Gloucestershire Federation
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The GFGS Stand at the Malvern Spring Show 2014
At about 2 pm on Tuesday 6th May 2014 I decided to travel across to the Wye Hall at the Three Counties Showground to start putting together the GFGS Stand for the Malvern Spring Show 2014.
With the GFGS Banner erected on a black background which was already in place I tried to cover five tables in black material and put up two sets of display boards one at either end. I struggled to cover the tables with the sheets of material I had but luck was on my side, the next stand to us was Plant Heritage and Una Dunnett who holds a National Collection of Hostas took pity on me and gave me some landscaping fabric, and so with the help of Colin Smith the tables were covered in no time. Later that evening I collected a number of plants for the stand compliments of Martin Davis.
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At about 12.30 pm on Wednesday 7th May Alan Cursue and Stuart Rowe arrived at my house and after some lunch we travelled in convoy to Malvern with baskets of plants to finish staging the display. Baskets and/or plants had been provided by the following gardening clubs or societies.
- Cheltenham & District Orchid Society (2 baskets provided by Tom Price)
- Cheltenham & District Allotment Holders Association (basket provided by Rosemary Smith)
- Cheltenham Horticultural Society (2 baskets provided by Syd Reed & David Richards)
- Cotswold Fuchsia & Pelargonium Society (2 baskets provided by Robert Champion)
- Churchdown Horticultural Society (2 baskets provided by Rebecca Henwood)
- Gloucester Amateur Gardening Society (plants provided by Anne Hemsley)
- Hucclecote Horticultural Society (basket provided by Jan Broadway)
All the baskets were strategically placed with the names of the Clubs that had supplied them and the display was finished off with some well-placed GFGS promotional leaflets, posters and Club literature that I had been supplied with.
I arrived bright and early on Thursday 8th May just to make sure everything was okay and steward the stand. During the day the stand was also stewarded by Maggie Theakston & Anne Evans and Stuart & Val Rowe.
I didn’t arrive so early on Friday 9th May as I had to work in the morning so arrived at about midday to do some more stewarding. During the day the stand was also stewarded Martin & Marilyn Davis, Jenny Grassom, Dennis Sutton and John Wilson.
On Saturday 10th May I arrived about 8 am, only to put out more literature and have a coffee before the crowds arrived! During the day the stand was stewarded by Syd Reed, John & Rachel Proctor, Christine Paine, David Richards.
On Sunday 11th May I again arrived about 8 am just to make sure everything was okay before the gates opened to the public at 9 am. During the day the stand was stewarded by Carole Jeffes & Dot Culverhouse, Alan & Hilary Harvey, Maggie Theakston & her husband whose name escapes me, sorry! And Alan Cursue & Jan Broadway who also stayed on to help me pack up and assisted with the transportation of plants for which I’m most grateful.
Isn’t it strange how these things come down a lot quicker that they go up!
My thanks to all those mentioned above, without their help and hard work we would not have produced a stand which was admired by many attending the show (even the judges, Fifth Prize again!) and also potentially gained a few new members for Affiliated Societies, a possible new club for the Federation and some enquiries about grants for school gardening clubs.
And finally my thanks to Dennis Sutton for providing some of the images of the stand for the website.
We have been invited to put up a number of stands over the next few months and I remind members that if your Club/Society has space at your show and can provide a 6’ by 2’6” table (approx.) if we can we will attend with an information display stand, for more information please contact me.
I would also appeal to Clubs/Societies to send me a copy of their Show Poster and any other information that we could display on the stand. This information can be emailed to me at rod.wells@gfgs.org.uk or by snail mail (sorry I know we don’t like them) to me at 15 Lapwing Close, Northway, Tewkesbury, Glos, GL20 8TN.
Rod Wells.
Click on pictures to open a larger version (in new window)
You can also see pictures from earlier shows: