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Society
If you love gardening and live in the parish of Winsham and
surrounding areas, joining the Winsham Horticultural Society is
a great idea. For £4 a year each or £6 for a joint membership,
you get reduced price entry to our regular garden talks through
the year, discount on plants at Groves and Little Groves
nurseries, as well as at Combe Dingle nursery, the chance to
join trips and visits to gardens in the area, and the
opportunity to share tips and seeds with like-minded gardening
fans. We have a raffle at all the events, tea and homemade cakes and there’s even a free buffet at the AGM! The society organises a very popular plant sale in May, our big annual horticultural show in August and a fantastic open gardens event every two years. Enjoying the support and enthusiasm of gardeners of all ages, we’d be thrilled if you joined us in this sustainable and long-standing village society. To apply, email the secretary at lrcopas@btinternet.com |
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Winsham Annual Show report August 2024-a triumph of determination against adversity!
This year’s show was certainly not without its hurdles. We knew from shortly after last year’s show that this year’s would have a different feel as we had decided not to hire the big marquee anymore as it had become too costly. Luckily the WRT had invested in a sizeable new marquee of their own, which they were happy to let us hire. After some careful planning we decided that with the added use of the Street Fair’s large gazebo we should just about have enough room to stage all the exhibits. We also had a new Show Secretary in Liz Copas for 2024. Chloe Besley, our Secretary for many years, had decided it was time to hand over the burden of responsibility. Chloe and Liz worked together, transferring databases from one computer to another - something that was much easier said than done; thank-you Richard Snook for making it happen, moving paperwork & records from one household to another and imparting knowledge from one brain to the other, until Liz had all she needed to set up and be ready for deadline day on Wednesday 21st. This was also the day our band of able-bodied helpers pulled together to erect the large gazebo, butting it up nicely to the end of the WRT’s already erected marquee. The hired tables arrived Thursday late afternoon and were stacked in the gazebo and the grass was mown in the WRT marquee. So, everything was in place for us to set up Friday morning - or so we thought! Thursday night saw the tail end of Storm Lillian hit our shores with gusts of up to 40mph and sadly the gazebo fell foul of one such gust. It was a sorry sight that awaited us that Friday morning and one which put us into a mild state of panic. Luckily, and
vey kindly, the WRT offered us the use of the skittle ally area
of the club house, so we were able to set up what was due to go
in the gazebo there. It was a little on the cosy side, but we
managed to fit in all the art and craft classes, as well as the
children's’ exhibits, so the show could go on. Having erected
and positioned the table , put the tablecloths on, marked out
and labelled each class’s display area the marquee was zipped
shut ready for Saturday. Saturday morning arrived and what a
foul morning it was. It was raining heavily and quite windy at
times. However, it was
To add to the merriment the club bar was open, and all in all, win or lose, everyone appeared to be having a jolly afternoon. Most people were still around for the raffle draw and trophy presentations and it was good to see that most of the winners took their trophies home. Hopefully, as well as displaying them on the mantelpiece, they'll also get them engraved so future winners can look back on who came before them. The Committee would like to say a huge thank-you to all those who helped with the show and to those who attended it, in particular to those who entered and had to bring, and display, their exhibits in the atrocious weather we had that morning. We’d also like to thank the children, whether from Winsham School or further afield, for the time & effort they’d put into their entries. Next year we hope to have more classes for them to enter and better display areas for their exhibits. We are also always open to suggestions regarding all aspects of the show, so if you have any thoughts or ideas please email me and I’ll put them to the Committee. Debbie Murray-Snook (debmurray1961@yahoo.co.uk) The Results
Division 1 Dahlias caused a bit of controversy when our judged pointed out that, although lovely, the exhibits in the pom-pom class were not in fact true pom-poms! However, he did judge them and points were awarded. The trophies were closely fought for by Vic Chubb and Neil Croton with Vic coming out on top. R.J. &
A.K. Ewins perpetual silver cup for Best exhibit in Division 1 -
winner Vic Chubb. W.H.S. Glass Trophy for Most points in
Division 1 - winner Vic Chubb.
The Cut Flowers-Division2 was full of beautiful blooms Division 2 Cut Flowers, saw Paul Anderson’s vase of herbaceous perennials judged best in division while Neil Croton & Janet Smart battled it out for the most points award and this time Neil was victorious, however one of Janet’s 5 Zinnias, in her vase of annuals, was deemed the best bloom in the whole show. Other class winners included Deborah Harris, Frida Stubley, Margaret Long, Tim Beer, Kate and Simon Gates. Mrs J
Ewins perpetual Silver Cup for most points in Division 2 -
winner Neil Croton. Division 3 Pot Plants. We had three trophies on offer in this section with Janet Smart walking off with not one but two of them. Sadly, the D Shaw Fuchsia Bowl stayed in its box this year so if you’ve got a nice potted fuchsia at home give it some 'tlc' through the year and enter it next year and you never know, it could be on your mantelpiece for 2025/6. It was nice to see one of our younger entrants, Nathaniel Croton, getting a first in the cactus class beating his elder brother in doing so and Margaret Long’s winning orchid was a very exotic colour. Mr & Mrs Bennett had a win each so harmony would have been up-held in their household and Mark Murray, who’d come all the way from Yorkshire, won the succulent class. WHS
“Tall” Perpetual Cup for most points in Division 3 - winner
Janet Smart.
