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Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing PRIVACY POLICY GDPR Part of our contract with you is that we be a responsible business owner and comply with 2018 EU General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) in order to fully protect your information. The following is a list of what we do in respect of this. Your personal data In order to communicate with you efficiently and professionally it will be necessary for us to collect and store at least a modicum of your basic personal information, such as: name email address contact postal address details specific to your enquiry, e.g., the nature of your enquiry, whether you are an independent author or editor etc. Why do we collect data from you? We need the following, minimal information, such that we can: respond to your initial contact message via this website contact you prior, during, and after any work that we agree to do for you How do we use this data? We use the data we collect from you as follows: to contact you regarding your enquiry, for contract purposes, or in order to give an initial or updated quotation for our services to invoice you and to provide proof of our compliance with HMRC regulations to record your agreeing to the terms and conditions of the services we provide Our promise to you We will never distribute, lease, or sell your information to any third party unless you give us express written permission to do so. How does data transfer take place? We use Gmail ,and Dropbox for all data transfer. Details of their respective privacy policies can be found via the clickable links provided. How do we store your information? We use a password-protected computer to store your files, and to enable being mobile when we work; we also use Microsoft OneDrive. This gives us secure (password protected) access – from say a laptop – to data that are stored on our main computer. We do not keep copies of your work on any device save for our main computer. How will we deal with your files? All original files that you pass to us remain your property. Versions of these files that you have commissioned us to work on (i.e., to change format, edit, or to add content etc.) are our property until you have paid for the work we have agreed upon. Once you have paid, these files become your property. We keep all files and emails relating to completed work on our secure computer. This is useful to us in keeping a record of past work in the event that we work together again. However, if you have strong opinions on our keeping these records and would like us to delete this information on completion of our collaboration please just let us know. If you have contacted us and for whatever reason decide not to pursue a project with us we may keep your contact information for business analysis purposes. This would remain private to us, but again, if you have strong objections to our keeping this information just let us know. Our marketing strategy: how does it affect you? It is possible that we may contact you again about obtaining further work. To do this we would need to keep your contact details, and work-related information you might previously have disclosed, on file. This information is for our own marketing and we will never share it with anyone else. Please let us know if you do not want us to do this. We check and update this policy regularly. June 2025

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing POSTGRADUATES papers and dissertations You have worked your socks off in order to get your Master's or PhD dissertation into shape. Nowadays, studying does not come without a heavy financial burden, and the long months – sometimes years – of working the clock round in order to produce a body of work by which all your hard efforts will be judged should be worthy of your investments in time and money. In order to give yourself the best chance of success you need to be certain that, aside from the academic nature of your thesis, your work is free from grammatical error, and is clearly understood. We welcome working with postgraduate students for whom English is not a first language (see our ESL page). What we can do for you final-draft editing of Master's/PhD thesis proofreading and editing of papers, conference submissions, and job applications use Word tracked changes in order that you see each and every one of the modifications we make use LaTeX or Tex typesetting if required Offer reduced-rate editing for postgraduate students ... we've been there! Please contact us for an informal discussion on how we might be able to help with any or more of these suggestions. Our experience Matthew has studied and worked closely with researchers and academics in Engineering and Science departments in many UK and European universities. We have edited PhD theses and scientific papers in a variety scientific fields. Matthew has over 25 years' experience as a fully-qualified professional engineer, during which time he has held senior positions in Formula 1 racing, and the aviation sector. He has an extremely strong (and up-to-date) understanding of Mathematics, Physics, Engineering (all major disciplines), Sciences, Computing etc., and has a strong academic background in Aeronautics and Fluid Mechanics. Matthew has a PhD in Aeronautical Engineering, and has written and co-written papers, and presented at conference. We are experienced users of LaTeX and Tex typesetting programs as well as the usual mainstream software. Benefits we can provide Matthew has a dual academic-industrial background which gives him a precise understanding of the importance of your situation; the step you are about to make, and of the make-or-break consequences of producing a document that will determine the next step in your career. A final-draft edit will give you the confidence that your work will be grammatically correct and consistent, that the arguments that you present are clear and well presented, and that your hard work will be showcased to the greatest effect. The more professional your thesis or dissertation, the easier your examiner(s) will be convinced of your aptitude and potential, leaving you free to confidently defend the academic arguments and claims you have worked so hard to assemble. You will always get an accurate and fast turnaround service. As members of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading we are bound by its established code of practice . If you would like to work with dedicated editors who understand the nature and importance of your dissertation and its effect upon your future career, then please contact us today.

