April 2017 Newsletter
News from the AGM
Our AGM on 7th April was well attended and we had some welcome new faces. A few regulars contacted to say they could not make it for health reasons and were greatly missed.
Summary of news:
So WAGS lives to serve another day, and the committee are very happy, as we know all members will be. A big THANK YOU to all those talking on new roles this year!
Our AGM on 7th April was well attended and we had some welcome new faces. A few regulars contacted to say they could not make it for health reasons and were greatly missed.
Summary of news:
- Jayne Page has joined the committee and has agreed to run the store with help from Richard Guppy & Sandra Halstead. She will liaise with Bernard Thorrington on store deliveries
- Members have told us they want WAGS to be more social, so we plan to have informal meetings for members to share gardening knowledge and tips; as store manager, Jayne has offered to arrange these.
- Barbara Caistor also offered to organise some visits – please support these as they are a lot of work to organise. Hopefully we will hear more in the next newsletter, or even before (look out instore and on the website!)
- Toni Littledale has agreed to trial being secretary
- We want to increase membership by increasing awareness of WAGS, and ensure we are offering what members want
- The store made a small loss this year, mainly due to lower stock sales, so a target this year is to increase stock sales. We are relying on you to tell us if there is something we don’t stock that you would in fact like to buy from WAGS
- Publicity officer to help drive up membership and get people to come to the Show / Store, by submitting articles to local publications, for example, and putting up flyers in town when we have events
- To avoid making a loss, the Show needs sponsorship and so we need someone willing to approach local businesses and ask for sponsorship (in the form of cash!) – if you can help, please contact Sandra
So WAGS lives to serve another day, and the committee are very happy, as we know all members will be. A big THANK YOU to all those talking on new roles this year!
Madam Chairman’s Piece
I am so pleased that through the support of members we have managed to plug nearly all the holes we had and can therefore continue as a society.
Three people have left the committee this year, Colin (Store manager), Sam Timmins (Secretary) and Frances Watkins. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them on behalf of the committee and members for all the work and support they have given WAGS over so many years – it really is appreciated. Denise Irwin is also leaving the committee, but we hope she will continue submitting articles for the newsletter when she has time.
Plant sale on Saturday 6th May: This is our next event, starting at 9am. We hope to have a wide selection of veg this year, as well as great value summer bedding and perennials. Annuals will include Gazania, Impatiens (busy lizzie), Trailing Lobelia, Petunias, Antirrhinum (snapdragon), Verbena, Cosmos, Asarina and Morning Glory.
The sale is so much better when members bring their spare plants and take home new plants to try – so please bring a donation or two (or ten!) on Saturday morning, ideally before 9am.
Please do support the sale, as the funds really help WAGS, particularly in covering some of the costs of the Autumn Show.
Sandra Halstead
I am so pleased that through the support of members we have managed to plug nearly all the holes we had and can therefore continue as a society.
Three people have left the committee this year, Colin (Store manager), Sam Timmins (Secretary) and Frances Watkins. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them on behalf of the committee and members for all the work and support they have given WAGS over so many years – it really is appreciated. Denise Irwin is also leaving the committee, but we hope she will continue submitting articles for the newsletter when she has time.
Plant sale on Saturday 6th May: This is our next event, starting at 9am. We hope to have a wide selection of veg this year, as well as great value summer bedding and perennials. Annuals will include Gazania, Impatiens (busy lizzie), Trailing Lobelia, Petunias, Antirrhinum (snapdragon), Verbena, Cosmos, Asarina and Morning Glory.
The sale is so much better when members bring their spare plants and take home new plants to try – so please bring a donation or two (or ten!) on Saturday morning, ideally before 9am.
Please do support the sale, as the funds really help WAGS, particularly in covering some of the costs of the Autumn Show.
Sandra Halstead
Store Report
After just a few months it is clear that the Store is loved and used by a few WAGS members and that canes, seed potatoes, onion sets, fertiliser, vermiculite, seed trays and compost are the most popular items.
We are open 11am-12noon most Saturdays and I do need more customers please! Not just because the Society needs the trade but also because I enjoy meeting, hearing and sharing the delight we have in our gardens and allotments - as well as what we are planting up / working on / tidying up / planning.
I will be manning the store on the following dates:
May 6th and 13th
June 10th and 24th
July 22nd and 29th
Sept 2nd and 30th
Oct 7th and 14th
Nov/Dec - TBC
Richard Guppy has volunteered to do another Saturday each month and Sandra Halstead hopes to fill as many of the gaps as possible. We will aim to keep the website updated with dates the store is open, and pin them on the store window.
