Andrew Howell, who has been chair and benevolent leader of the club for many years, has decided it is time to hang up his trowel and rake and have a well-earned rest.
Andrew is well-known around the town, having lived here for some considerable time. In his younger days, he served as a town councillor.
Andrew retired at the Club Annual General Meeting in October. The committee surprised Andrew with a big “Thank You” card, a £100 gift voucher and a Cactus (low-maintenance gardening). The Cactus was particularly well received as Andrew “hadn’t got one of that sort in his collection”.
The club thanks Andrew for his contribution to the club and town. We look forward to seeing him in the rank and file. Enjoy your “rest” and other hobbies (Angling and Bridge – keep practising!).
The club are pleased to have Patrick Faircliffe and Joan Welsby as new joint chairs for 2026.
The club is making some minor changes to the established format of talks and show tables in 2026. We hope these changes will encourage more casual gardeners or green-fingered hobbyists to come along.
We will continue to hold our monthly meetings; these will be “Talk and Informal Meets”. So, we’ll have a guest speaker every month and begin at a slightly earlier time. Complimentary hot drinks are served, allowing members and guests to meet, catch up and discuss gardening questions amongst themselves.
In recent years, climate change has made monthly shows a bit “hit and miss”, as sometimes plants have flowered before the traditional expected flowering period. So, we will be holding four seasonal shows – Spring, Summer, Autumn and Winter, with more flexibility in the Show Categories. Our first show is pencilled in for April (or March), depending upon how winter unfolds.
Following the two very successful outings in 2025 - Shropham Vicarage and Dale Farm, we have two more interesting garden visits lined up for 2026.
Membership of the club is held at 2025 prices (£25), a bargain price for 12 evenings out a year. Guests £4. Our 2026 programme will be available from the December meeting.
The January talk is “Diamonds are Forever” with Jamie Blake. Our February talk is “Snowdrops – East Anglian varieties” with Guy Barker. For more details, see the “What’s On” section of the magazine.
