratitude to the commitment, dedication and service of all those who’ve contributed to the organisation’s development and success over the years.
Our early days
The Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading exists because of Norma Whitcombe, an energetic computer programmer, indexer and copyeditor who recognised that editorial freelancers needed a professional body that could offer community, standards and training.
Our history
Here’s a timeline of how we’ve evolved through the years:
- 1988: Norma Whitcombe founded the Society of Freelance Copy-editors and Proofreaders, soon to become the Society of Freelance Editors and Proofreaders. The other founding Committee members were John Woodruff, Lesley Ward, Michèle Clarke, Naomi Laredo, Gillian Clarke and Eddie Kent.
- 1989: The Society held its first meeting in March. More than 60 people attended.
- 2001: The organisation welcomed in-house staff and was renamed the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP). The SfEP was incorporated as a limited company and a board of 12 directors appointed.
- 2016: The SfEP declared its aim to become a chartered institute to distinguish itself as the voice of authority in English-language editing.
- 2019: Our Royal Charter was granted on 10 July, announced in September at the annual conference and sealed on 1 October.
- 2020: The SfEP officially became the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) on 1 March.
Honorary members
From 2001 to 2011, the Society for Editors and Proofreaders (SfEP) honoured some of its members for the contributions they made to the Society or the editorial profession in general. These were: Gillian Clarke, Barbara Horn, Naomi Laredo, Kathleen Lyle, Michèle Moody, Val Rice, Rosemary Roberts MBE, Christina Thomas and Penny Williams.
In addition, it appointed an honorary president and honorary vice-president from outside the membership. The first honorary president was Judith Butcher.
Governing the organisation
Governance has changed over time, with members taking on different responsibilities. However, every individual who’s served on the governing body has played a vital part in shaping the organisation we are today.
To find out more about who’s helped run the organisation in the past, click the link below.