There is a lot of stock that remains unsold and I will be tabling a decision at the next committee meeting to sell this on eBay / at a car boot sale so that we can write it off and stock other items that will sell. Before we do so, we will circulate a stock-list to give members the opportunity to reserve any items to collect on their next available Saturday. Details will also be in store for those not online.
NEW email ordering system:
May–July I will be trialling a new email ordering system for members; email me before Saturday 10.30am and I will prepare the order and drop it off to you by car on the same Saturday between 12.30 and 1.30 at no extra cost.
Note: This will only be available on the Saturdays I will be in store (see above)
I do love our Store and look forward to meeting more of you; thank you for your continued support. Your ideas are very welcome. Please do drop me a line or pop into the store.
Happy Gardening!
Jayne (your new Store Manager)
[email protected]
After just a few months it is clear that the Store is loved and used by a few WAGS members and that canes, seed potatoes, onion sets, fertiliser, vermiculite, seed trays and compost are the most popular items.
We are open 11am-12noon most Saturdays and I do need more customers please! Not just because the Society needs the trade but also because I enjoy meeting, hearing and sharing the delight we have in our gardens and allotments - as well as what we are planting up / working on / tidying up / planning.
I will be manning the store on the following dates:
May 6th and 13th
June 10th and 24th
July 22nd and 29th
Sept 2nd and 30th
Oct 7th and 14th
Nov/Dec - TBC
Richard Guppy has volunteered to do another Saturday each month and Sandra Halstead hopes to fill as many of the gaps as possible. We will aim to keep the website updated with dates the store is open, and pin them on the store window.
There is a lot of stock that remains unsold and I will be tabling a decision at the next committee meeting to sell this on eBay / at a car boot sale so that we can write it off and stock other items that will sell. Before we do so, we will circulate a stock-list to give members the opportunity to reserve any items to collect on their next available Saturday. Details will also be in store for those not online.
NEW email ordering system:
May–July I will be trialling a new email ordering system for members; email me before Saturday 10.30am and I will prepare the order and drop it off to you by car on the same Saturday between 12.30 and 1.30 at no extra cost.
Note: This will only be available on the Saturdays I will be in store (see above)
I do love our Store and look forward to meeting more of you; thank you for your continued support. Your ideas are very welcome. Please do drop me a line or pop into the store.
Happy Gardening!
Jayne (your new Store Manager)
[email protected]
Show Time
The 2017 show will be on Saturday 9th September, opening at 2pm for viewing.
I’ve said it before, but I will say it again, cos it worked last year (6+ new entrants) – if you haven’t tried before then this is your year to enter something and have a go! All the newbies last year told me they really enjoyed themselves!
We would love to have more children enter and Ros Lester our new President is keen to see what she can do to make this happen. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
To get you thinking about items that need some advanced preparation, here are the titles for Art, Photography, Children’s classes and Flower Art.
Section I – Art & Craft – Open to all
Class 68 – “Gardener’s Delight”
Any media painting, i.e. oil, water colour, pencil drawing, pen & ink etc. or mixed media
Section J – Photography – Open to all
Class 71. Colour Print entitled “Food glorious food”
Class 72. Colour Print entitled “A view”
Class 73. Colour Print entitled “People”
Class 74. Colour Print entitled “Close-up”
Class 75. Colour Print entitled “My garden”
Maximum size of print 18 cm x 13 cm (7” x 5”), un-framed, un-mounted.
Section K
Children aged 5 to 8 years
Class 76. 3 biscuits decorated with butterfly(s) and/or bee(s) (biscuits can be shop bought)
Class 77. A posy of flowers to attract bees, in a vase (combined maximum height 45cm)
Class 78. A painting or drawing of a flower using any medium (max. size A4)
Class 79. An animal mask made out of a paper plate using any materials
Children aged 9-12
Class 80. Picture or collage entitled “A garden pond and its wildlife”, any material (max. size A4)
Class 81. 4 small cakes decorated with butterfly(s) and/or bee(s)
Class 82. A photo entitled “Friends”
Class 83. A seed tray scene “At the seaside”. Size not to exceed 25cm x 40cm.
Section N Floral Art – open to all
The year is a celebration of Anniversaries, hope they inspire you!
