Chrissie Maher


Chrissie Maher co-founded Plain English Campaign, a company that promotes the clear use of English, particularly by businesses and official bodies.

Early campaigns

In 1971 Maher founded the UK's first community newspaper, the Tuebrook Bugle, which gave her the chance to write articles demanding that organisations start using plain English. In 1974 Maher started The Liverpool News, the UK's first newspaper for adults with reading difficulties. She was also a member of the UK's National Consumer Council.

Plain English Campaign

Maher officially launched Plain English Campaign at a demonstration in London in 1979.
In 1994, as an example of the linguistic issues she found objectionable, Maher pointed out that Britain's National Health Service published a definition of the term bed that used 229 words.
Tom McArthur, editor of the Oxford Companion to the English Language said, "In all the history of the language, there has never been such a powerful grassroots movement to influence it as the Plain English Campaign."
In 1997, an industrial tribunal found that the Plain English Campaign had constructively dismissed two employees, Martin Nobbs and Jill Cushway, who resigned from the Campaign after unfounded rumours were spread that they had an affair. In their action, Nobbs and Cushway alleged that Maher had started the rumours. Maher denied starting the rumour, calling the tribunal's decision "a miscarriage of justice".

Awards & Honours