A warm, sunny summer's day greeted all the exhibitors and visitors to the 135th Writhlington Flower Show and Fete.
The chairman and committee were delighted that exhibit numbers were up by nearly 90. This made for some tough decisions for our judges.
The chairman and the judges were pleased with the number of entries and stated that the overall quality and standard of exhibits were of the highest order. The chairman was also encouraged by the number of new exhibitors who entered the show for the first time.
There were some outstanding vegetables in the Fruit and Vegetable Section and the Flower Section. Once again, our local growers excelled, defying the difficult weather conditions experienced earlier in the year to present a great display on the show benches.
The chairman welcomed our flower show president, Hilary Denning, who opened the show and kicked off the proceedings for the traditional afternoon fete. We had a very busy afternoon, with many visitors enjoying the outdoor stalls and attractions. The Exhibitors' Marquee was exceptionally busy, with numerous visitors throughout the afternoon and large groups of people gathered around the show benches, admiring the exhibits and likely trying to pick up some hints and tips from the gardeners and exhibitors.
Once again, the Mendip Brass Band provided excellent and joyful music throughout the afternoon, adding a lively atmosphere to the event. Many visitors took the opportunity to stop, rest, and enjoy the band's performance. The Mini Olympics was also a great success, with many children participating in the races, cheered on by parents and grandparents. There was plenty of applause as the young athletes received their Gold, Silver, or Bronze medals on the winner’s podium.
We would like to thank Mr Primrose for his help to mark out the white running lanes on the field. Mark Hitchens from the Mendip Beekeepers Association tells me that they had a lovely afternoon and people were making enquiries and interested in the Beginners Beekeeping courses that they run. This is encouraging as the Writhlington Flower Show has always supported the Promotion of Bee’s and Beekeeping and the protection of Bee’s.
Many visitors visited St. Mary’s School to meet members of the successful South Wansdyke Archery Club and try their hand at archery. We extend our thanks to the club and congratulations to Andrea Whittle, Clair Crook, and all the recent medal winners. The free sand play area was popular with young children, providing a quiet space for play with sand, water, dinosaurs, and old toys.
The traditional skittles, tombola, bottle stall, grocery basket raffle, and grand draw kept committee members and volunteers busy throughout the afternoon. Inside the village hall, visitors enjoyed tea and homemade cake, with all cakes selling out. The Norton Radstock Photographic Society also showcased a wonderful display of photographs from talented local photographers.
Jenny Short and members of the Norton Radstock Photographic Society were available to share their knowledge and expertise. Anyone interested in joining the society or learning more about photography can contact Jenny. Chairman Mr. Rob Langley welcomed everyone to the packed marquee for the presentation, expressing gratitude to all exhibitors, judges, visitors, and supporters. He also thanked the many helpers and long-time supporters of the Flower Show, contributing to the success of the 135th Show.
Results
He then introduced the Flower Show President, Mrs. Hilary Denning, and thanked her for her continuous support. Hilary praised the show as excellent and mentioned she had a very enjoyable afternoon. She then presented the prizes, assisted by the Chairman, amid much cheering and clapping from an enthusiastic crowd.
Awards included:
- Fruit and Vegetable Section: Booth Cup, Thompson & Morgan Seeds, and Westland Plant Food to Mr. Ian Chant; Dick Price Cup for Best Exhibit and Kent & Stowe Trowel to Ian Chant; Garden News Shield for Best Top Tray, Westland Plant Food, and Kent & Stowe Trowel to Ian Chant; Frank Millard Cup for Best Runner Beans to Ian Chant.
- Flower Section: Alan Gill Memorial Trophy for most points and Westland Plant Food to Ian Chant; Bill Packer Memorial Cup for Best Exhibit and a £5 Kings Seed Voucher to Mr. Stephen Gulliford; Muriel Gill Cup for Best Vase of Dahlias to Ian Chant.
The Williams Cup for Best Vase of Chrysanthemums was awarded to Mr. Stephen Gulliford.
In the Floral Art section, the John Wilmott Challenge Cup and Kent & Stowe Trowel went to Angus Hooper, who also won Best Exhibit.
In the Children’s Section:
- Hedworth House Cup for highest number of points, sponsored by Filler Up and a Hidden Garden Voucher, went to Milo Smith.
- Frank Millard Cup for Runner-Up was awarded to Conner Lake.
- Jack Fussel Cup for Best Miniature Garden went to Connor Lake.
- Paddy Creton Cup for Best Art and an Art Set went to Cicely Langley.
- Dennis Rendell Memorial Trophy for Best Exhibit was awarded to Cicely Langley.
- Richard Moon Memorial Trophy for Best Handwriting, along with a £10 voucher and books, went to Milo Smith.
- Paddy Creton Art Sets were awarded to: 5-6 Years Harley Doughty, 7-8 Years Milo Smith, 9-10 Years Findley Smith.
- Green Cup, sponsored by Filler Up, went to: 5-6 Years Immy Carey, 7-8 Years Sydney Carey, 11-16 Years Conner Lake.
- Under 5’s Colourful Painting was awarded to Mayz Mazlo.
- A picture in any medium went to Bella Rose.
- Exhibit of own choice was awarded to Teddy C.
The Marion Davies Memorial Award for Best Exhibit was presented to Debbie Tutchell.
In the Needlecraft Section:
- Ladies Needlecraft Cup for highest number of points, along with Patchwork Squares and a Midsomer Quilting book, went to Mrs. Joan Lee.
- Gloria Jenkins Plate for Best Exhibit and a Sewing Book from Midsomer Quilting were awarded to Caron Staley.
In the Handicraft Section:
- David Fisher Memorial Trophy went to Lauren Carver.
- Best Exhibit was awarded to Martin Feeney.
In the Photography Section:
- Glass Trophy for highest number of points and a photo album went to Joanne Roberts.
- Best Exhibit was awarded to Jack Tutchell.
In Children's Photography:
- Bob Turner Trophy for highest number of points went to Conner Lake.
- Dawn Robinson Cup for Best Exhibit was awarded to Maisie Brewer.
The Carpenter Championship Cup, along with a Mitchards Family Butchers voucher, went to Mr. Ian Chant. The Gerald Lane Championship Cup and a Whitstones voucher were awarded to Debbie Tutchell. The Centenary Trophy for Best Exhibit in Show, along with a Sure Fit-it MOT voucher, was presented to Martin Feeney for his remarkable metalwork cockerel, much admired throughout the afternoon.
The Grand Draw followed, with winners of the two beautiful wooden planters from A.J. Charltons & Sons being Sue Bawden and Brian Young, and the Norton Down Garden Centre potted plant going to Mike Rowe. Congratulations to all our winners.
Chairman and the Committee thank all the exhibitors, stall holders, family, and friends, and everyone who donated, helped, or contributed to making the 135th Village Flower Show a great day. Our next event will be the Annual General Meeting on Monday, October 14, at 7:00 pm in the village hall, to which you are all welcome. Our next fundraising event will be a Quiz Night on Saturday, November 2. We would like to thank John Newport for his photography and the time given to the Flower Show, and also thank Donna and all the staff at the Journal for their help, advice, and support of our Flower Show. If you would like to view more photos, go to our Flower Show Facebook page, or if you would like to join us in any way, at an event, or become a committee member, then please contact us.