Happy New Year

Happy New Year!

Yes I know I am a few day's late .....but you know me ....

There is of course a good reason in that, due to the timing of the AGM in February,, the EC has to meet early in the New Year to discuss what is to go on the AGM Agenda, sort out who is doing what etc etc and to set the ball rolling by the Secretary sending out the 'Calling Notice' X number of days before the actual meeting.

As I have started typing this on Saturday night, the actual meeting is taking place on Zoom bright and early at 10am on Sunday 4th January.

So, as you know, I always have my ear to the ground listening and on the look out for bits of news, juicy gossip ....so I won't hit the 'send' button on this issue until Sunday night or even later .... just in case!!

So, now here's a thought - are you an L&CPU Judge and have you got your FREE ticket to attend the Judges' Forum which is taking place in downtown Chorley on Sunday the 11th January??
I have looked just now an there are still tickets available on the Portal - but why do we need tickets I hear you ask?
Well a buffet lunch is to be provided and we obviously need to know how many to cater for. It is bit of a 'thank you' for all the hard work that our judges put in going out in all weathers on dark Winter nights and trusting that Mr Google will help you try and find a club that you have been booked to attend.

This is the opportunity that only comes around every two years to get together with your fellow judges and discuss things - the latest trends etc etc.

Well I am back typing the next installment after a somewhat long and detailed EC meeting when we discussed the price of eggs, the important forthcoming AGM, the Treasurer got his crystal ball out and proposed the membership rate to be paid by clubs in January 2027 ... yes we do have to plan that far in front - and we attempted to set up a working calendar for the year ahead and even farther .... of all the events that the L&CPU organise for you.
These items were in addition to the normal sub-secretary reports that appear on the Agenda at each meeting.

So what snippets of information did I glean from the meeting ....

Well my lips are sealed on some things to ensure that you all attend the AGM which is being held this year on line on Sunday 22nd February.

I did promise to ask the question - "was it too late for any remaining L&CPU judges to book their tickets for the Judges' Forum next Sunday the 11th January" and the answer was "NO" ....hooray!! - but for catering puposes, the tickets wont be available after Wednesday 7th January ...so if you are a Judge and aiming to come ... go onto the Portal and Book Now!

Then the following Sunday, the 18th January, it is the 'Mock APM's' which are again taking place in Chorley.

If you have already applied to go in for a PAGB distinction - then this is your big opportunity to have a number of you pictures looked at by the L&CPU experienced team of mentors/judges and marked in exactly the same way and under the same conditions as at the real APM adjudications. Then .afterwards there will hopefully be the extra opportunity for discussion as to maybe what might have let an image down and gained it a lower mark that you wished ... and maybe how it might be improved before the event proper!

I have just looked at the available ticket sales on the Portal and there are just three tickets left priced at just £10!!

Just to stop any confusion - this event is aimed at those who have already applied to the PAGB and have been allocated a place at one of the actual APM adjudication days.
The L&CPU are keen that you apply, succeed and gain the award!

Then in February on the 15th - again in Chorley - there is a PAGB APM Workshop.
This event will be run by the PAGB and it's aim is to tell attendees all about the awards, what it entails, how to apply etc ... and on show will be pictures that have been sucessful at each of the various levels so you can get an idea of what the actual standards are.

So why are the PAGB putting on this workshop in the L&CPU region?

Well as you may know the actual adjudications are held twice a year and Federations take it in turns to host the event in their region.

Our turn to host it in 'L&CPU land' is in April 2027 .... therfore this occasion will be your best opportunity to attend a local APM and, whilst busily chewing your finger nails, watch your pictures being displayed in front of an audience and scored by the APM panel of six judges.

One word of warning - if there are insufficient people willing to attend this event in February - then if will be cancelled .... and at present, that is the case!!

So get your tickets, go along in February, listen to what the criteria for each of the levels, look at the pictures on show, tell yourself that you have far better pictures at home, apply for the awards and take your rightful place at our home Federation hosted PAGB APM in April 2027.

Congratulations go to the following L&CPU members who managed to gain acceptances in the recent 'Masters of Print' competition.

They are:

Congratulations to the Magnificent eight!

The Official Opening and Award Ceremony takes place at 2pm on the 7th February 2026 at St Martin in the Bullring, Birmingham.

If you are unable to make it down to see the exhibition - it is also planned to be on show at the Wilkinson's store in Bold Street, Liverpool later in the year - watch out for further details once things are finalised!

Your text goes here

I sit at EC meetings and by the time it comes to the 'Focal Points' report - most people have nodded off ....but of course I always make a plea for my fellow EC members to help fill up the pages rather than me having to write it all .....
and so it came to pass that in this new year 2026, the prayers have been answered and so
...... now some light reading from 'Competition Wendy' ...

Competitions

Did you know ……….?

The L&CPU Competition Secretary runs four main competitions each year on behalf of the L&CPU and its member clubs, and these competitions rely on your support.

Competition dates

Annual Club Competition

print & PDI

Usually held the first weekend in March

Annual Individuals Competition

print & PDI

Usually held the first or second weekend in May

Young Photographer of the Year

Print & PDI

This competition has not run since 2024, due to a lack of young photographers; its future will depend on renewed interest and involvement

The Bob Robinson Trophy (formerly Novice Cup)

A4 unmounted print

Usually held in November, along with the Annual Club Knockout and the newer Bring a Print Competition

The Annual Club Knockout

PDI only

Bring a Print Competition

Each of these competitions has its own individual plan, outlining everything required to deliver the event successfully. This includes tasks such as:

· Booking the venue and judges’ accommodation

· Contacting and confirming judges

· Arranging refreshments for the competition days

· Collecting, engraving, and returning trophies and medals

· Issuing communications to the website, Focal Points, and most
importantly the clubs, to ensure they have sufficient time to prepare
their print and PDI entries

· Not forgetting that the competitions must be delivered within the

allocated budget

In addition, there is the administrative setup of the competition on the portal, follow-up communications, and ensuring that judges receive the correct rules and guidance—and the list goes on.

