WINNERS in the Tavyside Patients’ Association’s young photographer of the year 2017 competition gathered earlier this month to receive their prizes.

The occasion was attended by judges, Keith Urro, Times photographer James Bird, and practice manager Dene Medland representing the Tavyside Health Centre, committee members of the TPA, and Peter Reynolds, who has sponsored the contest this year following the death of his father Eric, the founder and sponsor of the competition for six years.

TPA member Barbara Greig said it had been good to see many younger photographers as winners this year, with more entries received from the junior schools this year.

Prizes were presented to: James Malthouse aged 4 from St Rumon’s Infants School with his pictures in two categories ‘growing things’ and ‘tenderness’; Harry Malthouse, 5, St Rumon’s Infant School, for his pictures in the categories ‘wild and wonderful’ and ‘people at work’.

A special prize was presented for Jodie Medland, 9, from Milton Abbot Primary School whose picture was highly commended by the judges.

The next age group to receive their awards were the 15 to 18. Libby Kerswill from Tavistock College received her prize for her winning picture in the category ‘growing things‘.

The winners of the three other categories in this age group from Mount Kelly were unable to be at the prize giving as they were still away on half term holiday, but two of their teachers were able to come along to receive the prizes.

Netty Holwill, photography and art teacher, accepted prizes for Halle Ashworth, for her pictures in the categories ‘people at work’ and ‘tenderness’. Simon Glossop, photography teacher from Mount Kelly, accepted the prize on behalf of Ava Lau, for her picture of the Milky Way entered in the category ‘wild and wonderful’.

Zi Thomson, 11, was the winner in two categories in his age group of 10 to 14 years, ‘wild and wonderful’ and ‘people at work’.

Zi was presented with the £35 prize money and was handed an enlargement of his picture on canvas by James Bird, sponsored by Dartmoor Photographic.

Peter Reynolds then presented Zi with the Maureen Reynolds Trophy for the TPA young photographer of the year 2017 which is engraved with the winners’ names and displayed in the foyer of Tavyside Health Centre.