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Bulletin 138 Date : 1st Jul 2008
Photo Marathon

As part of Hope08, Churches Together in West Bridgford, Nottingham, have organised an event called the West Bridgford Photo Marathon. The idea came from my visit to Vienna last autumn when I took part, along with over 1,000 other photographers, in an all-day event where we had to take 24 photos on a set of themes handed to us on the day.

I presented the idea of organising a similar but smaller event in West Bridgford to Churches Together and there was great enthusiasm. An excellent team of people, drawn from local churches, joined me in the planning of the event and the web site has just gone live and is taking bookings – click here (www.photomarathon.org.uk). We have professional photographers judging the entrants and excellent prizes donated by local sponsors including Boots, Fotomargo and David Lloyd. People come from all over the country to take part in events like this.

So what makes it outreach? Well, for a start, the event will commence at the Friary Scout Hall (behind the Friary Drop-In centre) and URC church at 9am when around 250 people, mostly new-comers, will gather for registration and the briefing.

Secondly, our hope is that church people, including youth groups and schools, will invite their friends to take part and strike up new relationships.

Also, the community are right behind this event. I have been overwhelmed by the kindness shown by local shops and businesses in offering prizes. Although organised by churches, this is not an ‘overtly religious’ event and it will appeal to anyone with an interest in photography, no matter what level they may be at.

The Prize-Giving will take place a month later at West Bridgford Methodist Church when Frances Finn of BBC Radio Nottingham will present the prizes. Frances is a committed Christian and regularly speaks at local events about her faith and her work as a Radio Presenter. She is so natural in her talks that anyone will be able to relate to what she has to share. This event will be attended by local dignitaries and sponsors, along with the top prize-winners. In a low-key but creative way we will explain why, as Christians, we have offered this event as ‘our gift to the community’ and why we have chosen HOPE as our theme.

The main theme of the event is ‘Hope in West Bridgford’ and people will be encouraged to spend the day looking at the community through a different set of eyes, sweeping aside the gloom which peppers the news these days and replacing it with fresh vision.

Already the bookings have started to roll in and so if you wish to take part, please book through the web site (£5-adult, £2.50-under 16). Bring a group from your church and take the idea away with you to run in your locality. To find out more, visit the web site.