To avoid last-minute issues, it is also essential to ensure that all hardware is in place and functioning correctly, including laptops, projectors, print easels, barcode scanners, and associated equipment.

For each competition, we aim to allow approximately six weeks from the initial notification to the closing date for entries. This timeline has been used successfully for several years; however, as is often the case, many entrants work to the deadline, with the majority of entries submitted in the final few days. This can place additional pressure on the administrative workload immediately prior to the competition.

Annual Club Competition 7 & 8 March 2026

This is the L&CPU Annual Club event, where all member clubs are invited to showcase their members’ images across two sections:

Two categories:
- Open (including colour and monochrome)
- Nature
Prints
Three categories:
- Open Colour
- Open Monochrome
- Nature

The overall winning club will be named Club of the Year and will be awarded The French Cup.

There will also be a winning club in both the PDI and Print sections.

This competition also acts as the L&CPU qualifying event for the PAGB Inter-Club Projected Digital Image Championship, held each July in Warwick. Each Federation nominates two clubs to take part, alongside the finalists from the previous year.

As a result, the top two clubs from the PDI sections (Open & Nature) will be invited to represent the L&CPU.

This is an open event and clubs and their members are invited to attend and view the judging

If you are interested, you can view the results of the PAGB Inter-Club Projected Digital Image Championship at www.thepagb.org.uk

Annual Club Competition 9 & 10 May 2026

This is the L&CPU Annual Individual Competition, where all club members are invited to select and enter their own images.

PDI (Projected Digital Images)
Two categories:
- Open (including colour and monochrome)
- Nature
Prints
Three categories:
- Open Colour
- Open Monochrome
- Nature

The title of Photographer of the Year will be awarded to the individual achieving the highest cumulative score across all their images in the relevant sections.

PAGB Selection & Annual Exhibition

Print entries submitted to this competition are used to select the L&CPU entry for the PAGB Inter-Federation Championship, which is held annually in June.

In addition, the same print entries may be used for:

The Folio Boxes
Selection for the L&CPU Annual Exhibition

Important Information on the Return of Prints

Please note the following conditions regarding print returns:

If your print is selected for the PAGB Inter-Federation Championship, it may be retained and included in the following year’s Folio and therefore may not be returned for up to 24 months.
Prints selected for inclusion in the Folio Boxes will not be returned for at least 12 months.
Prints chosen for the Annual Exhibition will also not be returned for a minimum of 12 months

The Annual Club Knockout

The Bob Robinson Trophy

Bring a Print

The competitions will be held in November 2026, date to be confirmed.

The Annual Club Knockout

This competition is designed to bring L&CPU Federated Clubs together for a fun and engaging evening, with each club submitting up to eight images.

Images are eliminated over several rounds, with the judge ultimately selecting one winning image, which receives one additional point.

Awards

Two awards are presented:

· Club Award – awarded to the club achieving the highest total score
across all its images

· Individual Award – the Judge’s Choice, selected from the images
remaining in the final round

The Bob Robinson Trophy

This event is designed to encourage club members to print their images, particularly those who may not normally take part in the Federation’s annual competitions.

The competition is open to all L&CPU club members who do not currently hold any photographic qualifications or accreditations.

Entrants are asked to observe the spirit of the competition. Failure to do so undermines its purpose and may discourage genuine novices from taking part in future events.

Awards

Two awards are presented:

· Club Award – awarded to the club achieving the highest overall score

· Individual Award – awarded for the best image

Bring a Print

This is a relatively new competition, but it has already proven to be very popular.

Entry is £1 per print, with the total pot shared between the winner and runner-up — the more people who enter, the larger the prize fund.

This is a fun competition designed to bring printed images to the forefront of the competition arena.

The event is open to all L&CPU club members and features one open section for mounted prints.

There is no online entry requirement; simply bring your print on the day.

Prints must be delivered to the designated drop-off point by 9:30am on the morning of the competition.

Please note that, due to time constraints, judges can assess a maximum of 150 prints. Once this limit is reached, no further entries will be accepted.

Phew - well there you are - you are now 'In the Know' on what competitions the L&CPU organises on your behalf....and maybe you have an insight into the amount of work that goes into the organising of these competitions - thank you Wendy!!

Right - time is ticking on and we are now already into Monday afternoon when I promised myself to get this out on Sunday night ....

So here are a last few things of interest:

Ticket sales for the above event opened on January 1st - however if you have been struggling to book, the organisers apologise as there has been a problem with the RPS booking system and the man who can fix it was no doubt away on his holidays ......so they ask that you bear with them whilst the problem is sorted out.
Keep trying is the message!

Entries to the above two PAGB events are open now.

Well I think that is all the news for now - there is a lot more to add - but I will save this for another occasion - possible after the next two L&C events that are coming up over the next couple of weekends.

Until the next issue pops into your inbox - keep safe if you are going out snapping in the ice and snow ....and if you are watching 'The Traitors' -
keep Faithful!!

John