Welcome to your Gaddesden District VPA Summer Newsletter
In this VPA Summer Newsletter:
- Membership news
- A round-up of our main events
- Additional member benefits
- And a request for photos from Stasia
Firstly a quick advert for a Gardening event in Hemel Hempstead:
And now on to the main conent of the VPA Summer Newsletter…
Membership
A big thank you to all who have paid their membership fee of £5 per household. The VPA year runs from 1st April 2019 until 31st March 2020 and we have on the database 189 paid members with just a few more to collect. Over 150 members have paid by standing order and I must say that it really simplifies the collection process both for this year and future years, so thanks very much for signing up to that. The Committee are hoping that we can top 200 member households this year. Please ask your neighbours if they know about the VPA and what we do and encourage them to join.
Our main events as you know are:-
The Plant and Cake Sale in May –
…which this year beat previous sales records raising over £500 with all the Cake sales money (£100 of that total) going to the Hospice of St. Francis. Thanks to everyone for their kind donations of plants and generous baking, Sue Godar for managing the event, Sarah Green for managing the refreshments and all the volunteers for setting up, selling and making the event a success.
The Summer Show – Saturday 24th August.
Please put that date in your diary. This year we are planning to deliver the programme, incorporating the entry forms, to every household in the village to ensure we have a high number of entries in all classes and to encourage non-members to join up.
Full details of the Summer Show, including an online entry form, are available on the VPA Summer Show 2019 page.
Autumn Harvest Supper and Quiz night – Saturday October 5th
Details of that event will be issued in the next newsletter.
Winter Show – February 2020.
Details of that event will be issued in the next newsletter.
The VPA shop next to the Village Hall
The store is going through a makeover at the moment, we have got rid of the clutter and David Brattle has kindly built a storage cupboard to house all our show materials, we have introduced some seating and a table which is for volunteers and shoppers to use and we hope to do occasional demonstrations/talks on gardening subjects. We are open 10-12am on Sunday mornings from February to November so please drop in to purchase or just to chat. You are sure of friendly welcome.
Additional member benefits
As well as all the usual events, the Committee have now purchased two discount tickets for RHS gardens. As the VPA are affiliated to the RHS this is a real benefit. It means that you can get 30% off entry to Wisley and other RHS gardens. That means you can get your VPA membership fee back in one visit if you take advantage of the offer! Contact Stuart if you wish to borrow the discount tickets.
RHS GARDENS TO VISIT IN 2019 ON YOUR SUMMER TRIPS AND HOLIDAYS
• Wisley, Woking, Surrey
Well known to many of us, it’s famed for 2000 rhododendrons that look astounding en masse and beauful close up.
• Hyde Hall, Chelmsford, Essex
A colourful settng in spring. Also a centre for courses and workshops.
• Harlow
Carr, Harrogate Yorkshire
The woodland edge has been given a boost this year with nearly 200
pulmonarias added and intensely purple Atropurpurea. Massed tulips are
remarkable.
• Rosemoor, Great Torrington, Devon
Noted for its Japanese cherries!
A request from Stasia our Shop Manager and Social Media Manager.
Stasia is looking for photos of gardens for the new web site which is under construction and for the VPA shop re-launch. If you have some nice garden photos that you are happy to share, please e-mail them to Stasia on LGVPAfacebook@yahoo.co.uk
Stasia also mentioned our Instagram page (@little_gaddesden_vpa) where she is looking to share the photos too, and she hopes that you will see us there too.
From your VPA Committee
June Abraham, Stuart Buchanon-Barrow, Alastair Greene, Stasia Parker, Janet Stinton, Alison Townsend, Philip Bunting, Andrew Sheaf