Message from the Chairman – THS 2019/2021
Message from the Chairman – THS 2019/2021
I thought that it might be interesting – although it’s somewhat irritating – just to remind
you that, at the AGM on 10 November, Jon began the Chairman’s Annual Report by
saying:
‘In normal times, the Chairman’s Annual Report takes an enjoyable journey through the
past year of the Society, reflecting on our busy year and noting our successes, but this
was not a normal year’.
Unfortunately, to a certain extent, I have to start this year by repeating those very words
as, because of the continuing Covid-19 epidemic, we had to cancel all of our events in vir-
tually the first half of 2021. Our THS meetings continued to take place via zoom but there
were no Garden Club meetings in February and March, no Spring Show in April, no Plant
and Produce Sale, no visits to Tatsfield Gardens – and so it went on.
However, as the epidemic started to become more controlled, we did finally man-
age to resurrect the group RHS Garden Wisley visit and about 40 of us were able
to thoroughly enjoy a visit there on 26 June – the weather was very kind to us and,
although there were some cautionary rules to follow, it was a very interesting, relaxed
and enjoyable outing.
The Autumn Show on 11 September in the Village Hall was our first show for two years
and was very successful. However, the Covid-19 restrictions which we had to follow
at the time of organising the event meant that there were fewer visitors and entries
than would usually have been expected, although we did have some new entrants
and we opened the event to members and non-members. Unfortunately, it was too
late to organise refreshments although we realise that a lot of people who come to
the Shows enjoy the opportunity to sit down with a couple of friends with a cup of tea
to drink and some home-made cake to eat!
A fair number of us managed to get together for the Autumn Garden Club in Octo-
ber, with Ian Hayman giving an informative and very enjoyable presentation and slide
show on the creation and care of garden ponds – although the use of the description
‘garden pond’ seems somewhat limited having seen the many beautiful, creative and
what I would describe as ‘small lakes’, that he has designed and built!
I would like to thank all of our Committee and their other halves, there were quite
a few, for their work this year. In addition to attending meetings, none of our events
would be so successful without the hard work of setting up and clearing away. Par-
ticular thanks to Peter Maynard for opening up the venues, some very early, and to
Carol for all her work as the Show Secretary.
THS is continuing to support Tatsfield in Bloom. However, not surprisingly, TIB fund
raising has been, and will continue to be, difficult. Also, the number of active TIB vol-
unteers available is not as great as in previous years which makes it difficult and hard
work to keep the village looking at its best. However, 2021 marked the 25th Anniver-
sary of Tatsfield in Bloom and, on that basis, it was decided that TIB would still enter
this year’s South and Southeast in Bloom competition – although not in 2022. Plant-
ing had to be limited, but was as colourful as ever and there was even a floral 25th
‘Birthday Cake’ constructed on the Bakery Flower Bed – and TIB succeeded in being
awarded a Gold in the SSEIB Large Village category.
I should also mention that one, necessarily long-delayed, but very worthwhile, THS
special event was able to take place just a couple of weeks ago. On behalf of THS,
Jon Allbutt presented the Banksian Medal to Sheree and Simon Cook and their staff
in recognition of the outstanding support and service given by ‘Sheree’s Store and
Tearoom’ to the Tatsfield Community over the last year or so during the Covid-19
pandemic. All of us hope to be back to ‘normal’ next year with the Spring Show on 9
April 2022 – classes will be as per the 2020 schedule and there will be a new Year
Book in June 2022. The committee will be meeting in January 2022 to organise the
printing of the Year Book and organising the Programme for Summer 2022 to
Summer 2023.
The programme will appear on the Tatsfield Horticultural website which can be
found on https://tatsfieldhorticulturalsociety.weebly.com
Tatsfield Horticultural Society will not be able to continue unless we have the sup-
port of its membership and, whilst it is important that we receive your support at
the events and by retaining your membership for 2022, it is just as important that
our membership come forward and offer to join the committee to keep it going.
There is a variety of roles, mostly administrative, so please do consider coming
forward and joining us.
At the conclusion of this evening, the next time we will be in contact will be when
we knock on the doors to request your membership for 2022 and it will again
be our intention to ask for £5 membership for a family and a small donation from
our senior residents.
Pam Bishop, Chairman, Tatsfield Horticultural Society.