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing HOW IT WORKS some details If proofreading is new to you, please take a few moments to read a little about how we'll get started. We have outlined below our standard method of working for proofreading (or copy-editing) novels, theses etc. The process is as follows: We will ask you to provide some details of the material to be proofread, such as how many words, whether it’s a novel, a journal article, a thesis etc. We will also ask you some questions about the format of the material and how you will want us to show the edit (e.g., in Word markup, PDF commenting, formal British Standard (BSI5261C:2005), or simply good old-fashioned red-pen comments in the margin). We will ask to see an example of the material that needs to be proofread, just a few sample pages, from which we will be able to get an idea of the work involved, for example: a final proofread or a more detailed edit. An idea of your deadline will be useful at this stage. Any material that you send to us will be kept confidential (see terms and conditions ). We will return your sample pages to demonstrate how the corrections and queries will look, together with a quotation price for the job. If you wish us to carry out the edit for you we will send you a contract outlining our agreement, we will then ask you to send us your work so that we can begin the edit. It might be that we agree that edited sections are returned along the way. We will return your edited document in a timely manner, in accordance with your deadline and our contract. For large jobs like novels or theses we ask that half the fee be paid prior to commencement of the work, the remainder will be invoiced in the usual way on completion of the work.

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing ESL English as a second language Perhaps English is not your first language. Please don't let this get in the way – one of our growing specialist areas is helping ESL students, academics, and authors in presenting their work to the same high standards that they might easily achieve in their own native language. Inevitably this can take a little longer as our rate of edited words falls commensurately with the complexity of the original work ... but we'll get it all sorted for you. Please email us directly or use the contact page so that we can discuss things further. Some useful links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_as_a_second_or_foreign_language https://www.onlinestudies.com/courses/esl/united-kingdom#

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing BUSINESS working with corporates You are a busy person, after all you've a business to run. Your time is precious, as is your reputation with your customers and suppliers. You might require in-house documentation for your staff, advertising flyers, a website, a detailed report or proposal, or some other pressing and important documentation. Easy enough to knock out some words perhaps, but what about the final product, the impression you want to give? Of course, you could do it yourself, after all, you know your business better than anyone. But do you have the time, not just to get the words down, but to produce a well-written, grammatically correct piece that presents your message clearly and concisely with everything checked down to the very last punctuation detail? What we can do for you proofreading and/or copy-editing of your advertisements, flyers, website, or any written message that helps your business; don't forget, there's a mini glossary of edit types on the information page help with written content e.g., internal communications, advertising material, letters to clients and suppliers help with website creation and maintenance. Please contact us for an informal discussion on how we might be able to help with any or more of these suggestions. Our experience We are members of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading. We have a combined experience of over 40 years' experience working in motorsport, defence, academia, aviation, law, schools, and television; all sectors in which written communication is a key factor to success. We have constructed, edited, and maintained several small-business websites. Benefits we offer We can offer the fine-detail of proofreading, the close scrutiny that uncovers those gremlins of grammar and punctuation, spelling and spacing, indeed a check of every single character. We will check for consistency, that names and dates are correct, that headings, style, font sizes are as you want them throughout the entire document. We also offer a more in-depth edit that covers the bigger picture. We will make sure that your message is clearly written and easily understood and that the construction and wording suits your particular audience. First impressions make a difference, we all know that. The reputation of you and your business can hang on the words you use to communicate your ideas. You want customers, new and old, to think only the best of your endeavours. We can help you clean away all of those irksome mistakes that can so often give the wrong first impression. We promise an accurate and fast turnaround service. As members of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading we are bound by its established code of practice . If you would like to work with dedicated freelance editors who will take the time to understand your requirements, be sympathetic to the constraints of your busy work life, and offer you a comprehensive, reliable, and cost effective service, then please contact us today.

