MOVING is going to be a leap in the dark for the Prestwich Co-op Camera Club.

A move to new premises has not happened for nearly 30 years and nobody can predict how it is going to affect the future of the club.

A lot of questions will be answered over the next few months. How many of the present members will continue? Can we attract more new members? This change of venue is bound to bring some changes of heart.

The AGM and the start of a new financial year will be on us soon and we will see who will renew their memberships. At the moment there is a mix of old and comparatively new members and it will be interesting to see what happens.

The new room is in the Radcliffe Bridge Methodist Hall, behind Radcliffe Library at the bottom of Stand Lane. We can't seem to get away from libraries! The hall is very large with a number of rooms that are let out for a variety of purposes, from catering for children's playgroups to a Scrabble Club.

The interior is rather lavishly done out with oak doors and brass fittings. The room we will be using is a bit smaller than the old room but it will accommodate all our members -- at the moment. There is a large stainless steel kitchen that is more than adequate for brewing cups of tea. There are all sorts of possibilities ahead.

There were 20 of us there on Tuesday evening and we had a lot to talk about in respect of how we could adapt this place to suit our requirements. We haven't finished moving yet. There is a storeroom where we can put projectors, slide magazines, spare bulbs, and all the other paraphernalia we have accumulated. This will be moved across during the next week or so. On Thursday a group of us will be going to the Longfield Library to take down the 51st Exhibition.

Next Tuesday, March 23, it will be the Chairman's Evening. Angela Honeyford is not giving anything away about what we might be in for, but I did hear her say that she will require paper and pencils -- and a projector!

So, if you want to know what it is all about, come along to the side door of the Bridge Methodist Hall, behind Radcliffe Library between 7-30 and 8pm.

G. E. WILSON