Unfortunately there were insufficient entries for this years Judges Workshop and the event was cancelled at short notice. This was a disappointment to your Executive Committee and to those photographers who had expressed a wish to take part. In the final analysis the event would not have been cost effective. Club and other competitions still rely heavily upon the Judge to officiate and the EAF does its best to ensure those judges achieve a good standard. Age, domestic commitments and dare I say it work, constantly impact upon the number of judges available. The pool is always in need of topping up and I would urge any photographer who has an interest in judging to seriously consider attending a workshop in future years. In the meantime it would be a good idea to arrange some practice with a local club. On a positive note, I am pleased to announce that Colin Southgate, ARPS, DPAGB, has been promoted to the EAF ‘B’ Panel of Judges, well done to Colin.
As a judge or lecturer are you using the EAF facility to simplify your e-mail address? The system makes it so much easier than using individual e-mail addresses. To contact any judge or lecturer who uses the e-mail system, enter the name exactly as shown in the Directory of Judges & Lecturers 2002/2003, without titles, distinctions, spaces or punctuation followed by @eafphotoclubs.co.uk.
For example - RobertGood@eafphotoclubs.co.uk. Any judge or lecturer who changes their e-mail address or server (and so many of you do on a regular basis) only has to notify the EAF Mail Master on mailcentre@eafphotoclubs.co.uk to register the change. It couldn’t be simpler!

It has become of increasing concern to me that I am frequently asked to commit myself to bookings 2 years or so ahead. In reality I have no idea what I will be doing that far in advance - will I be on holiday, have a work commitment or even be retired for the second time! I often end up arranging my work and social life around my judging commitments. Being a Programme Secretary myself for the next season I understand the pressures to achieve firm bookings but does the system place an unnecessary burden upon the Judge?
The PAGB conditions state, ‘There is no obligation for a judge to accept an engagement but, once one has been accepted, it is hoped that only serious difficulty will necessitate a change or cancellation by either party.’ So I have a choice whether or not to accept. There is however implied pressure from friends and colleagues to take on bookings in order that they may complete their programmes. In the first 4 months of this year I spent time ‘working’ in Jamaica and, at the other end of the scale, 2 months running a training course in Birmingham. I could not have reasonably foreseen either commitment so far in advance - hence some cancellations.
The situation is further complicated as the majority of clubs operates a season from September to September, while others operate from January to January. I agree that planning is essential but I feel we must break the current cycle of booking so far in advance. Should we impose a limit of accepting bookings no more than 14 months in advance? Or even less? Do you need to know the name of the judge at the time your programme is printed? I would be interested in your views.
Due to the cancellation of the Judges’ Workshop, Dave Nelson of 2 The Whistlers, St Ives, Tel. 01480 353207 is seeking judging opportunities to gain experience. Dave is not yet on a Judges Panel but has been involved in photography for many years and it would be useful if clubs could consider inviting Dave to judge.

On the 26th October, the sixth PAGB Club Print Championship event was held at Deeside College, Connah's Quay, North Wales, for the second successive year. Sandy Clelland FRPS AFIAP, Hugh Milsom MFIAP and Peter Rees EFIAP FRPS MPAGB judged the event this year. Ipswich & District Photographic Society, Mundesley Photographic Group and Shillington & District Camera Club represented the EAF. Ipswich and Shillington both managed to squeeze into the final with the same number of points in the first round and Mundesley, who were only three points behind, contested the Plate Competition. Scoring was very close during the whole event and at the end only 26 points covered the top nine clubs, with Shillington in fifth place and Ipswich eighth. Images were of the high standard we have come to expect, with a good deal of "dereliction" on show and appreciated by the judges along with a fair sprinkling of portraits. The organisers expect the event to take place at the same venue next year on Saturday, 25th October - a date for your diaries.
The Champion Club this year was Smethwick PS, followed by Cannock PS with Solihull, last year's winners in third place.

The Plate Competition was won by Bournemouth Photographic Society with Eryri Photographic Group and Penwith Photographic Group second and third respectively. Unfortunately the full scores of the Plate event were not published and I do not have a final position for Mundesley.

And not forgetting slides -
St Neots and District Camera Club will host the 2003 Slide Championship and Selection competition for clubs to represent us at the PAGB Club Slide Championship next year. The event will take place on 16th February, at The Priory Centre, St Neots, Cambridgeshire. The judges are Kate Platt ARPS, Dr Brian Most FRPS DPAGB and Nick Scott FRPS EFIAP MPAGB APAGB. The closing date for entries is Saturday, 4th January 2003. Please try to submit your entry early, to ensure it doesn't get caught up in the Christmas post. The two highest placed clubs will be invited to represent the EAF at the PAGB Club Slide Championship at Warwick on Saturday, 12th July 2003.