Moray Tourism Destination Development.

Cullen and Deskford launch Photo Competition for the Area’s 2012 Calendar

Over the last 2 years, the Cullen & Deskford Community Council and Cullen, Deskford and Portknockie Heritage Group have produced a very successful calendar featuring the area through photographs of the past and the present. This initiative has generated significant funds for both community and heritage projects. For 2012, the changes are being rung – and the initiative will provide everyone with the opportunity to become immortalised in print, at least for a year!

This year, the Community Council is planning a totally different format. Residents, visitors and fans of Cullen and Deskford will be invited to send in their personal photographs of the local area for the chance to be included in the 2012 calendar.

Eminent national photographic adjudicator and Cullen expat Malcolm McBeath will be judging the entries within three categories: Primary School age, Secondary School age and Adults. Each month will feature a winning photograph. In addition, local businesses, clubs and groups can also have their own little bit of immortality by sponsoring a month.

Professor Ashley Mowat, Chair of the Cullen & Deskford Community Council, commented: “This project provides a great opportunity for people of all ages to get involved in raising funds for community projects, as well as seeing their name up in lights alongside their favourite photo of the area. This part of the country offers fantastic opportunities for photographers to demonstrate their expertise; and we hope that fans of Cullen and Deskford – both local and from far afield – will respond to this invitation”.

Details of the competition are currently being displayed throughout Cullen and Deskford, as well as being broadcast more widely through the community website, Friends of Cullen on Facebook and all those who have subscribed to the website newsletter. Professor Mowat continued: “My only regret is that I am ineligible to enter, but I hope that everyone, from the very young to the very old, will be inspired to show off their favourite photos of the area. We are confident that the dramatic weather of the last two winters and the great summer weather, with some of the best sunsets in the world, will provide us with some very difficult choices to make during the judging phase.”

Further information on the photo competition and the sponsorship opportunities is available on www.discovercullen.com or by e-mail to community@discovercullen.com or by phone to 01542 840314. The closing date for entries is 16th April 2011.