We have done our best to respond to members’ requests and comments that arose from this year’s programme –as is reflected in the increased opportunities for everyone to get involved. We now have FIVE internal competitions replacing the old “Quarterly” competitions to help accommodate the increasing numbers of entries for “league points”, plus extra “members” nights and “members” talks to offer more chances for everyone to show their work and have their say in a more informal atmosphere. We also have a sensible number of external speakers spread over the season, all of them new to NCPS, each one an expert in their own field and with something inspiring to describe and show to us. You will see that we shall also be hosting a number of inter-club battles, as well as the L&CPU event – and of course our Digital Workshops will continue to run on the first Tuesday of the month at the new HG B&T Club venue in the Grove and for which we hope to develop a more structured programme with something for all levels of expertise. As always, members’ suggestions – and we have already received a number - will be most welcome.

We shall aim to keep to our prompt 8.00pm start but you will see that on certain evenings during the new season, every effort will be made by a number of us to be on hand from 7.30 to offer an informal assessment of pictures and hopefully respond to any queries raised, particularly by newer members. The object is to help each other to get as much out of our hobby as possible and in particular to comfortably embrace the new technology. Although traditional prints and slides will always be good to see, the swing towards digitally modified prints and the digital projection of images is inevitable. We at NCPS should be keen to lead the rest when changes are appropriate.

Our Annual Exhibition is the club’s main shop window of course, and following the success of last year’s event - a hard act to follow – we shall all be looking forward to making sure that the 2008 Exhibition demonstrates that we can go from strength to strength.

In the meantime we have a great summer programme organised for us by Gordon Robson. A printed copy will be distributed at the AGM but please keep right up to date by clicking the links on our website.