As we reach the shortest day of the year we are looking ahead to 2025 and putting the finishing touches around the Winter Show Schedule (Saturday 8 February 2025) which will be available in early January, so look out for printed copies in the Village Shop and details which will be announced on our web site. 

With the year end approaching we undertook a review of our activities and were able to make some donations to our local charities: Gaddesden Place Riding for the Disabled (RDA), Westcroft House (ROAR), Horatio’s Garden and St Frances Hospice.  Each of these charities received £400 and we have received some lovely letters of thanks which will be displayed in the Store.  There was a ‘Big Give’ week in early December where, for participating charities, donations were doubled so we made sure St Frances Hospice received our donation during that period giving them double the benefit. 

Our Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Affiliated membership will automatically renew early in 2025 so do remember the benefits this provides to all VPA members. We love it when members use the ticket to get the discount.

Once a year Affiliated RHS members like the VPA can organise a group visit to one of the RHS gardens.  In conjunction with the Little Gaddesden Women’s Institute (WI, Ashridge Group) there are plans in place to go to Wisley on Tuesday 20 May 2025.  A coach has been booked for the journey, consequently seats need to be filled to enable the travel cost to be divided equally.   To reserve your seat(s), do bring a friend, send an email to wisley-trip@lgvpa.org or telephone 07760 144057 advising your contact details (it will be helpful to know if you are also a personal RHS member).

Some years ago, the VPA undertook to manage the garden at the front of the Store along with the planters throughout the village (They are at Cromer Close, Ringshall junction, in front of the School entrance and the VPA Store) together with the two planted gardens at the front of the village shop.  If you can spare any time to help cut back, plant up and generally manage the growth at any time during the year, your help would be very much appreciated, as there are very few of us to manage all the tasks.

As another year comes to an end we wish all our members an enjoyable festive time with their family and friends. Remember, the Store generally remains open every Sunday, bird food being a hotly contested purchase.  Do call by and say hello, we would like to see you.