Farrow took the reins at the Foundation in May 2009, but seriously injured his right leg in a motorcycle accident in November 2013 and since then had been struggling to get around the Foundation’s Victorian building.
“I’m really sad to leave, but the truth is I really couldn’t carry on doing it. My leg is bad and is ongoing, so I leave with a broken heart,” said Farrow.
“St Bride's is a wonderful place, it’s all quite amicable and I’m gutted that I have to leave, but I just couldn’t do it: getting there every day, staggering up and down stairs and standing around was just too much.”
During his tenure Farrow significantly raised the profile of the Foundation and secured various funding to protect the long-term future of the Foundation's collection of print artefacts. However, he has also had to make some tough decisions in the face of ongoing funding challenges.
His last day at the Foundation was 31 December 2015.
Farrow, who spoke of his passion for the Foundation and the print industry in an in-depth interview with PrintWeek last year, made the decision to leave the Foundation in November, shortly after he had been signed off sick due to complications with his leg.
The 55-year-old said he hoped to maintain his association with the industry, and is currently considering a print-related project, although he said it was too early to discuss the details.
“My GP suggested I think about taking early retirement and my surgeon suggested I change my job. I have no intention of retiring whatsoever, but I intend to find something that only involves working on one floor, not five with 16 staircases,” he said.
Helen Lowe and Danielle Nagler have been appointed interim managers at St Brides, while the trustees consider how to replace Farrow.
A spokesman for the trustees said: “The trustees would like to thank Glyn for his extensive contribution to St Bride and to wish him all the best for the future.
“The Foundation has put in place an experienced interim management team of Helen Lowe and Danielle Nagler to provide leadership through this transition period, and all activities at the Foundation are continuing.”
The St Bride Foundation is celebrating its 125 anniversary in February 2016 and last year launched a ‘Foster-A-Book’ campaign to raise the £125,000 it needs to unlock Heritage Lottery Fund support for its plans to make its building fit for purpose.
