Services

For Clubs to be able to join the SPF they must be

"a camera club, photographic society, photographic club or photographic group with a published constitution and published program of events, united by a common interest in photography, meeting in person for mutual co-operation, education, entertainment or competition solely from a physical location within Scotland".

Although we cannot offer membership to Individuals there are many opportunities, activities and events open to individuals who are members of our SPF Clubs.

If your Club is interested in joining please contact the SPF General Secretary in the first instance. For a list of current SPF Member Clubs please visit the CLUBS area of this website (click here)

As all SPF Clubs are also members of the PAGB, Clubs should comply with the PAGB's definition of a Club which is as follows - 

“A camera club, photographic society, photographic club or photographic group with a published constitution and programme of events, united by a common interest in photography, meeting in person for mutual co-operation, education, entertainment or competition solely from one or more physical locations within the Geographical Limits of the PAGB. (Constitution, section 9). The Geographical Limits include The United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands and only Clubs falling within this definition are qualified to enter PAGB Competitions. Clubs are expected to meet regularly, meaning at least twelve times each year, usually during a prescribed season, and in-person, meaning at an actual physical location with members present - not an online meeting.”

For the avoidance of doubt, the above does not mean that Member Clubs cannot have ‘virtual’ meetings, but they must also meet the minimum requirements of meeting in-person in a physical location, to be in line with our SPF Constitution and that of the PAGB. If this causes a problem for your Club please contact the SPF General Secretary or SPF Treasurer to discuss.

As a condition of joining, as well as paying an annual subscription, Clubs will be asked to supply a copy of their program and sign a declaration to say that they comply with above statements, and have a published constitution.

The SPF must, at all times, be provided with full details (Name, postal address, personal email address and phone number) of at least one club officebearer who will receive all mailings from the SPF - normally the club secretary. A second contact is advised, normally the competition secretary. Full details for one club contact must be published in our SPF Directory. We do not give personal details out to anyone out with the SPF.

A combined membership fee is charged for SPF & PAGB membership. As we are also members of FIAP, this also includes affiliation to them.

Our club subscription is charged at a ‘per member’ rate meaning smaller clubs pay less than bigger clubs. This is set annually at our AGM, and payable by the clubs, to the SPF Treasurer, by 31st Dec. Renewal details are emailed out to member clubs every November. Details for 2025 will appear below after our AGM in October.

New clubs are free to join at any time. Please contact the SPF Treasurer or SPF General Secretary for details.

*2025 Annual Subscription Paperwork will appear here late October 2024 after our SPF AGM has been held*

The joint Annual Subscription for 2025 to the SPF (and PAGB) rate is yet to be confirmed at our AGM. It will be payable, at the per member rate, and on completion and submission of the SPF Annual Subscriptions Form with your payment, together with the completed SPF Membership Declaration Form by 31st Dec 2024.

Since 2016, it is now a condition of Membership that all Clubs require to complete a Membership Declaration Form annually at Renewal of Membership. This is to show that Clubs fulfil the following requirements outlined in our Constitution (and that of the PAGB) as follows –

“1.2 A Society may be affiliated to the SPF only if it is a camera club, photographic society, photographic club or photographic group with a published constitution and published programme of events, united by a common interest in photography, meeting in person for mutual co-operation, education, entertainment or competition solely from a physical location within Scotland.”

The Photographic Alliance of Great Britain defines a Club as: “A camera club, photographic society, photographic club or photographic group with a published constitution and programme of events, united by a common interest in photography, meeting in person for mutual co-operation, education, entertainment or competition solely from one or more physical locations within the Geographical Limits of the PAGB. (Constitution, section 9). The Geographical Limits include The United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands and only Clubs falling within this definition are qualified to enter PAGB Competitions. Clubs are expected to meet regularly, meaning at least twelve times each year, usually during a prescribed season, and in-person, meaning at an actual physical location with members present - not an online meeting.” “Exceptions: Historically the PAGB has affiliated a number of National and Specialist Clubs. The Federations where they are affiliated to the Alliance may ask to have such Clubs accepted into PAGB Competitions, but each must be specifically agreed by the PAGB Executive Committee.”

