WEST CUMBRIA PHOTOGRAPHIC GROUP (Published Sept 2002)
The West Cumbria Photo Group is relatively new only being established about four years ago and is not a "club" or "photographic society" in the usual understood way. The group meets about once every six to eight weeks and there are about 12 of us, it does not have lectures or competitions, it has no rules, no chairman, no subs, anyone who takes pictures is welcome but the group is predominately about prints. Sometimes we have a trip out to take pictures and consume an unhealthy amount of fish and chips. Most of the time we look at each other's pictures. Photographically we concentrate on one main activity - we produce prints and exhibit them.
Soon after we started two consultants from the local district general hospital at Whitehaven approached us to see if we could provide some pictures to improve the appearance of the hospital walls. The group met at the hospital and agreed that if the hospital would provide the frames we would do the pictures with an undertaking to change them every three or four months. This started with about 20 pictures and we now have over 150 around the hospital. These pictures are seen every month by thousands of people. The group provides mounted 20 x 16 prints on any theme for the majority of hanging space but on the main staircase of the hospital (which is the most well used thoroughfare) each landing exhibits three pictures on a theme by individual members of the group. There is also a long corridor where an individual member can exhibit a panel of 24 pictures. All this has become so popular with the hospital authorities, patients, visitors and staff ; that we have had to call a halt to the requests to exhibit in more and more places within the hospital. So many people contact us to say how much the pictures have improved the general "feel" of the hospital. We also have had some people who have complained about certain pictures!! It is hard work to keep producing the pictures, but very worth while.
The group also exhibits through national and international salons. Doing this as a group not only makes it cheaper but also helps members select their entry and provides general encouragement. Over the past few years we have entered 7 exhibitions gaining 66 acceptances and winning 7 awards, Christ Ward, Bob Jeffery, Helen Herbert gaining one each with Jack Bamford and Diane Heal two each.
Our group is about pictures; good fun and the tea break can last the whole time we are together. Some members belong to other clubs and some just to the West Cumbria Group. The group is not "elitist" anyone can come and bring their pictures for the hospital etc. For many the prospect of going each week to the old club format, to sit on hard chairs and long for the tea break to come round, in semi-dark seclusion is a world of the past. It's each to his or her own, we like it this way and we keep producing the pictures.
Tony Potter