SHEILA BROWN President of Parkstone Photo Club
"Now, as the climax to my photographic life, (loud blowing of trumpet) I have been given the wonderful honour of being the club's President. I couldn't wish for more!"
I am absolutely thrilled to be the club’s President. It’s such an unexpected honour and I feel very proud.
I joined the club about 25 years ago and, just 5 minutes after being there, the Competition Secretary asked me if I would like to take over from him.
Of course, I agreed, especially as he assured me that he would be there to give me any help I needed.
And that was the last time I saw him!
Anyway, during all those years I have been on the Committee and I have done various jobs in the club including: Chairman, Vice Chairman, Competition Secretary, Assistant Competition Secretary, Programme Secretary, Assistant Programme Secretary, SAPA Rep, and Raffle Organiser.
I still enjoy everything about our club and I hope to be part of it for much longer.
Believe it or not, until I had been married nearly 25 years, I had never even touched a camera.
You see, I was married back in the Dark Ages when most families only owned one camera and the man automatically took charge of it.
It didn’t occur to me that I could do anything so clever as use a camera myself until, one day, sick and tired of me asking him to take pictures of pretty flowers, my husband, Ken, bought me my very own Pentax MX, and my whole life changed.
Now, in the digital age, I have a Canon Powershot G5 which, although a bit ancient (like me!), still suits my modest requirements.
Photography is definitely my main interest and there are a few things I am particularly proud of.
I was the first female Chairman in my former camera club, Hemel Hempstead Photographic Society.
Here, at our club, I was the first female Chairman.
I was the first and only female Chairman of SAPA (Stour and Avon Photographic Association) and I was the first and only female member of the first-ever SAPA Judges Panel.
Now, finally, I am the first female President here.