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing ABOUT We are a husband and wife team who, some years ago, decided to work together on a project that not only made more efficient use of our time and resources, but also pooled our life experiences – the results were good and Bedford & Grove was born in 2019. With our combined experience of editing corporate, fiction and non-fiction, academic, science and engineering, and all manner of independent works, we offer a broad range of editing and writing services together with a friendly and open approach toward our clients. We live and work in a quiet village on the edge of Bodmin moor in Cornwall, but communicate and work with clients all over the world. THE TEAM a little about us MATTHEW LAIGHT Founder and Partner Matthew is founder and partner at Bedford & Grove and specialises in STEM journal editing, most notably for The Royal Society and other leading scientific and engineering journals. He spends much of his time (work and leisure) working with some form of the English language. He reads and writes for pleasure, and works closely with publishers, writers, artists, and academics in the pursuit of clearly expressed words. He holds a first-class degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Exeter, and a PhD in fluid dynamics from the University of Cambridge. Matthew is an Advanced Professional Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP) – you can find Matthew's CIEP directory listing here . CLARE LAIGHT Partner Clare is partner at Bedford & Grove and specialises in legal, medical, and business editing. She has over 30 years' experience working in aviation (she has a private pilot licence), television, managing a busy law practice, and working in a large secondary school as Head's PA. Her interests away from her busy office include horse riding, gardening, and walking. Clare is an Intermediate Member of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). Here are some kindly forwarded testimonials .

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing PUBLISHERS freelancing We work either directly or indirectly for The Royal Society, Charlesworth Author Services, CUP, OUP, Pearson Education, and others. We understand the demanding and challenging nature of freelancing for publishers. What we can do proofreading and copy-editing developmental editing technical editing business editing proofreading and editing of books (fiction and non-fiction), and technical or instructional manuals etc. work in soft (Word and PDF) or hard format work blind or against copy, using BSI5261C:2005 as necessary. Our experience SfEP and CIEP trained experienced with Word tracked changes and Adobe commenting tools. substantive editing and final proof-editing of novels. editing PhD theses and scientific papers in a variety scientific fields. experienced users of LaTeX and Tex typesetting programs as well as the usual mainstream software. Benefits we offer excellent communication professional and timely adherence to deadlines excellent work ethic strong background in science, engineering, and mathematics. an accurate and fast turnaround service. Please contact us for further information.

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing SAFE HANDS bespoke retainer-fee services You might be an independent author who has just finished a first draft, or perhaps you have revised and polished your masterpiece as much as you can before submitting to a publisher. Or perhaps your PhD or Master's dissertation is almost there but your first language is not English and you want a final-draft edit before you submit. It might be that you're a business owner who wants a leaflet checked for clarity and grammatical errors, or an academic who is looking for a good reliable editor to take on the proofreading of important journal submissions. Common to all these possible scenarios is a simple fact: you have spent time and effort writing words that say something about you, your company, or your work, and you want to communicate your ideas to an audience in a clear and precise way. And, because you care about your message, your brochure, your novel, your thesis, your advertisement etc., you are seeking professional advice before committing your words to the finality of publishing and distribution. A professional edit will show your work at its very best for your readers. If working with an editor is new to you, then please use the what-we-do page and sub-menu to discover more about what we offer in your particular area of expertise, and the how-it-works page for an explanation of how we might work together. For more general background about proofreading and copy-editing, the information page should be of interest. Or, if you prefer, just get in touch and we can advise you further. We offer proofreading and copy-editing services for, among other things: Novels Dissertations (PhD and Master's thesis, final-draft proofreading only) Journal articles Website content Business literature CVs Maths & Science examination/tutoring booklets Brochures We are comfortable and happy editing a wide range of documents and subject material (hard or soft copy is fine). In brief, we offer an editing service that includes fiction and non-fiction, academic and technical journals, postgraduate dissertations, business projects such as leaflets, articles and marketing documentation, and of course we are always looking to work with publishers in any or all of the aforementioned areas. We offer an accurate and fast-turnaround service at all times. As members of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading we are bound by its established code of practice . We are a friendly and approachable team, offering a positive and constructive method of working with clients of all stripes and experience. No job is too big, no job is too small, as the saying goes. Please have a good look around the site, get to know us, and what we can offer you, and please do get in touch either directly here , or via the contact page .

