In February 1974 Binfield resident, Alan Foster called an inaugural meeting with the aim of starting a gardening club and 85 people attended!
Since that beginning, the club has remained a thriving and popular part of village life with members of all ages.
Through the years there have been numerous talks, visits, competitions, gardening with school children, medals won at RHS Flower Shows, hosting BBC Gardeners’ Question Time AND MORE!
Therefore, Thursday, March 7 was a very special milestone for members as they celebrated 25 years of existence with drinks, cake and a very special speaker.
We were thrilled to welcome Chris Beardshaw, TV and radio presenter, award winning garden designer.
Chris kept us so entertained with the wonderful tale of his Chelsea medal winning garden sponsored by Morgan Stanley for Great Ormond Street Hospital in 2016 and its subsequent removal to the hospital roof top with the help of Nick Knowles and the BBC.
Truly inspiring, Chris has won many Gold Medals and also Best in Show, but hearing how his design evolved from meeting clinicians, parents and child patients at the hospital with key words transferring into shapes and forms was just overwhelming.
Among the 80 people present were many Founder members, and Chris kindly presented Awards of Appreciation to three of these who have worked continuously for the club.
These were Ruth Fawcett, Deanna Lee and of course, Alan Foster – the one who started it all and is now our Life President and running the monthly bric-a-brac stall.
Richard Skinner, our chairman, gave a toast to the future of the club and thanks to all the committee who had helped make the evening such a happy and successful one, especially thanks to Rosemary Ellis who masterminded it all.
If you are interested in the Garden Club, our programme for the year and all information is available on our website binfieldgardenclub.wordpress.com.
We meet at Binfield Memorial Hall at 7.15pm on the first Thursday of each month.
Guests and visitors are always most welcome.
You may have missed Chris Beardshaw, but whether you have a large or small garden, a window box, indoor plant pots or just enjoy nature and the countryside do come along one month and try us out with no obligation.
Sue Jeffery
If you are in a WI, Mothers’ Union, a friendship group or an action group then send us a report of your meetings and we’ll print them in here!
Share your reports by emailing news@wokinghampaper.co.uk
