The Friends of CHaT Parks have held two photography competitions in 2009 and 2010
The winners of our first Photography Competition – A Walk in the Parks
ADULT CATEGORY
First prize – £100
Craig Neary
Photograph of the glasshouses adjacent the rose garden.
The judges were impressed by the way this familiar structure in the parks had been given a new image in this shot – we liked the way it made us look at this building in a new light.
Second Prize – £50 Jessops voucher
David McKenning
Photograph of the drinking fountain in Clarence Park.
We liked the detail in this image and were particularly impressed by the use of light and shade to highlight the structure of this shot.
Third Prize – Meal for two at Holmfield Arms Hotel and voucher for beauty treatment at Green’s Gym salon
J Reeve
Canada Geese on the banks near the pond.
Lovely monochrome shot of the trees and geese with lots of depth and movement.
Special commendation prize – Tickets to Nostell Priory
Ken Rowley
Shot of birds taking flight above the pond.
This really captures the motion and the moment.
JUNIOR CATEGORY
First prize – Logitech iPod docking station
Macauley Smith (12)
Photograph of plant pot and steps in the glasshouse.
The judges felt this was a very mature composition showing interesting use of light and shadow, and off-centre placing of the subject.
Second prize – Diggerland voucher
Richie Smith (15)
Cacti in the glasshouse.
Lots of movement and colour in this lively shot of the succulents on display.
Third Prize – Theatre Royal Pantomime tickets
Trianna Smith (8)
Shot of treetops in the park.
Intriguing angle for this photograph that shows off the interesting and often sculptural shapes of the trees against the sky.
Special commendation prize – Children’s book selection
Jenna Dora Wooller (7)
A charming shot of an inquisitive duck!
2nd Photography Competition Winners
The winners of our second Photography Competition – Autumn and Winter in the Parks
First prize – Drew Wilby
Second Prize – Ben Cove
Third Prize – Paul Gosnay
Fourth Prize – Jean Reeve
Fifth Prize – Alexandra Bloomfield
Logitech Special Prize – Craig Neary
Thank you to all that entered, again we were overwhelmed with the quality of images put forward. It is a shame that there is a limit to the number of possible winners.
Postcards
Postcards can also be purchased for the first competition. Sets are available for £1.20 for 4 images.
If you would like to buy postcards please talk to us at any of our events or email us at info@CHaTparks.org.uk
Winners Exhibition
The Winners of Friends of Clarence Holmfield and Thornes Parks Photography Competition were exhibited in the Interval Cafe of Theatre Royal, Wakefield.
Images were also exhibited in Wakefield College’s Refectory, in the Thornes Park Campus during April and May.
The winners of the first and second competition can also be seen on our website.
Thornes Park is the home of Wakefield Council’s Thornes Park Stadium. There are Indoor and outdoor tracks, a sports hall and fitness facilities.
The old Aviary in Thornes Park was rebuilt in 2010 as a joint project between Friends of CHaT Parks and Wakefield Council with the help from Howarth Timber of Doncaster Road and B & Q of Cathedral Retail Park. This new aviary shows birds from around the world in their many sizes, shapes and colours. 
The amphitheatre in Clarence Park is an outdoor arena for public events. Together with a flat, well drained area for performances, the amphitheatre is bounded to the south by an embankment and seating terraces affording good views of the arena. 
The original bandstand on Lowe Hill was an octagonal-shaped bandstand built in 1893 and was given to the park by Colonel Gerald Milnes Gaskell of Lupset Hall at the time of the opening of Clarence Park in 1893. However, concerts held at it attracted up to 2,000 people collecting on the hill slopes for the evening band concerts. It was realised that the site was too restricted in size with the danger of crowds being jostled down the slope. In 1924 a scheme for a new bandstand was approved by the Council 
