The Club’s Compex Competition is made up of four Qualifying Rounds and a Final. The Qualifying Rounds are normally held in March, May, September and November with the competition concluding with the Final in December.

The Compex Competition comprises both ‘Print’ and 'Digital Image’ sections. Beginners and Advanced members’ work is judged separately. There is also a Print Multi Image Panel section where work from Beginners and Advanced Workers is judged together.

The Judge will select those images deemed appropriate for going through to the Final. Entries not selected for the Final can be re-submitted in a limited number of further Qualifying Rounds.

Points are allocated to Beginners depending on how well their entries have done. (e.g. 2 points for winning a Qualifying Round or 5 points for winning in the Final) and once 20 points have been accrued the ‘Beginner’ is invited to join the ‘Advanced Workers’.

Over the years photographic societies have come and gone but the Cheadle Alliance continues as a round robin competition of four clubs pitting their best prints and digital images against each other.

Independent Judges score images from Stockport PS, Bramhall PS, Hyde PS and Romiley PDIS. The points for each of the four competitions held at each club in turn are totalled and the winner walks away with the historic Alliance Shield.