END OF SEASON AGM

Members arrived in pleasing numbers for our AGM and the presentation of the club trophies for the 2025 – 2026 season, considering a good number had already set off on their latest photographic expeditions otherwise known as holidays.

President Alan Burkwood summarised the season, which had begun a little uncertainly but gathered steam as time went on. Some people arrived at the beginning of the year and some have become valued regular members and others joined us in rewarding numbers throughout the year.

At a time when many clubs have been struggling to survive for some years, we have seen several of those we had developed relationships being forced to close. We are pleased to continue with a feeling of optimism and success.

Alan recorded thanks to two very long serving committee members, Lesley Wilson and Gwen Mabbott, who have been real stalwarts of the club.

He also thanked Lee Dalgliesh for his efforts as competition secretary. Lee is one of our best photographers, but is also a modest person who sometimes feels his success is at odds with running the competitions. It would be hard to begrudge him his wins when you see the quality of his work and there is little doubt that the quality of work submitted by others has pushed him to improve.

We had been urgently seeking a new programme secretary without success, so it was with surprise, relief and gratitude that we welcomed Rob Neal to the role when he joined the club at the very end of the previous season. His own club, where he held the same role, had closed, so he slotted easily into the role and has done a great job. He already has the programme for next year drawn up and this will soon appear on the web site.

Lee gave his own report, thanking everyone for entering the club competitions. Some 2/3 of the members now regularly enter their work and over 400 images have been shown this year. There is a consistently high standars and the comments from judges now focus on matters of detail rather than fundamental issues, which was the case some 10 – 12 years ago.

Rob followed, giving details of the programme he has prepared for our 2026 / 2027 season. There are three Zoom sessions with high quality speakers who are too expensive for us to afford in person due to the escalating cost of travel, which is additional to their fees. Rob organised a two-way event this year with Bolsover Camera Club, and has followed up with a three-way competition with Axholme and TTL, which will be a highlight. Pre Covid, we had a regular fixture with two other clubs, but both have since folded and it has been missed.

We have some practical opportunities planned, with Jane Lazenby and Marlies Chell each offering a session. We have yet to plan what to do on our Members’ Nights, so we shall have to see as the season progresses.

A vote was taken to decide the theme for our third competition of the year. The long list had been narrowed to a straight choice between Street Photography and Macro / Close up. Street was chosen and there was general; agreement that we need criteria to make sure nobody falls foul of a different interpretation.

Following the remaining business and some lively discussion we moved on to the presentation of the prizes which are awarded based on points gained in the competitions through the season.

Certificates were presented to the winners of the colour, print and digital competitions, and winners also received a club mug – a new and welcome addition. Lee Dalgliesh won the colour print class and shared the digital class win with Rob Neal, while Andy Stephenson won the monochrome class. Peter Joyce was the winner of the Portfolio competition. It is good to welcome new names to the roll of honour.

The Denis Rich Memorial Trophy for prints was shared between Alan Burkwood and Joyce Bell with equal points. The Rosemary Wright Memorial Trophy for digital images was won outright by Lee Dalgliesh, who also won the beautiful hand made trophy for Photographer of the Year.