Annual Exhibition Programme

Wed 7th Feb. at 8.00pm - Admission £1.50

1. Official Opening and Presentation of Awards.

2. Projection of Award Winning Slides.

3. "Interclub Digital Print Competition"

Thurs 8th Feb. 8.00pm - Admission £1.50

"Interclub Slide Competition" (for the North Cheshire Challenge Trophy.)

Friday 9th Feb. 8.00pm - Admission £3.00

"The Peak District", a slide presentation by Ray Manley (the Official Peak District Photographer)

(Entry also includes the Photographic Exhibition from 7.00pm. )

Trash and Treasure Sale

As our previous one was such a financial success we are holding another one on Saturday, February 10th. in the Civic Hall, 10 - 2.pm Tables are £8. The club is having its own table and we would like trash and treasure (priced) to sell and helpers from 8.30am. onwards please to set up etc. Also help with selling refreshments. If you are unable to bring your goods on the 10th. then please bring them on the 30th. January and give to Joyce or Jill. With your help this event could be a success too.

Thanks, Jill

The Committee meeting Thursday 30th November 2000

The meeting devoted much of its time to the updated rules for the Annual Exhibition. Gordon Robson, exhibition organiser, spoke about the various changes. New advanced classes for "Creative" work ( Prints and Slides) had been agreed. Print hanging space was limited and the option of not hanging all prints submitted had to be faced. It was agreed that all print entries submitted would be judged but that the exhibition organiser must have the final say in what was hung or not hung. The organiser would normally confer with effected members if such decisions had to be made. The problems of implementing such rules as "entries must not have been entered in a previous NCPS exhibition" and "images entered must not have been photographed more than five years previously" were discussed at some length. Noting the previous agreement that trophies would no longer be engraved, it is now written into the rules that trophy winners will receive a certificate. It was noted that a minimum print size of 10 by 8 inches strictly precluded some prints produced on A4 sized paper, although competition secretaries had always accepted such prints. It was felt that the rules should be written to allow such prints so long as attempts were clearly made to fill A4 sized photo paper. Under category Guidance Notes Portraits of both People and Domestic pets were allowed. It was agreed that zoo animals could also come into this category. However such pets and zoo animals were not eligible for the Natural History sections.

Colin Pickles reported on progress and problems regarding the Paris trip. It was an independent booking, not a package. We would travel with French Airways and stay at Hotel Londres et D'Anvers.

A club member had asked that the club projector be tested re overheating of slides. This had been done. A test slide had reported no problems after a 20 minute continuous insertion in the machine.

The Treasurer in a written report noted that The Extravaganza with Michael Leach had earned the club a net profit of over £200 and that the selling of refreshments and the raffle at the L&CPU slide competition had earned the club £95. Both had been successful events and Frank thanked all active members for their support. It was noted that there was not a sign on the counter explaining that the tea and biscuits cost 30p and that this might have encouraged some participants to think they were free.

Bill Chadband

Library Display

This will be from January 30th. until February 17th. in Poynton library and prints are needed for display please. They can be given to either Dorothy or Jill.

The 15x15 Battle with Wigan 10

Tuesday 12th December was an evening of drama. The Wigan 10 contingent had arrived by 7.30pm, and all the chairs had been put out. But who had the key to the cupboard? "Not me" was the universal response!. Kath and Stuart are invariably the early birds who put out the chairs, and prepare the tea trolley but neither has a key to the cupboard. Eventually our President - a key holder - arrived and we could set about assembling the equipment. A torrential downpour outside made those inside glad that they had arrived in good time. By 8.00pm the equipment was all assembled. We now only needed the judge. Apparently Margaret Salisbury comes from Prestatyn and no-one envied her the journey. By 8.15pm, with no Margaret, Frank conferred with our guests and it was agreed that we should begin an inhouse appraisal of the prints with Wigan 10 providing the commentary and the house voting for the winners amongst pairs of prints. We all promised to be impartial! This exercise in democracy had only just got under way when Margaret arrived. Apparently Chinese chippies are not the most reliable guides for visiting judges (or else they have an interest in the Rising Sun Pub). This, plus the generally atrocious weather conditions, had delayed our judge. Suitably hyped up she began her task. As expected the image standards were high. Margaret noted that all judges had their own prejudices but she proceeded to make useful and interesting critical comments about all the entries. After consideration of the prints the score stood at North Cheshire 248; Wigan 10 259. Dorothy and Steph had both received a 20, with Steph additionally getting a 19. In the slide competition our highest marks were 18 (By Bill and Steph). By contrast Wigan 10 managed two 20's and six 19's. Wigan 10 won the slide competition by 274 to 234. Overall they were winners by 533 points to 482 points. Despite losing the battle, and despite the weather, NCPS members felt it had been a very good evening.