Only Clubs who fall within this definition can be members of the SPF or PAGB, or compete in SPF/PAGB Competitions, or can be insured, under the PAGB agreed policies. 

Please Note that the additional latitudes given during the covid period, for Clubs not having to meet in person, have been removed from this Declaration. For the avoidance of doubt, the above does not mean that Member Clubs cannot have ‘virtual’ meetings, but they must also meet the minimum requirements of meeting in-person in a physical location, to be in line with our SPF Constitution and that of the PAGB.

If this causes a problem for your Club please contact the SPF Treasurer to discuss as soon as possible (contact here) or 01555 750737 

A full copy of our Constitution is available from this website (click here)  

- No insurance cover is included as part of SPF Membership, but preferential PAGB insurance rates are still available for PAGB affiliated Clubs through their SPF membership, including for MLI. The Insurance Broker for this is now Hive Insurance Services, please see full details under Insurances heading below.

- Clubs must have paid and submitted their SPF Annual Subscription Form and SPF Membership Declaration Form 2025 with the SPF before renewing their Insurance with the PAGB's Insurance brokers to be eligible for the PAGB Policy reduced rates. Clubs who do not renew their Membership with the SPF by completing these details by 31st December will not be able to take out Insurance under the PAGB's arranged preferential scheme. 

The SPF still require you to lodge a copy of your syllabus with us when submitting your Membership Declaration Form, but this is no longer an Insurance requirement. Syllabuses can be submitted by email or paper but not simply a link to an ever changing website page. Please see below for more details from an Insurance perspective. 

Hive have set up their dedicated website (click here) to administer renewals for PAGB member Clubs, which includes all SPF Clubs. This website accommodates more flexibility to the amount of All Risks cover Clubs require by removing the bandings, and also giving options of single article limits, so that you don't have to pay for more cover than you require. A new member's area will be created allowing clubs to log-in and download their policy documents whenever required.

You can also view the Hive Insurance Policy Schedule, or see more info on the Public Liability & All Risks Policy or Management Liability Policy by accessing the above webpage and scrolling to the bottom of the page where you will find links to all of these under the Important Documents heading immediately below the submit button.

All Clubs with existing Insurance with Hive will automatically receive a renewal notice direct from Hive to the person who administered their Insurances last year. Renewal emails are likely to arrive mid-Jan for a 1st Feb renewal date. NB - You cannot renew more than 60 days prior to your renewal date.

Any new Clubs wishing to take out one of these Insurances please click on the above weblink.

Note on 2024 Rates and 3- Year Tie with Hive - This year, across much of their portfolio, the insurer is implementing premium increases of between 7.5% to 15%. Most of it is down to inflationary pressures, some down to scheme performance hence the variances. On the PAGB scheme they have tabled the following regarding premiums: From 1 November 2023, an increase of 15% on Public Liability, and 10% on Management Liability and All Risk Cover.

HOWEVER - in exchange for a 3-year tie, the insurer will commit to NO MORE increases for the following 3 years. What's more, with the changes being made to All Risk Cover and Single Item Limit which will enable clubs to choose cover that exactly matches their requirements - clubs will no longer be paying for 'excess cover'. So despite the increases of 10%/15%, some clubs may still end up paying less or the same as before.

NB - The PAGB's 3 year tie with Hive does not stop Clubs deciding to go elsewhere in future years.

Please Note that to be eligible for these 'PAGB' Insurances you must already be a paid-up Club for 2025 in advance of the 1st February Insurance renewal date so please ensure you have sent us your payment by 1st January, otherwise your Insurance will not be valid.

Notes from Hive Insurance via the PAGB 2023 - Whilst the focus is generally on Public Liability insurance, which is a mandatory requirement from the PAGB, there are other plans you should consider that are designed to protect the club itself and those who run it, through to members and even equipment.

Firstly ‘Management Liability’, which is a very popular inclusion alongside public liability. This policy protects the club’s management team (chairperson, treasurer etc) against any errors or omissions which could land them with legal problems or disputes. Very often it could be an innocent mistake or error, but without Management Liability, the individual could themselves be held accountable for compensation and legal costs. And given that clubs are run by volunteers on goodwill, it’s no surprise why most clubs choose to include this form of protection for their management team. 