Division 4, Vegetables. This is our biggest division with 30 classes and Tim Beer clearly has green fingers as he won 12 of them and was placed in two others. Neil Croton & Janet Smart also had numerous placing, but Tim was a clear winner. His 8 shallots also caught the judges eye as the best exhibit. The biggest class, with 8 entries, was that of 6 pods of runner beans and coming out on top was John Llewellyn’s entry. The Croton boys had a first and second in the unusual, shaped vegetable class with older brother Ethan winning this time and Gordon Judge was a “hot” winner in the Chilli class. The
Jack Turner Memorial Shield for most points in Division 4 -
winner Tim Beer. Division 5 Fruit. This was another hotly contested section by Neil Croton and although he only won one class he walked off with the cup for the most points, so it just goes to show that the more you enter the greater your chance of some silverware. Class winners included Di Thomas, Richard Moss, Trish Goddard & Tim Beer but the most successful class winner with best fruit in section and the coveted best fruit or vegetable in show was Simon Gates with his beautifully presented blackberries.
WF.W.D. Withers Esq Perpetual Cup for most points in Division 5
- winner Neil Croton. Division 6
Flower Arranging. This is a section that I always have
a go at myself but I’m by no means artistic enough to do it
justice however the same could not be said of Judy Waldron whose
display in a hat was magnificent and a very worthy winner of
best exhibit in the section. When it came to the trophy for the
most points in the section it was rather amusingly awarded to
Simon Gates who had not even entered this section due to a
clerical error! The error has since been rectified and Simon has
kindly returned the trophy however we are unable to award it
this year, and some thought needs to be given to how we are
going to proceed in future years, because it was a four-way tie!
Suzy Nacrour for her win in miniature, Judy for her hat, Sarah
Gleadell for her win class 69 and my two seconds all meant we
had the same number of points! Division 7
Local Classes. This was another well supported section
with some 50 entries. Three of the fourteen classes however had
zero entries because, contrary to the Elvis Costello song, it
was obviously not “a good year for the roses” in Winsham! Janet
Smart was the victor when it came to the most points scoring 16
but Deborah Harris, Simon Hill & Richard Moss where hot on her
tail all with 12 points each. Other class winners were John
Llewellyn, again for his French Beans, Judith Hill, who amassed
9 points, only 3 behind her husband, Margaret Long, Kath Rahilly
& Simon Gates. The most significant winner was Vic Brown because
his beautiful purple & white Sweet Peas took best exhibit in the
section. Division
7a There are only two classes in this division, and
they are both judged in situ a few weeks before the show. Both
classes have suffered through a lack of entries over the past
few years and have not been judged. Thankfully this year we had
a few more entries but there’s still room for more competition
so next year dust off your hanging baskets and planters and make
sure you get in the mix. There may not have been many entries
but the winner of both class, Edith Chubb, was a very worthy
winner. 8a
Home-Craft (Preserves). We now move to the skittle ally
in the club house for the non-fruit, veg & floral classes and
from the entries forward we obviously have some keen chefs in
the area. Clocking up an amazing 26 points from entries in 6 of
the 7 preserve classes; Harriet Dougherty was a very worthy
winner of the most points in the division 8a. Other winners were
Edith Chubb, Liz Copas & Tim Beer. Division
8b Home-Craft ( Baking). There are six classes in this
section and again the chefs were out in force with 9 entries in
both the coffee & walnut cake class and a handmade loaf of your
choice. Kate Gates was the winner in both and with a win in
savoury pasty and a third she was a creditable winner of the
most points in division. Harriet’s spiced biscuits were deemed
the best of the 8 entries forward in class 97 and Alison
Llewellyn’s shortbread came out on top of the six entries in
class 96. The accolade for
the best overall Home-Craft exhibit came from class 8b and was
that of Vicky Faulkner, John Llewellyn’s sister who’d come all
the way from Wales, with her amazing Cheesecake. Division
9a Handicraft. There were some fabulous creations
entered in the six classes in this section. Of those classes
Kathy Rahilly won two and came second in two so had there been a
trophy for the most points in the section she would have been a
clear winner. I think that maybe next year we should address the
issue of the missing trophy so if anyone out there has one
they’d like to donate please contact me and we’ll present it in
your name. Class 105 “any other craft article” had 8 entries all
of which were of a very high standard and of very differing
mediums. Sarah McEvansoneya’s 2nd place pottery bowl would not
have looked out of place on the shelves of a retail outlet and
Alison Maitland’s 3rd place “Afternoon Tea (no calories)” was
ingenious. As a keen animal lover, I was also taken with