Print Results

Pastel Petals, Dorothy Redford - 20

Gentoo Penguin, Steph Clack - 20

Lilac Breasted Roller, Dave Clack - 19

Monsal Dale in Winter, Sheila Edwards - -18

Polar Bears Boxing, Steph Clack - 18

The Mist of Time, Tony Redford - 18

Sharp Right, Tony Redford - 18

The Ceiling, St Cuthbert, Wells, Gerald Hallworth - 17

St Xavier Mission, Brian Turnbull - 16

Zebra, Masai Mara, Gordon Robson - 16

Peeping Tom, Dorothy Redford - 15

Musician, Jon Allanson - 15

Impressions of Venice, Gordonn Robson - 14

Tina, Don Stafford - 13

Lines and Texture, Colin Pickles - 11

Slide Results

Watch Me Steph Clack - 18

Winter Bill Chadband - 18

Brother and Sister Jon Allanson - 17

Alter, Italian Chapel Kath Anderson - 16

Canal-side Artist Gerald Hallworth - 16

Scholars Tony Redford - 16

Tribal Life Thailand Gordon Robson - 16

Tree in the Mist Brian Turnbull - 16

Tuscan Church Brian Turnbull - 15

Rainbow in the Dales Ted Wilson - 15

Green Man Jon Allanson - 15

Futurascope Don Stafford - 15

The Great Wall of China Gordon Robson - 14

Into the Sunset Frank Hutchinson - 14

Lace Makers Alan Wild - 13

The Committee Meeting Wednesday 3 January 2001

Following the treasurer's review of the finances a discussion on income and expenditure ranged widely. Room rental for our weekly meetings was about £860 but subscription income was a little over £600. The 20p per meeting extra didn't cover the difference! We relied on the Extravaganza and Annual Exhibition to make up the difference and pay the costs of our guest speakers. The possibility of raising the weekly contribution to 30p or 50p was discussed. Where a guest speaker had incurred increased costs or expenses the possibility of a raised contribution for that night was mooted. If members of other clubs were invited to a particular night it might be considered appropriate that the evening's costs were shared in this way.

Gordon Robson reviewed the Exhibition arrangements & asked that those holding trophies should return them as soon as possible. He needed the names of past winners in order to prepare the new certificates. Jill noted that 20 tables at £8 a time could be accommodated for the Trash and Treasure sale on the Saturday. Agreed that Club would have a table.

Tony has written to Milly and Fred thanking them for entertaining us so well on the Christmas Party night. It was noted that a bulb holder on the print stand needed replacing. The possibility of replacing the tungsten lamps with fluorescent ones was discussed. Further enquiries are to be made.

The increased frequency of Focus had increased its costs. It had been agreed to ask couples whether they would be happy to receive one copy only. Where members rarely attended meetings (though they had paid their subscriptions) it was agreed that the Focus editor should recover their copies and forward them by post. By this means the said members might be encouraged to stay as members.

Brian Turnbull

Club Funds

With our current depleted membership, our subscription income will not meet the cost of the room hire for the year and I am sure you all realise the need for various fund raising events.

The Committee have decided to hold another "Trash and Treasure" event on the final Saturday morning of Exhibition Week. This does not incur extra expenditure on room hire and the previous such event raised a useful amount of money for the club. The Sale will open to the public from 10am to 2pm. Joyce Streets has kindly volunteered to organise it again so please see Joyce to book your space.

We are reluctant to raise subscriptions so soon after the last increase. What do you all think about raising the weekly attendance contribution from 20p to 30p? All ideas that you may have to generate revenue will be considered but I hope you will all appreciate our efforts to spare further subscription increases.

Frank Hutchinson

NCPS Christmas Party and Christmas Dinner

The Club Christmas party on Tuesday 19th December preceded the Dinner by two days. Milly Chadband and Fred Edwards again provided enlightening entertainment at Party, each continuing the theme they began the year before. Fred expanded on the role of the Parish Clerk in the 18th Century whilst Milly continued a musical tour of England.

The Dinner was held at the British Legion, Poynton. Excellent food was provided by "The Honey Pot". We had the large room to ourselves, with a bar in the corner. This all made for a most relaxing evening and several of the 23 members or guests present felt that we should book the room again for next year's dinner. After the meal members retired to the bar or said their goodbyes. It became clear that having such a large room to ourselves presents possibilities for an after-meal event, coupled if necessary with an earlier start.

Sponsorship

Some of you may recall my announcement that I was discussing an offer of possible sponsorship for the Club. The Committee agreed that I negotiate a deal for us and I am pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached. Ownhome Property Company have been publicising their business in South Manchester with posters but there is a distinct shortage of good poster sites in the Borough of Maccles-field. They have decided to associate themselves with a community organisation in the area (N.C.P.S.) in a way that brings benefits to all. I discussed a number of ideas with Ownhome Ltd's representative and the result is that they have now agreed to sponsor a competition on the theme "A Moving Experience" which will be judged with our last Quarterly Competition (and a special trophy awarded). Slides and prints of all types will be accepted and copyright will rest with the original author. Ownhome Ltd will also fund the printing of colour posters to publicise Ray Manley's talk at our Annual Exhibition Event. I hope that you will all rise to the challenge and take some new pictures which will illustrate the theme in a novel and original way. If the sponsors get a good response, who knows where this may lead?

Frank Hutchinson

Rules for the Annual Exhibition

Click here to view the new exhibition rules....