Budding photographers get snapping for Mencap

Monday 22 March 2010

News release

22 March 2010

BUDDING PHOTOGRAPHERS GET SNAPPING FOR MENCAP

Mencap today launches its annual search for the next Rankin, Leibovitz or Snowdon, inviting photographers across the UK to enter Snap! 2010. This year, for the first time,

Snap! has a theme: all entries will be about being active in some way.

Now in its eighth year, the photography and film competition is open to entries from anyone with a learning disability, their friends, carers and families. Snap! has attracted 1000s of entries since it began, showcasing images of the world through the eyes of people with a learning disability as well their families and carers. Last year, the winning entries were displayed for three weeks at Proud Camden, where they were seen by over 20,000 people. The Snap! outdoor touring exhibition then took a selection of these around the country, where they were seen by over 9 million people.

Mark Goldring, Mencap's chief executive, said: "Mencap's Snap! competition has become a much looked-forward-to event in people's calendars. To celebrate that people with a learning disability will be participating in the next Paralympics, the focus of this year's competition is around keeping active and enjoying games and activities. We're looking forward to another year of phenomenal pictures and films."

This year's categories are: Active together, Watching the action, Local life, Sporting hero, Olympics and Getting out. Every photo entered into Snap! must either be taken by or feature someone with a learning disability and be accompanied by a short descriptive story. Mencap wants to hear from people about what makes them happy, sad, angry, proud or excited about being active. Entries will be accepted until 21 June.

Last year Mencap received over 1000 entries and wants to make this year's competition even bigger and better.  Winners will be announced at a prize winners' party and award ceremony in September and a selection of the winning photographs and films will feature in an outdoor touring exhibition at venues across the UK from October. Anyone who enters has a chance of winning one of 52 fantastic digital cameras from FUJIFILM UK LTD.

Snap! is sponsored by FUJIFILM UK LTD and the Sorrell Foundation and supported by Proud Camden. 

Anyone interested in entering Snap! or who knows someone who might like to enter, should visit www.mencap.org.uk/snap

-ENDS-

For further information, and for images from last year's competition, contact Amy Edmunds in the Mencap media team on 020 7696 6937 or email amy.edmunds@mencap.org.uk

Notes to editors

• About Mencap

Mencap supports the 1.5 million people with a learning disability in the UK and their families and carers. Mencap fights to change laws and improve services and access to education, employment and leisure facilities, supporting thousands of people with a learning disability to live their lives the way they want.

We are also one of the largest providers of services, information and advice for people with a learning disability across England, Northern Ireland and Wales. See http://www.mencap.org.uk/ for more information.

• The Sorrell Foundation

The Sorrell Foundation was set up to inspire creativity in young people and to improve the quality of life through good design.

For more information visit http://www.thesorrellfoundation.com/

• FUJIFILM UK LTD

Mencap has been FUJIFILM UK LTD 's charity partner for the last 14 years. FUJIFILM UK LTD 's financial support and specialist knowledge has helped Mencap to create a Media Library, which contains the core visuals for the majority of Mencap's work.

FUJIFILM UK LTD is a global leader in imaging technology, products and services including digital cameras, photofinishing, digital storage and recording media, consumer and professional film, motion picture film, professional video, printing systems, medical imaging, office technology, flat panel displays and graphic arts.

In the UK, FUJIFILM UK LTD has been supplying the imaging, printing and graphics industries, as well as consumers, professional and enthusiast photographers, with high quality, innovative products and services for over 25 years. FUJIFILM UK LTD currently employs more than 450 people and has become one of the country's most popular photographic and imaging brands.

• About learning disability

A learning disability is caused by the way the brain develops before, during or shortly after birth. It is always lifelong and affects someone's intellectual and social development. It used to be called mental handicap but this term is outdated and offensive. Learning disability is NOT a mental illness.

The term learning difficulty is often incorrectly used interchangeably with learning disability.