YOUNG photographers were rewarded for their efforts with prizes following the Tavyside Health Centre Young Photographer competition.

Chairman of the Tavyside Patients Association — which organised the competition — Barbara Greig, welcomed the winners and their families to the surgery to receive their prizes.

The photographer of each winning picture in each category, received a medal recording their achievements, presented by treasurer Betty Whitby and secretary Colin Sansom. The overall winner in each age group received an enlargement of their winning photograph on aluminium, presented by leading judge and Times photographer James Bird and Dan Furneaux from Dartmoor Photographic, which sponsored the prizes.

The name of the winner of the picture judged the best in the competition will be inscribed onto the Maureen Reynolds Trophy plaque, which was presented to Shanelle Bowyer by Eric Reynolds, committee member of the association and Dr Mark Eggleton of the health centre. The plaque will be displayed along with a copy of the winning picture.

James Bird congratulated the young photographers and offered some hints for next year. Practice manager Dene Medland thanked everyone for their support.

The association is looking forward to holding the event again next year and hoped that the event helped to take away any fear that young people experience when visiting surgeries, doctors and health services in general. It is also planning to help tackle some misconceptions about health issues by patients, through patient information evenings with the doctors and specialists, in various subjects about which patients express an interest. It is proposed to run these sessions in the conference centre at Tavyside through the winter months.