Michael Hawkins

SERVING A GLOBAL COMMUNITY:
Network News 

It was my pleasure to edit the Network News, the Community’s external messenger, for almost 10 years, beginning in 1994. Recruited by Eva Ward, I told her I loved the vision of communicating to a wider global family but hadn’t edited a magazine before and couldn’t work a computer. “You’re just what we need!” she said. And so I began creating my first issue for the then 450 Stewards, Friends, Resource People and Fellows from 39 different countries.

I decided my main story would be an interview with Judy McAllister who had just completed five years as chair of Management and Core Group. It went very well and I was buoyant at being able to celebrate Judy in this way. However, when I played it back not a single word had been recorded.
Ahem! Judy graciously agreed to another interview.

This position was a baptism of fire for me in many ways as we were living through changing times — both Management and Core Group had disbanded and the Foundation was set for a period of reinvention. Judy herself called it scary and painful. However, I grew into the role and set my sights on establishing a magazine that would, at the very least, match the editorial and content standards of One Earth. The internet was still in its infancy then and Network News was looked to for ‘on the ground’ reporting. While there was some internal distribution, Network News really was the bridge between the community and the world outside The Park and Cluny Hill College. It also had a fundraising dimension to it and stewards were very generous and strongly supportive of the Foundation as we grappled with creating a new culture, strong leadership and financial stability.

We reported extensively on the then twice yearly conferences; set up network of light daily meditations in response to the 9/11 attacks; covered our 40th birthday and Eileen’s 80th and 85th birthdays; showcased Mike Scott’s poetry; ran front covers of both Eileen and Dorothy (one of Eileen holding her granddaughter Caitlin); reported on Eileen receiving her MBE for spiritual inquiry; covered John Talbott’s inspired and painstaking acquisition of Dunelands and the Magic Triangle; and reported on The Haven TV documentary programmes. We also carried regular articles on the work of the UN, a condition of having NGO status.

The first issue published in autumn 1994 bore the legend Findhorn Foundation Stewards and evolved from the pioneering Friends network birthed by Kay Kay. My last issue, summer 2005, described Network News as the journal of the Findhorn Foundation & Community’s Global Network. I handed over to Mattie Porte, and the last post sounded for Network News, Issue 46, in 2008.

Michael Hawkins