AGM February 13th

Present
Keith Brown, Ann Smith, Roger Moore, John Sampson, Joan Clough, Sheila Reynolds, Sheila Woodhouse, Hazel Watson, Axel Chapman, Jim Swithenbank, Nick Chalkley, Ian Stanyon, Zoe Sampson, Margaret Drabble, Ian Holmes, Jeanette Holmes. Alison Johnston
Apologies
Paul Hatt, Jason Deitch, Karen Frenkel, Wayne Hallam, Mike & Judy Smith, John Loveless, Ray Fowler,
The meeting began with a welcome from Keith. Margaret acted as minute secretary in the absence of Paul.
The Minutes from the 2024 AGM were all approved and no matters arising.
Chairs Report 2024 – Ann Smith
It has been a lovely year with CHVPS sharing with like-minded people, ideas, images and laughter. A great year of evenings and outings from Underground Sheffield to “Dental Devices”, VIA USA, Africa and more. Thank you to all members who have contributed in 2024 in so many different ways. Sharing images, supporting the coffee morning, setting up (and dismantling) the 2024 exhibition 3 times! Organising the “none” Christmas meal, making teas, coffees and washing up, working back stage on the committee, encouraging and appreciating those from with in and external lecturers who have shared images and dream with us this year; compiling the Yearbook and entering the exhibition.
I am not going to go into detail of all the events and evenings we have enjoyed this year. I will try and summarize but it is hard and I don’t want to miss anyone or images out. So a quick dash through 2024 – I hope sparks some memories and inspires you once again!
Great images from members shared at the December meeting with titles covering the variety of interests from members. “Weekend in the Lakes”, “A Year in Brough”, “Animal Trails”, “Sunday In The City”, “Dating Sites” (as never seen before!) and “A bit of this and a bit of that”. Thank you Steve, Joan, Judy, Robert, Alison and Keith.
The 2024 General and Themed Exhibition “Man at Work” was well received with members enjoying a different way of evaluating the images entered with input from the floor. We now have “trophies” for all four top images – Catherine Cup – Best Colour Image; Denis Thorpe Best Black and White; wooden bowls for Best General and Best themed – thank you Paul for making these for us.
Thanks must go to our external contributors:
Erica Oram – “A bit of this and a bit of that” inspired all those present.
Joe and Amy Dalton from Aston Hall Farm in Aston, shared life on the farm with us. Great to see somewhere familiar to many present from a different view. Also great to see Amy’s keen eye for composition.
Malcolm Imhoff took us over mountains all over the world in his AV Evening.
Ashley Franklin “The wider world of photography” looked at the interesting history of style, impact of portraits, fashion, war and the press on photography.
Meanwhile back by popular demand we held the now annual Scavenger Hunt in May. Members set off to explore Castleton for the evening while taking 5 images on this year’s theme, Circles. Meeting back at base to share their finds and drink tea! Congratulations to Zoe who won the members’ vote.
Zoe and John Sampson took us along with them on a trip down the “Chobe River of Dreams” showing their passion for Africa, animal (especially elephants, John!) and photography – great to share with you.
Paul Hatt’s interpretation of “Kinder Mass Trespass” had great landscapes and lots of interesting history thrown in. Wayne Hallam’s “Brace Yourself” images along with explanations of designing and creating braces, dentures and other dental devices! A great evening all round.
In the Autumn, we held a Coffee Morning in the Old School, Hope to raise funds for the Club. I admit myself and other committee member (who will remain nameless) did mutter along the line of “why on this lovely sunny Autumn day, ideal for some image catching, are we inside with no one having turned up?” I turned my back for a minute, turning back to find the magic house had arrived, with people piling in to enjoy cake, coffee and to check out the 2024 image exhibition. It was a great result, thank you one and all who helped set up, made cakes, donated raffle prizes and spent money!
The ”none” Christmas meal was another highlight of the year presenting no pressures to the committee to come up with a photo quiz – I am saying nothing! It was a lovely evening.
If you would like to see more details of 2024 please buy a copy of the Yearbook to see the report in full! Thank you Roger, for once again preparing and organising this.
It has been a busy year all round and once again I couldn’t do the job of chairman without the back up and support of all the committee members. Thank you Paul, John, Roger, Keith, Ian and Margaret. I may take a rest from the chair and have a lie down in 2024”!
Keith thanked Ann for her second year as Chair – it has been a really good year.
Finance – John Sampson, Treasurer
