AV News Magazine | Page 4

AV News 196 - May 2014 E d ito rial Jill K Bunting CPAGB & John Smith APAGB CPAGB Attending a recent meeting of the 'AV Group Committee' it was said that this was "a quiet time of year " - well we certainly havent noticed it! Last December, whilst we were commencing putting together the February issue of 'AV News', we were also starting to make arrangements for the 2014 Great Northern Festival. Firstly a new venue had to be found and the facilities there checked out to ensure that it fullfilled our needs. Local hotels were contacted to try and negotiate some discounted packages and an evening meal. Have you recently tried setting up a new bank account? If so then you will have found that it is not an easy thing to do! Then, to be able to obtain our PAGB Patronage, we have had to become members of the local Federation - so yet more forms to fill in! Add to this working out the costings and deciding on the pricing structure, setting up the dedicated new website and on-line booking at www.gnfestival.org.uk and making initial contact with the members of the Jury and our Friday night speakers - all this has taken up a great deal of our time. Oh, and we forgot to say that in February John became President of the Lancashire & Cheshire Photographic Union for the second time and almost immediately became involved with the running of their 'AV Competition' and 'Big Day of Photography'. In addition we were the 'Technical Team' for the IAC Peter Coles International Competition held at Capel Curig in March with 80 entries being shown over two days..... and then this issue of the magazine has needed putting together ready to go to the printers. Phew!! Details on the forthcoming RPS Internationals can be found on the inside front cover. The organising committee, led by Ian Bateman, have endeavoured to try and keep the costs down and the prices have been frozen at the 2012 rate. Details can be found on their website at www.rpsinternational.org.uk With the ever increasin