AV News 184 - May 2011
He had a completed the prose for the AV and he read out his suggested ideas.
There was a short discussion and a further call came a day later. Then the day
before he died I received a letter with the handwritten poem ready to use.
Now I have to complete the AV!
Along with my wife Rhona,
Peter, Ron Davies and I travelled
all over Europe visiting AV
Festivals. He was a great
companion. However, he could be
very absent-minded. When going
to Thionville from Holland with Ron
and fellow enthusiast Willem van
den Berg he was reputed to have
started with his suitcase and his
camera case and to have arrived in
Thionville with neither!
During the time I have known
Peter he has been a well-liked Lib-Dem councillor in Calderdale, Mayor of
Mytholmroyd and Mayor of Calderdale. In the latter capacity and with his wife
Enid, he attended over 1000 events during his year in office! Two years later he
underwent a quadruple by-pass operation and made an AV programme about his
experiences while he was in hospital undergoing surgery! He thought the
operation would give him back his old energy, but it was not to be and the last few
years of his life saw a decline in his health. In recognition of his service to the
community he was made a Freeman of the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale
in February this year.
His years of service to the AV
movement have resulted in
numerous awards such as
the Dobson-Henry medal for
services to the AV Group and
the Fenton medal for
services to the Royal
Photographic Society. He
served for many years on the
RPS AV Distinctions Panel
as both a member and as
Chairman. In 2003 he took
over the organisation of the IAC Geoffrey Round AV Competition and made it an
International event. It became the very first all digital International AV Festival.
Peter will leave a great void in the AV movement. He was quite unique and has
always been at the forefront of our AV movement. It has been a real pleasure to
have known him.
Peter was a strong practicing Christian and his thoughts and beliefs appeared
throughout his AV work. I suspect that even now he is discussing with St. Peter
the possibility of making an AV programme with him!
Our condolences go to his wife Enid and to his children - Mark, Richard and
Belinda - on their sad loss.
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