Snap!: A night of celebrations

Wednesday 14 September 2011

Celebrities joined the celebrations at Mencap’s 2011 Snap! photo and film awards

People with a learning disability, their families and carers, and celebrities, attended the ninth annual Snap! awards on Tuesday 13 September. The Rich Mix arts centre in Shoreditch, east London, hosted the event, which attracted nearly 200 people.

This year, the theme of the photo and film competition was My World and it celebrated the things that are important to people with a learning disability. All entries were taken of or by people with a learning disability.

Among them was a photograph of Stacey Foster with her friend Graham. Graham always manages to get a response from Stacey even though she can’t speak. Another striking image is of Iain Frost, who is pictured realising his ambition of swimming with dolphins in Cuba. “I was pleased as punch to receive the award,” said Iain (pictured, receiving his award). “I’ve had a fantastic evening.”

The competition, sponsored by FUJIFILM UK Ltd and The Sorrell Foundation, saw judges study nearly 700 entries to pick 32 photographs and four films as this year’s winners. Prizes were awarded in gold, silver, bronze and highly commended categories.

The winners received digital cameras and high street vouchers, awarded by celebrities, including Gavin and Stacey actor Mathew Horne, Dancing on Ice star Chloe Madely (pictured above) and Elliot Rosen, the actor who plays Craig Moon in EastEnders.

FUJIFILM UK also awarded four additional prizes for those images which capture the essence of Snap! and convey the dedication of carers of people with a learning disability. Jo Yarnall won one of these special awards for her photograph ‘Going underground’, which shows her daughter Hannah on an escalator on the underground. “It was such a surprise to win this award,” said Jo (pictured right, with Hannah, Mathew Horne and Elliot Rosen). “But it’s fantastic, because often people don’t realise what it’s like to be a carer.”

The winning photographs will now go on display at FUJIFILM’s headquarters in Bedford from 19–23 September 2011 and later at the Rich Mix gallery from 2–5 October 2011.

See all the winning photographs and films

See photos of the awards ceremony