TAVYSIDE Patients' Association (TPA) in Tavistock has announced the start of its annual search to find Tavyside Health Centre's Young Photographer of the Year for 2015.

The search started as the committee joined together at a strawberry cream tea to bid farewell to three long serving members of the charity.

Dinah Sansom, Colin Sansom and Eric Reynolds have given decades of service to the patients of the Wharfside and Stannary surgeries, which amalgamated to form Tavyside Health Centre five years ago.

Barbara Greig, chairman of the TPA, said: 'Over many years they have supported awareness and fundraising events, surgery activities and represented patients' views to the partners, all of the time with no financial reward. On behalf of fellow patients, I say a big "thank you".'

Barbara said she was delighted to announced the start of this year's junior photographic competition run by the surgery, which last year was won by Lauren Dillon of Tavistock College.

This year the categories have been changed on the recommendation of the judges to give more scope for the young peoples' imagination.

This year they are transport, age, joy/humour and faces.

As they are not being judged on technical ability alone, the TPA is hoping to receive lots of photographs from all three age groups — four to seven years, eight to eleven and 12 to 18 years.

The TPA is hoping to increase the entries again this year as there were nearly 100 pictures in 2014.

There are 12 vouchers to be won for each category winner, plus a cash prize for each age group winner and another for the overall winning photograph.

Barbara added: 'We are very fortunate to be sponsored by Dartmoor Photographic who produce a beautiful enlargement on canvas for the winner and another on aluminium for the health centre.'

The TPA said it was indebted to its judges, led by the Times' James Bird, not only for their time and effort in judging the work, but for the helpful advice they offer to the competitors.

Three photographs can be entered in each category of each age group — the entry fee is 50p per photograph.

The last date for entries is September 28.

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