New Contact Details for BBPS
Baglan Bay Photographic Society have updated their contact details as follows. The also have a new website under construction.
AWPF Adjudication Day
Bridgend Moving in September
From September Bridgend & District Camera club are moving to a new venue – Bridgend Town Hall, Sunnyside Road, Bridgend, CF31 4AF.
Barry Mead 1947 – 2026
We have received yet more very sad news, this time from Pete Howell at Bristol PS.
It is with great sorrow that I have to tell you that long-time BPS member, Barry Mead, died yesterday, Friday 19 June. Barry had been diagnosed with bowel cancer earlier in the year and was admitted to hospital about two weeks ago for, what he told me the night before going in, was due to be a fairly routine “robotic” operation to remove a short length of his bowel, with an anticipated release date some 3 to 5 days later. During the operation they unfortunately found that the cancer had spread and he was returned to the ward for what became palliative care and where he sadly died.
WPF Convention Speakers Announced
Location Map for all WPF Clubs
A map to the WPF club’s locations can now be found on this website, here.
Judith Parry DPAGB EFIAP HonPAGB
Further to the sad news we reported in our last edition, Leigh Preston has written an appreciation of the life and work of Judith Parry.
You can read it in edition 408 (extra) of PAGB E-News. Click here.
2026 PAGB Inter-Fed Results
2026 PAGB Inter-Federation Competition & Exhibition
Competition – The competition was judged on Saturday 20th June 2026 and the results are now available here.
The WPF achieved a very creditable 7th place (out of 15) in the Colour Print Section. We were =13th in the Monochrome Print Section and =10th in the Nature Print Section.
Our congratulations go to Owen Edmonds of Bargoed CC on receiving a Judge’s Award for his Monochrome Print, ‘Solitude’.
My thanks go to all the photographers whose work was selected to represent WPF.
Exhibition – The opening will be at 2pm on 18th July 2026 at The Old School House, Churchbridge, Oldbury, B69 2AS (the home of Smethwick PS) when the awards will be presented.
Print Returns – I do not yet know what prints will be included in the exhibition. I will be collecting the prints which will not be used, together with those included in the 2025 exhibition, on 11th July 2026. When I know whose prints I have, I will arrange for their return.
Peter A Young HonPAGB
24th June 2026
A Tribute to Barry Mead 1947 – 2026
John Chamberlin has written the following tribute to Barry Mead.
Barry was very much a larger than life character, always fun to be with and full of countless stories and anecdotes which meant he was great company.
He had a long and distinguished secondary teaching career in the Bristol area where many of his students excelled at both art and photography. He was able to inspire children from challenging backgrounds and exhibitions of their work, curated by Barry were greatly admired.
Barry was involved in photography for over 50 years, and his outstanding teaching skills were in great demand. In the days of film, he organised countless large format workshops for the RPS and for his services was awarded the Fenton Medal by the Society. He gained his Fellowship of the Society in the early 90’s with a panel of highly distinctive multi layered prints. Barry was fond of telling the story of how the Chair of the adjudicating panel had said he disliked the prints intensely but nevertheless felt they were of Fellowship standard!
Barry became a member of the Bristol PS. in the mid 70’s and served in many roles over his lifetime. In particular, he was Chair on four separate occasions as well as External Competition Secretary, Webmaster for 12 years and editor of the society Newsletter. He also served in the honorary role of Club President from 2016 -2021. Throughout his membership he regularly supported club events and enjoyed club competitions where his original and highly creative images met with regular success.
In the wider amateur photographic world Barry was a very highly respected judge and lecturer for both the Western Counties Photographic Federation as well as the PAGB. He was awarded both an APAGB and an MPAGB. His images were exhibited all around the world and he reached the lofty heights of EFIAP/Diamond 3, gaining countless medals and awards along the way.
Barry very much embraced the digital age where his creative skills were given free rein. His highly original images were the product of a truly creative eye, always extremely accomplished technically and regularly revealing a sense of humour. Above all else he was a most accomplished printer. In addition, he enjoyed taking images of the natural world on the many journeys he made to locations around the world.
On a personal note I have lost a good friend, Bristol Photographic Society has lost a talented and devoted member, and the wider photographic world has lost a person who made an enormous contribution in so many areas.
Our thoughts and sincere condolences go to his wife Ann and son Ollie.
John Chamberlin