Jeanette Pezare’s needle felt dog & Kathy Everard’s driftwood
whale. However, after careful deliberation the judge chose Frida
Stubley’s fairy home, the winner and deemed it the best exhibit
in Division 9a. Division
9b Art. There are only three classes in this section,
and they attracted eleven entries in all. Actually, there were
twelve but due a miss communication, Simon Hill’s large canvas,
of children painting in the kitchen, went un-judged. It was so
big it had been perched up on a couple of bar stools behind the
baking classes and was therefore thought to belong to the club
and not be an actual entry! Hopefully Simon will re-enter it
next year. We had three different winners, Edith Chubb for her
delicate watercolour of wildflowers, Suzy Nacrour for her fired
clay black panther head and Terry Goodman whose atmospheric
acrylic woodland scene was selected as best in division. Division
10 Photography. I’m very pleased to say that the number
of entries in this section was up on last year - long may they
continue to increase. Gordon Judge’s snowdrops won the Spring
class, Edith Chubb’s whirlpool was first in Water in Motion and
my roller, from the Royal Welsh Show came out on top in
Agricultural Equipment. However with wins in Winsham Street
Fair, Pets and The Colour Orange Ann Cooke had amassed the most
points per Division and the photo of her German Shepherd also
won best picture. Division 11
Children’s Class. There was a little bit of confusion regarding
the children’s entries particularly with the paintings. The
judging of the handwriting however was carried out without any
problems. The 7 years and under class was won by Luca (6yrs),
with Tilly (7yrs) 2nd and Vilana (5yrs) 3rd. In the 8 to 14 year
old section Louisa (11yrs) was triumphant, Iris (9yrs) 2nd and
Yasmin (10yrs) 3rd. We’d had a fabulous number of exhibits from
Winsham School which was very much appreciated however, what
with one thing and another, they arrived a bit late and didn’t
go through the usual entry process that all the other exhibits
do. This led to the paintings being awarded two sets of
placings, one for those that entered via the usual channels and
one for those from the school. So from those that entered via
the usual channels the 7 years and under class was won by Ruby
Moss with Frida Stubley second, Jack Moss third and Nathaniel
Croton getting a highly commended. For the 8 to 14 year olds
Daniel Redwood took first ahead of his sister Alisha with Ethan
Croton in third. And for the school placings Phebe was first in
the 7 years and under class with Billy Anne 2nd, Jack H 3rd and
Vilana, Elfy & Tilly all being highly commended. The 8 to 14
year old section had joint winners in Louisa & Madison with
Nancy 2nd, Lukas 3rd and Jessica highly commended. Well done and
thank-you to ALL the children that entered.
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heart-warming to see everyone battling,
but not being beaten by, the elements in order to get their
exhibits to the show. We had just over 380 exhibits this year,
not including those from the children of Winsham School, which,
although not a record, was up on the two previous years and
considering the “odd” weather of 2024 very pleasing indeed. Our
judges, another group of amazing people without which there
would be no show, had much to keep them musing over.
Judging complete, placing labels positioned and cup winners
noted, the marquee was again “shut” ready to be reopened with
the show gates at 2.30pm. Understandably the constant morning
rain put off most of the expected car boot sellers, but I think
the hardy four that did arrive did some reasonable trade in the
sun of the afternoon. That’s two years running now that the
weather has seriously affected the car-boot I wonder if someone
is trying to tell us something!! At 2.30pm, as the gates and
marquee opened, the weather did an amazing U-turn, the sun
shone, the wind died down and the mood of the day dramatically
lifted. Keen exhibiters hurried to their entries to see how
they’d fared, the folk of Winsham and the nearby villages
gathered in the marquee and skittle alley admiring, and no doubt
judging for themselves, the many and varied things on display.
Margaret was busy selling raffle tickets. Edith Chubb, Peter and
Janice Saunders and the rest of the refreshment crew worked like
a well-oiled machine selling tea, coffee and the delicious cakes
generously supplied by our members and the committee. 
In recent years, Winsham Horticultural Society has organised an annual Summer Show at the end of August. Located on the Upper Recreation ground it is housed in a large marquee, and offers many categories of exhibits, with a large number of trophies which have been contributed over the years.
The Winsham Open Gardens Exhibition has also taken place in recent years, alternating with the Winsham Street Fair event at the end of June. This is linked to a display of Scarecrows made by village residents to the delight and amazement of all.
It also holds an annual plant and garden accessory sale in the Jubilee Hall every year on the first Saturday in May, together with numerous outings and talks throughout the year, culminating in the AGM in November.