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing ACADEMICS journal submissions and proposals Contributing to academic journals and writing proposals have become as much a part of an academic's life as the actual research and teaching. Moreover, these activities have become one of the yardsticks by which you and your institution are measured. Life tenures are a thing of the past, and as a consequence life in academia is ever more competitive. Your time is precious, as is your reputation amongst your peers. We welcome working with academics for whom English is not a first language (see our ESL page). What we can do for you proofreading and editing of papers, scientific or otherwise, books, articles etc. proofreading and editing of funding proposals proofreading and editing of job applications. Please contact us for an informal discussion on how we might be able to help with any or more of these suggestions. Our experience We have studied in and worked closely with researchers and academics in Engineering and Science departments in many UK and European universities. We have edited PhD theses and scientific papers in a variety of scientific fields. Matthew has over 25 years' experience as a fully-qualified professional engineer, during which time he has held senior positions in Formula 1 racing, and the aviation sector. He has an extremely strong (and up-to-date) understanding of mathematics, physics, engineering (all major disciplines), sciences, computing etc., and has a strong academic background in aeronautics and fluid mechanics. Matthew has a PhD in aeronautical engineering, and has written and co-written papers, and presented at conference. We are experienced users of LaTeX and Tex typesetting programs. Benefits we provide Matthew has a dual academic–industrial background which gives him a better appreciation of the constraints at play in your world; we understand how important publications are to a busy academic. We understand too, the need for clarity and preciseness in your publications, as well as the overarching requirement to be consistent in your message. You will find us to be trusted editors, conversant with your world, who can shoulder some of your load, providing you more time for the other aspects of your busy work life. You will always get an accurate and fast turnaround service. As members of the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading we are bound by its established code of practice . If you would like to work with dedicated professional editors who understand the nature and importance of an academic's work, especially the constraints upon your time, then please contact us today.

Editing and proofreading, editing, proofreading, messaging, writing, copy-editing PRICING no VAT, no hidden costs Our rates are based on the minimum rates published by the Chartered Institute of Editing and Proofreading (CIEP). However, no two jobs are ever the same and the services we provide will inevitably be tailored to your requirements. We usually like to provide quotations based on our assessment of a representative sample of your work, and after a discussion of what service is best for you. We prefer to work at an hourly rate, but sometimes it's just easier to agree on a fixed fee. We have a minimum fee for small jobs (less than an hour's work). We also offer a discounted rate for final-draft editing of theses and dissertations (ask us about this ). There is no charge for an initial enquiry. There is no charge for the preparation of quotations. We do not charge VAT. For short projects, taking less than an hour, we have a minimum fee of £30. Once engaged for the job, time taken on emails and telephone calls are included as part of the standard hourly rate. We accept payment by bank transfer. Post-graduate discount We offer a permanent 10% discount for all final-draft proofreading of Master's and PhD dissertations (see the postgraduate page) We will endeavour to start work on your project as soon as possible, but please bear in mind that we will almost inevitably be 'mid-project' when you get in touch. So please think ahead if you are working to a tight deadline. Proofreading is generally a little faster than copy-editing and we usually budget around 2,000 to 2,500 words per hour (on average and depending on the original format) for the former, and 1,500 to 2,000 for the latter. It always helps if you can provide us with a total word count, it makes quotations much easier. We are happy to work with Word or PDF, though it's always faster with Word.