Open letter to the members of the Executive Committee of The Welsh Photographic Federation.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I hereby inform you that I am retiring from the Executive Committee with immediate effect.
It was early February, 1984, when I was elected to the Council of The Midland Counties Photographic Federation (MCPF). I joined in order that I could serve clubs through our joint efforts and that has remained my focus throughout. I committed myself to The Welsh Photographic Federation (WPF) in March 2015 and was elected to the Executive Committee. I retired from MCPF in June 2015. That all constitutes just over 40 unbroken years’ service to clubs. A fitting time for me to do this.
During that 40 years, probably the only role that I have not taken on is that of General Secretary. Most of my efforts have been around exhibitions at both Federation and International levels. I was President of both MCPF and WPF and my research leads me to believe that I am one of only three people to have had that distinction. I was enormously proud of the WPF’s achievements during the COVID-19 Lockdowns, while I was President, and afterwards; a number of other PAGB Federations followed our lead.
Throughout my time in organised club photography, I have worked hard to make amateur photographers enjoy their hobby as well as they can. As I said, earlier, my focus has always been on the clubs. Thus, I was pleased to be able to make the first announcement of my impending retirement to the WPF clubs who were present at the WPF Memorials Day on Sunday – it seemed fitting that the clubs should be the first to know.
I remain willing, anxious even, to help someone into the role of Welsh International Chairman and shall be pleased to answer any questions that a possible volunteer may have.
It has been a pleasure, a privilege and a life-changing process to serve the clubs of both MCPF and WPF. My most sincere thanks go to all those who have helped me, especially to my wife Jill, without whom I should not have been able to do so much. Thank you, Jill.
I wish you well in your endeavours in an exciting period of change. I shall still be around, but in the audience, not at the front.
Yours in photography,
Peter A Young LRPS CPAGB AFIAP HonPAGB
21 February 2024