At the recent AGM of the KCPA Alan Lomakin was presented with the Chain of Office by the outgoing President Clive Tanner.
Below is Alan’s speech for those who were unable to attend.
From the New President
“My first duty as president is to thank Clive for a very successful two and a half years as president. A very professional performance, with a calming influence, and many achievements. Supported in the background, by his partner Annie.
Clive will continue to work with the committee organising the PAGB adjudications which the KCPA will be hosting in April. I believe that 30% of the work towards the event has been completed, but much more to do. To help support the annual exhibition Clive was able to drastically reduce the cost to the museum by volunteering his services to the museum. This entailed cleaning the toilets washing the floors and vacuuming the carpets late at night. Or was it photographing their artefacts? Yes a task which Clive is probably more well known for.
What do I hope to bring to the KCPA? One word. Relationship.
I want to bond the KCPA closer to its Associates. A task which I will undertake immediately.
As you know the KCPA is affiliated to the PAGB and every year along with the other 14 federations –without fail-we arrange the following for the PAGB: 2 clubs for the print championships (Connahs Quay), 2 clubs for the PDI championships (Warwick). A selection of prints for the inter fed print exhibition. A selection of PDI’S for the Inter Fed PDI exhibition. It’s easy, they are annual commitments. They are in the diary. It’s done with passion and spirit. No federation forgets or drops out.
The KCPA choose the clubs for the championships through the Ross cup and the jubilee competitions. The prints are chosen from our annual exhibition and the PDI’S from the KCPA digital competition. They are annual, they happen every year. They are in the diary. We should not forget.
So are our associates preparing for these annual events in the same spirit and commitment as the federations?
Eastbourne organised the last Jubilee competition, and very well I must add. But how disappointing for them and for us all that only 24 clubs entered. That’s 50%.
The annual exhibition usually sees just above 10% of the membership entering and the PDI around 5%. That can’t be right. Where’s the commitment, the passion and the spirit.
I will create a chairman’s day
In October
In here……..with shepherd’s pie, jelly and ice cream, tea and biscuits. I’ll listen to what the Chairman have to say. We will make notes. We will have bonding session so you can return to your clubs where your members will ask how did go. Did you have any input? Was it worthwhile? What was it all about? Please chairman gives it try. It could be an annual thing.
I am very pleased with our judging service. It’s constantly improving and many more of you are taking up the challenge. Judges give up a lot of their spare time to visit clubs and I’m sure they could do without further stresses on arrival. There are rules laid down in the yearbook for clubs on how to be courteous to your visiting judge. This doesn’t include anti depressants and a glass of scotch. Just as there are opportunities for clubs to report about judges, so judges can report about their experience to your club. Reports will be made to Jane and Jane will report to me.
Judges. I know when you visit a club you always give a welcome from your own club. You should also say ….and a very warm welcome from the KCPA…. Also encourage the members to place their work into the annual exhibition. One such photographer from Gateway entered some work into the exhibition the first time and got a shock result.
The KCPA is all about encouraging photography. So for the membership my immediate priority is to work towards facilitating a day to help towards your CPAGB and DPAGB. We will have judges from the PAGB here to review your work and it will happen before the KCPA event for the PAGB adjudications weekend in April.
We will also be assisting Eastbourne in a new competition for mono prints. I hope to see this up and running as soon as possible. Slide workers. Are there any of you out there. Well let’s get you together as a club and see if we can generate a competition.
Finally we will go forward as one team with many valued skills. With a commitment that is not just enough but the best we can. We will listen carefully and speak clearly with openness, pride, spirit and attitude. I will give respect to all our clubs and hope to receive it back from them.”
Alan Lomakin
KCPA President