On a beautiful sunny Sunday on the 7th June eight members of our club enjoyed a full day at the Imperial War Museum Duxford in Cambridgeshire. This was the first EAF event of its type with the aim of promoting engagement, particularly in competitions, by the smaller clubs across the region but still providing an entertaining day for members of the larger clubs such as our own - and of course to socialise. A further competition for all (to be announced later) is the ‘Duxford Challenge’ for images taken by delegates on the day.
Andy Gutteridge MPAGB ARPS FBPE EFIAP-d MAPJD (of PICO and the EAF Executive) tirelessly organised this event over many months. He must have been rewarded to see the 9am queues waiting to register for the day and after teas, coffees and biscuits the impressive auditorium completely fill for the opening by our own Paul Radden as EAF President.
Andy welcomed everyone, introduced the three competition judges (the current President, a Past President and the President Elect) and explained the format of the day. We were then let loose across the vast indoor and outdoor exhibits clutching our cameras in the hope of some ‘nice’ images (sorry Paul). To this end the EAF had organised seven wartime re-enactors to move around the site with us including a most stylishly attired Shirley Radden (see image - Shirley is the one without the pipe!).
After lunch time we moved back into the auditorium for the afternoon session where the large clubs were able to watch the smaller ones have their previously entered ‘6 from 6’ images judged. This format was novel in that the six images were each to be from different authors with no scores (or names) announced on the day to keep everything positive (they were sent on to the clubs afterwards) but winners of the categories did receive their certificates on the day.
The PDI category was judged by our Paul Radden DPAGB EFIAP/g PSA4*; the Prints (which were also projected for the audience) by Naomi Saul ARPS ASINWP EFIAP DPAGB APAGB BPE4*; and the mobile phone category by Alison Jenkins ARPS DPAGB CPAGBa/v BPE1*. The judges’ critiques were in-depth and positive and the standard from these smaller clubs was high so we will hope to see more of them in the 2026-27 competition season - we may have to raise our game.
The day ended as the museum closed, a most successful and enjoyable day which may even be repeated in the future when Andy Gutteridge has taken a well-earned rest.