Despite a month of almost incessant grey skies, the sun came out for just long enough on Saturday 30th December for twenty odd photographers from WAK and ePz to play with any new toys they had squeezed out of Santa a few days earlier! This is the story of how they got on....

The appointed time was 10am and as the rustic gates swung open, 17 photographers skipped across the drying puddles and into the 46 acres of ancient woodland known as Wildwood. Fifteen minutes later, they all lined up for the group mugshot. Not long after that, another five arrived, some of whom wanted photoshopping into the image!

L-R Robin (Bluefoot), Phill Joss (Phillj), Carl Broadis (Sidaorb), Helen Buckley (Neleliza), Ade Osmant (Osman123), Mathew Batchelor, Fran French (Daffydil56), Jill Batchelor (Haystacks), Shirley Andrews (Shirley), Nick Powell, Sue Osmant (suzieosman), Brett Lewis (Adderman), Della Wakelen (DellaW), Tony Flashman (Nikonf4s), Shaun Wakelen (ShaunW) and Ian Andrews (Characterboats). Nick Armitt (Hobbs) is the one climbing on the woodwork. Late on Parade or missing in action were: Sue Turner, Teddy, Debbie, Phil Hurst (Philh04) and Nigel Batchelor.

By 10.30am most had wandered off to get some images in the bag for the afternoons' competition while a few sampled the delights of the cafeteria's coffee pot. It was about this time that the cafe's resident Robin made his first curtain call, posing left side, right side, straight on without moving his position on a nearby branch. This display lasted not the normal minute or so that a Robin stays in the same place, but for a good 20-25 minutes, allowing the photographers plenty of time to change positions, lenses, settings and every other thing they might have wanted to try.

Nick (Hobbs) thought he was still in London at Hyde park, but despite getting on his soapbox, failed to raise the interest of the crowd!

The Robin posed for photographs...

The idea was to get the prints done by 3pm but the last didn't roll off the printer until 3.20pm. By this time, the rain had started and everyone was watching as Penny Cornet, Visitor Centre Manager for Wildwood, started the process of judgement. By this time, the cafe staff wanted to sweep up, so everyone got ushered outside (fortunately the veranda area is covered) and Penny was able to continue her deliberations without twenty odd photographers looking over her shoulder.

The result was announced, with the top three places being taken by Ladies and four of the six prizes going to their gender! Penny did say that she had chosen her top six on appeal, rather than technical merit of which she had no knowledge, but I do hear that some husbands have taken some stick since!!

..but expected payment

Prize winners, in order of merit were: Della Wakelen, Sue Osmant, Fran French, Shaun Wakelen, Shirley Andrews and Brett Lewis. Under the circumstances, I'm glad I had nothing to do with the judging and I wholeheartedly thank Penny Cornet for her deliberations.

The only thing left to do was collect prizes and sprint for the car park through the now deepening puddles.

Thanks to everyone who came along and made it a fun day, and here's looking forward to the next one.