A dedicated member of the local photography scene and a familiar face to many in Tameside, 87-year-old Ray Liddy has been recognised for his decades of dedication and contribution to photography with a special award from the Ashton Photographic Society.
Ray, who first picked up a camera at the age of 14, has been capturing life through the lens for over 70 years. A member of the Ashton Photographic Society for around 30 of those years, he was recently surprised with the honour, and an additional role to match.
“I got this award from the Ashton Photographic Society, which I’ve been a member of for about 30 years,” Ray said. “They came up with it out of the blue, and they’ve also made me acting president! The lad who presented it was the president, but they asked me if I’d help out—so I’m doing that as well.”
The recognition is a fitting tribute to Ray’s long and varied photographic journey, which began in his teenage years and includes many contributions to the Tameside Reporter itself. “I started taking pictures when I was about 14,” Ray recalls. “I was doing pictures for the Reporter back in the ’50s, when we were based in the old building on Ashton Market."
Ray received the award last Thursday 5th June, and says it now has pride of place at home. “It’s going on the mantelpiece,” he smiled. “Why not?”
As he steps into his new role as acting president of the society, Ray continues to be an inspiration to fellow photographers and local residents alike.
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