The balance sheets were shown on the screen, although copies of the accounts had been sent out previously by email. The m ain points of interest between 2023 and 2024 were outlined. We had spent £51 more last year than in 2023. The main reason for this was the purchase of carry bags for the exhibition display stands. These cost £460.00 in total. Thank you very much to Ian S for organising these with Alpkit, and also for the grant of £250 from the local councillors; therefore we have spent just over £200.00.
We made a bit more on subscriptions and also from fund raising events – the meal and coffee morning. The Yearbook broke even – thanks once again to Roger for all his work on producing this. Keith had done an estimated budget for the visiting speakers for 2025 – although the estimate might be slightly more, we still have money to spare. The insurance went up by £25.00 but all in all, 2024 was run on an even keel.
Assets –The only change was the purchase of the storage bags. We have kept the insurance the same and everything else is unchanged.
Budget forecast this should be up in 2025. There will be a £5.00 per meeting additional charge for the hire of the hall which was reasonable. We have some good speakers arranged for 2025 – especially Alex Hyde in December.
Coffee Morning, Social Meal and the Denis Thorpe photo exhibition all help to raise income.
We don’t plan any major purchases for 2025. We will cancel the annual Zoom subscription of £160.00. We used Zoom a lot in 2020/21 in the Covid Pandemic, but we have not used this since.
Subscriptions these will remain the same as last year – £35 per person, and for spouses/partners the cost will remain £25.00. There were no objections!
There were no questions and John was thanked by Keith for a great job on the accounts. He also thanked Ian for all his input on the storage bags – these are kept in the Sacristy at St. Peter’s Church, Hope (free of charge in exchange for putting up the photo display in Wakes Week) these will really protect the boards and stands for the exhibitions. Keith also thanked John for securing the grant for the bags.
Election of Officers
Notification went out before the meeting; and in his absence, Keith said Paul had not received any other nominations.
The President, Ray Fowler, who couldn’t be at the meeting, asked Keith to inform us all that, due to his health condition, he wished to stand down as President of the Society. He is unable to attend meetings and feels that he is unable to contribute to the society in the way he used to. He has been delighted to see the Society grow and achieve the vision that he and Peter Harrison had when they started the Society over 20 years ago. He is now happy to hand over the reins into very capable hands, all being well, for the next 20 years! Thank you, Ray for all your contributions over the years. Margaret would send a Thank you card to Ray.
Keith had been nominated President, and was very happy and delighted to take over this role.
The Chair, Ann, is standing down after two years in office. Roger is the new Chair – he is delighted to do this, as his last session as Chair was during lockdown in 2020/21.
Paul will remain as Secretary.
Keith with assistance from Margaret will remain Programme Secretaries.
Ian Stanyon volunteered (after the AGM) to be Vice Chair – we are very grateful for this. Thank you.
John Sampson is still willing to be Treasurer. Ian Stanyon and Margaret are prepared to continue on committee. All these nominations were proposed en bloc. Thank you all.
There are non-committee positions – namely Paul Hatt is the Webmaster and does an excellent job.
Zoe Sampson volunteered to be Social Media Secretary
The position of Archivist is still vacant if anyone wants to take this on.
Refreshments are provided by Margaret and Nick (check this)
Roger is happy to continue preparing and producing the Yearbook.
Keith and Margaret to continue as Social Secretaries/ Programme arrangers.
Gordon Hopewell is happy to continue as Auditor.
AOB
Margaret went through the programme for 2025 – copies would be available for the March meeting. We have some good evenings planned, with several external speakers, especially Alex Hyde in December. With Zoe’s assistance, we would try and promote the special evenings via Parish News, posters etc. Hopefully this would also encourage people to join the Society.
There was no other business and awards and certificates ,for the 2024 Exhibition, were presented as follows:

General Category
1st – John Sampson – “Mother & Child”
2nd – Steve Elliott – “Bolts Over Blue”
3rd – John Sampson – “Clash of The Giants”
Commended – Keith Brown – “In Prayer”
Commended – Alison Johnston – “Serenity”
Commended – Zoe Sampson – “Branch Manager”

Theme
1st – Steve Elliott – “Framing the Fog”
2nd – Keith Brown – “Curious Seagull”
3rd – Margaret Drabble – “Sit”
Commended – Alison Johnston – “Concentration”
Commended – David Allwood – “Danish Royal Life Guards”
Commended – Ann Smith – “Man, Dog and Sheep at Work”