Champion editor of so many magazines
HELENE HODGE was passionate about magazines, and probably edited and produced more titles than any other editor.
Her career began in her teens with Tailor & Cutter and bridal magazines. She launched Miss London and Girl About Town, before moving on to edit slimming and diet magazines like Shape and Slimming.
Logically, food followed, and she edited and wrote for Wine & Dine, Wine Bar News and other publications. Her collection of more than 1,300 cookery books testified to this interest.
Her greatest love was the alternative health magazine Healthy Living. Though it changed owners several times, she stayed as editor. Finally she bought it herself and built its circulation to new heights, though eventually she had to sell it.
She then took up retirement magazines, and launched Active Life for the Post Office. She bought this one too and made a noteworthy success of it. She launched and edited yet more titles — Mature Tymes, Goldlife, 050, Boardroom, KrisWorld, Silver Kris and Travel & Leisure — and was working right up to her death, aged only 57, in April.
Stephen Skinner