Another vital consideration is ‘All Risk’ cover which covers damage or theft of club-owned or borrowed property and once again most clubs have this in place. 

Lastly, for your peace of mind I just wanted to remind clubs that our insurance is sourced through AXA (NB - not all Insuarnces are via AXA please refer to Hive website for full details), a name most of us will recognise. They are a leading insurer in the public liability sector with a strong reputation for providing high quality cover supported by strong levels of customer service.

All member Clubs are provided with a PDF electronic copy of the SPF Directory-Handbook several times per year by email. The SPF Directory-Handbook lists all of our SPF Member Clubs, SPF Judges and Lecturers, along with our SPF Executive. This is supplied as a link to an electronic PDF format booklet for either online use or as a printed booklet.

All of the SPF Clubs’ details are supplied to aid Clubs in organising or advertising events, between one another. We are also happy to promote events between Clubs from time to time via email, this website or our e-FLASH.  We retain this information securely and confidentially and we never divulge these details to anyone else.

Re data handling, we are registered with the Information Commission and comply with all Data Protection requirements. The Data Protection Officer is Libby Smith.

The SPF maintains a list of individuals from our member clubs who are willing to give their time to visit our SPF clubs as SPF Judges and/or SPF Lecturers in person or in a number of cases 'virtually'. All SPF Judges and Lecturers are listed within our SPF Directory-Handbook.

Almost all of the SPF Judges and Lecturers contained within our SPF Directory-Handbook are willing to visit clubs for out of pocket expenses only. Full details on Conditions of Booking, and Mileages and Expenses rates, together with general info are all outlined in full on our 'All Things Judging and Lecturing' page of this SPF website (click here), and as outlined on the main PAGB Website library area. The recommended maximum rate for car travel is set by the PAGB and SPF. 

The PAGB used to supply a PAGB Handbook which contained Judges and Lecturers from all 15 Federations, including all of our SPF Judges and Lecturers. The PAGB Handbook is no longer published and has been replaced by a PAGB Online Judges and Speaker's list as part of it's CMS website (formerly called the CES), where you will find details on Judges and Lecturers from all 15 Federations including the SPF.

For how to Access - Please see the area below headed 'PAGB CMS Online Services..' for more details. SPF Club Committee members can register for access to this area to see and book Judges and Lecturers from any Federation. You can now also search the lists to see who will be happy to present 'virtually'. If you require assistance please contact Libby.

Our member clubs receive regular emails containing information and details of relevant events. This includes subscription renewals, rule changes, event notifications and results.

In addition clubs receive both the SPF e-FLASH our own e-newsletter and the PAGB’s newsletter PAGB e-news via email. From time to time they also include offers from photographic supply companies, exclusive to our member clubs.

These e-communications combine to keep you updated with any information we think may be useful to your club members, as well as essential information. 

Please visit the SPF e-flash area (click here) for copies of this publication, and for the PAGB e-news website (click here) 

If you are not sure what the emails that come from the SPF look like, please download the PDF supplied below.

SPF Medals are available to purchase for your Club’s competitions, for end of year Annual Competitions or for Inter-Club events.

Silver and Bronze Medals are available for Club or Inter-Club use.

Gold Medals* are available for National or International events only (not for Club or Inter-Club Competitions) 

*Gold Medals must also be engraved before presenting. You are free to present Silver and Bronze Medals without engraving if you wish.

If you would like to order SPF Medals for your Club please download and complete the below Order Form (This superseeds all previous versions) following the below guidance. 

• Please complete the below Order Form for the number and type of medals you require, noting the Gold medals restrictions.
• P&P must be added to ALL Medal Orders at a rate of £4.50 for up to 8 medals i.e.  if you require 3 medals include P&P of £4.50; If you require 11 medals include P&P of £9.00  and so on.
• Please send the completed Order Form together with your cheque made payable to ‘SPF’ to SPF Admin Assistant Joe Prior at the address supplied on the Order Form, not to the SPF Custodian, Tom Doherty.

If however you require any assistance or clarification as regards your SPF Medals Order then Joe can be contacted by email (click here)