Monthly Archives: September 2017

The Autumn Flower Show, 2017

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More than three hundred entries were a sure sign of your continuing support and the show went really well on the day. On behalf of the committee, thank you all for your hard work in preparing all those amazing exhibits, and thanks to all those who came along to see.

It is once again my pleasure to tell you that the judges were impressed by the continued high quality of the entries in our small but perfectly formed show.

A highlight this year was the first presentation of the Jenny Nudds Tomato Cup. Jenny presented the cup after retiring from the committee and she and Jerry Nudds each gave more than thirty years of service to the show. We owe them a lot, and their knowledge and experience will be much missed – thank you both. We now have Jenny’s cup and the Jerry Nudds plate for a Gentleman’s Fruitcake, so neither will be forgotten.

I would like to thank the committee members for all their hard work, i.e. for: schedule-agreeing, poster-making, poster-sticking, email-sending, plant-growing, plant-preparing, trophy-collecting, trophy-chasing, trophy-polishing, judge-booking, hall-booking, hall-preparing, banner-hanging, paperwork-doing, loads-more-paperwork-doing, prize-card stamping, email-sending, money-managing, float-preparing, tea-readying, raffle-prize-organising, entry-collecting, picking-up-scattered-small-change-off-Christina’s-doormatting, entrant-minding, judge-minding, result-running, prize-card-scribing, final-checking, tea-making, tea-selling, plant-selling, raffle-selling, door-guarding, prize-giving, non-winner-consoling, hall-clearing, hall-tidying, left-behind-entries-delivering, probably-quite-a-few-I-forgot(ing), and sorting the schedule for the next show.

Welcome to our new committee member John – he survived surprisingly well. And thank you to Dan Duke and Ian Brace for their publicity work.

The Spring Show will be on Saturday 7th April 2018 – we look forward to seeing you there.
David Wilkinson

ROLL OF HONOUR

Children’s classes

Make a paper hat

  • 1st Alistair Mucklow
  • 2nd Florence Townson
  • 3rd= Aemilia Fordova
  • 3rd=Charlotte Bristow

Adult Trophy Winners

  • Jenny Nudds Tomato Cup – best tomatoes. John Myres
  • Runner Bean Plate – best runner beans. Mike and Sue Kitson
  • Pat Cheese Potato Cup – best exhibit of potatoes. Charlotte Bennett
  • Vegetable Collection Plate – best collection of veg (Class 1). Donna Watkin
  • R Belcher Onion Cup – best onion exhibit. Charles Dickerson
  • Best Vegetable Award – best vegetable exhibit (not class 1). Charles Dickerson
  • Fruit Plate – best exhibit of fruit. Donna Watkin
  • Best Kept Allotment Tray – best allotment. Charlotte Bennett
  • Blackwell Photography Cup – best photo in show. Helen Russell
  • Jerry Nudds Fruit Cake Plate – Gents fruit cake. Howard Exton-Smith
  • Victoria Sandwich Award. Nick Foreman
  • Rose Plate – best rose in the show. Steph Forman
  • H C Smith Dahlia Cup – best exhibit of dahlias. Wendy Rapp
  • Floral Art Cup – best floral art exhibit. Donna Watkin
  • Britain in Bloom Cup – most points in flower classes. Alison Myres
  • Amey Rose Bowl – lady with most points in the show (other than flower classes). Donna Watkin
  • Amey Tankard – gentleman with most points in show. Charles Dickerson

Hurst Water Meadow Trust News

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Meadow matters

Our thanks to Andrew Townsend for cutting the hay on the Hurst meadow again this year. It was cut on 26th August and baled on 29th, the cut having been delayed by wet weather earlier in the month. Andrew will use the hay for his livestock during the winter.

The later cut allowed flowers such as knapweed to set seed which was enjoyed by flocks (or charms) of goldfinch. Also, from late July onwards there were reports of barn owls hunting over the Hurst in the evenings.

Thank you to regular walkers in all three meadows for your diligence and help over dog mess and litter, especially picking up the odd wrapper or empty can that has been discarded. This is much appreciated.

Money matters

Having completed our annual accounts up to the end of March we are beginning to look ahead at how Brexit might affect us. Last year our total income was £13,700, of which £6,000 came from farming grants. Almost all the rest came from donations and associated tax credits. We spent a little over £12,000, of which £9,000 was for land maintenance (mainly tree surgery beyond the competence of our volunteers, and tractor mower running costs). Other significant costs included fees of £1,200 for preparing our new 10 year land maintenance plan, and £650 for our liability insurance.

The reality is that our total actual expenditure is dwarfed by the unaccounted value of the weekly work of our land management volunteers. This exceeds all our expenditure put together. They gain a real sense of personal ownership of the meadows, as well as good exercise and learning new skills. They meet on Tuesday mornings and some weekends. Contact Chris Smith to find out more about Tuesday sessions (chriscssmith@btinternet.com) or Graham Beland about weekend sessions (belandgraham@gmail.com).

We have to plan that Brexit will mean lower farming grants, perhaps none, and we will become more dependent on donations. Small amounts from lots of people will go a long way to keep us solvent. If you might consider making a contribution to our work please contact me and I will be pleased to send you more information. Thank you.

Gillian Johnson (Hon. Secretary) on behalf of the Trustees
01865 340925 email: admin@hurst-water-meadow.org.uk

Changes to DIY charging at Household Waste Recycling Centres

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From Sunday 1 October 2017 the charges for the disposal of non-household waste are changing.  The existing DIY 1,2,3 for free scheme, which has been in place for 15 years, is being replaced by a small fixed fee per item.  Further details on the charges can be found online at www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/chargeablewaste.

You will still be able to dispose of all household waste free of charge at any of the county’s Household Waste Recycling Centres.