Class 84. Dame Vera Lynn is 100 years old and the least we can do to say thank you for all the wonderful music is a bouquet (must be in water). Not to exceed 45cm x 45cm x 45cm. Accessories allowed.
Class 85. Nell and Nigel are out and about with Monty celebrating 50 years of Gardener's World. Using material only available from the garden, design a celebratory display. Not to exceed 30cm in diameter.
Class 86. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heartsclub Band was written 50 years ago. (Yes really!). Make a design for the sideboard, which would be appropriate to the 1960s. No accessories allowed. Not to exceed 45cm x 45cm x 45cm.
Class 87. Five on a Treasure Island are 75. They need badges for today's readers to recognise them. Design the badge as a miniature arrangement. Can be dried or fresh material, but must not exceed 10cm in diameter
RETURNING YOUR CUPS: Remember to return any cups to the store and pick up a copy of the schedule if you’re not on the email list. Please do this in early JULY, as the store is closed during August.
If you are a first time exhibitor and would like any advice, please do feel free to give me a call or email me.
I very much look forward to seeing you all on Show Day.
Sandra Halstead
The 2017 show will be on Saturday 9th September, opening at 2pm for viewing.
I’ve said it before, but I will say it again, cos it worked last year (6+ new entrants) – if you haven’t tried before then this is your year to enter something and have a go! All the newbies last year told me they really enjoyed themselves!
We would love to have more children enter and Ros Lester our new President is keen to see what she can do to make this happen. If you have any suggestions, please let me know.
To get you thinking about items that need some advanced preparation, here are the titles for Art, Photography, Children’s classes and Flower Art.
Section I – Art & Craft – Open to all
Class 68 – “Gardener’s Delight”
Any media painting, i.e. oil, water colour, pencil drawing, pen & ink etc. or mixed media
Section J – Photography – Open to all
Class 71. Colour Print entitled “Food glorious food”
Class 72. Colour Print entitled “A view”
Class 73. Colour Print entitled “People”
Class 74. Colour Print entitled “Close-up”
Class 75. Colour Print entitled “My garden”
Maximum size of print 18 cm x 13 cm (7” x 5”), un-framed, un-mounted.
Section K
Children aged 5 to 8 years
Class 76. 3 biscuits decorated with butterfly(s) and/or bee(s) (biscuits can be shop bought)
Class 77. A posy of flowers to attract bees, in a vase (combined maximum height 45cm)
Class 78. A painting or drawing of a flower using any medium (max. size A4)
Class 79. An animal mask made out of a paper plate using any materials
Children aged 9-12
Class 80. Picture or collage entitled “A garden pond and its wildlife”, any material (max. size A4)
Class 81. 4 small cakes decorated with butterfly(s) and/or bee(s)
Class 82. A photo entitled “Friends”
Class 83. A seed tray scene “At the seaside”. Size not to exceed 25cm x 40cm.
Section N Floral Art – open to all
The year is a celebration of Anniversaries, hope they inspire you!
Class 84. Dame Vera Lynn is 100 years old and the least we can do to say thank you for all the wonderful music is a bouquet (must be in water). Not to exceed 45cm x 45cm x 45cm. Accessories allowed.
Class 85. Nell and Nigel are out and about with Monty celebrating 50 years of Gardener's World. Using material only available from the garden, design a celebratory display. Not to exceed 30cm in diameter.
Class 86. Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Heartsclub Band was written 50 years ago. (Yes really!). Make a design for the sideboard, which would be appropriate to the 1960s. No accessories allowed. Not to exceed 45cm x 45cm x 45cm.
Class 87. Five on a Treasure Island are 75. They need badges for today's readers to recognise them. Design the badge as a miniature arrangement. Can be dried or fresh material, but must not exceed 10cm in diameter
RETURNING YOUR CUPS: Remember to return any cups to the store and pick up a copy of the schedule if you’re not on the email list. Please do this in early JULY, as the store is closed during August.
If you are a first time exhibitor and would like any advice, please do feel free to give me a call or email me.
I very much look forward to seeing you all on Show Day.
Sandra Halstead
Membership
WAGS membership is £4.00 per household and valid for one year. To renew for 2017, please complete the form below and bring to the store with your payment. Newsletters are distributed by email – news is generally posted at the website too.
A few printed copies will be available in Store for those don’t have Internet.
WAGS membership is £4.00 per household and valid for one year. To renew for 2017, please complete the form below and bring to the store with your payment. Newsletters are distributed by email – news is generally posted at the website too.
A few printed copies will be available in Store for those don’t have Internet.