HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY – Spring Meeting 2022

In spite of the uptick of Covid cases which meant that our vice Chairman Jon Allbutt could not attend the show, the HORTI team prevailed and we garnered 166 entries into the Spring Show on April 9th.

Many thanks are due to our judges Nick Hagen (Horticulture), Sue Warren (flower arrangements), Andy Moore (photography), Kay Longley (domestic), Nigel Shaw (art) and Sue Smale (craft) who gave up their Saturday morning to assess the fantastic array of exhibits in the village hall which smelt glorious.

After much deliberation prizes were awarded to the following:

Art: Sheila ALEXANDER and Angie LESLIE-MILLER

Horticulture: David HADDEN

Photography: Nicola LePREVOST

Flower Arrangement: Val PAYNE

Craft: Catherine WEBBER

Domestic: Catherine WEBBER

It was particularly gratifying to involve local professional photographer Andy Moore as a judge for the first time. I am hoping to secure his services as a tutor for the art group on the subject of taking good pictures with our mobiles. Watch this space and let me know if you would be interested in joining us on that occasion. Andy posted some wonderful photos on to Tatsfield Talk.

Thanks are also due to Tina for putting on a fabulous buffet lunch for judges and committee members.

The show opened to the public at 3pm and in spite of clashing with a certain event at Aintree a large number of visitors came to see the show and eat the homemade cakes on offer.

Dilo de Alwis spoke passionately about the Tatsfield Eco Project, urging us all to do SMALL THINGS such as not eating meat every day and avoiding plastic packaging to make a BIG DIFFERENCE.

Our local author Jan Akhtar presented the prizes. She spoke warmly about the horticultural Society and made us laugh describing her attempts to make a BATTENBURG cake for a previous show.

Unfortunately she entered husband Aslam’s cookies under her name and he was disqualified as the class was for men only! He was not amused.

We look forward to seeing you all at the autumn show on SEPTEMBER 10th. THE YEARBOOKS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED SOON SO PLEASE JOIN US. £5 secures you membership with donations only asked for the over 65s.

Carol Gaskell. Show Secretary.