Newport Photographic Club looks to the future with new premises at university
It has been a mixed year for clubs and societies during the Covid pandemic but Newport Photographic Club is looking forward to a bright future.
The club has bucked the trend and continues to succeed as a vibrant and innovative club – this time through the auspices of Zoom – with an extensive programme of the usual competitions and technical events together with inspirational speakers from around the world.
Chairman of the Newport Photographic Club (NPC) Howard Broadbent said: “It has been an exciting year for our members, and it has been great to keep the club alive and well during such difficult time but at the same time as we look to the future, we have concluded that things are unlikely to be the same as they were pre pandemic and by going online, we have actually been able to improve the service to members.
"At the same time, we do know that many members have missed the physical meetings and can’t wait to get together in a safe way. We need to find a way forward that is the best of both worlds.”
With this in mind, the NPC committee have been investigating locations around Newport which can offer them a new long-term home.
Harper Adams University, based in nearby Edgmond, has offered the club the use of its lecture theatre in the Weston Building.
The club has been meeting at the Newport Baptist Church until the pandemic stopped physical meetings. The success of the group and growing membership numbers often made this location challenging and especially for the more practical events. Whilst established in Newport, the club attracts members from a wide geographical area from east Shropshire and over the border into Staffordshire.
Howard added: “This means that after 15 years at the Baptist Hall the photo club will be ending what has been an excellent venue for us. We have always appreciated the helpful and co-operative nature of our relationship and we will be sorry to leave, but the opportunities and facilities available at Harper Adams in a post-Covid environment will enable the club to adapt and move on."
In welcoming the club to the university, Business Support Services Manager Lisa Plant said: “As a university who values our local community, we are pleased to be able to welcome Newport Photographic Club to our campus. We look forward to building further our relationship and working alongside them as they develop their new programme.”
The club restarts its weekly meetings in October at the new venue of Weston Hall, Harper Adams University. Full details of the club and next season’s programme can be found on the website www.newportphotoclub.com.
