Blooming time at society show

It felt like high summer outside, but inside the main hall of Bexhill High School, the show provided the very best of Spring - delicate and small flowers such as yellow primroses were proudly displayed alongside purple and crimson tulips, and of course daffodils of many different shapes and colours.

Perhaps most striking of all were the stunning displays by Kay Hyde who won first prize for April Showers with her amazing and ornate arrangement of white flowers, and also the All That Jazz class.

More simple but also lovely were the Spring Flower class winner by Mr J Luck and the simple miniature daffodiles of Malcolm Moss.

Apart from various classes for flowers and arrangements, the Show on Saturday afternoon included skill, craft, art and food sections. The tables were laden with irresistible lemon sponges, chocolate muffins and tempting picnic food, as well as examples of artistry such as the seascape painting of Mrs D Godbolt and the handmade jewellery of Mrs Ellen Damen.

Chairman Margaret Tate said: "We are two weeks later with the show this year. We normally have it the first week of April but of course it was Easter.

"So we were quite worried about things like daffodils, but I am amazed - it looks good and they are excellent."

She said the society was holding the show at Bexhill High School following a break and was pleased to return.

Regular judge Doug March was not able to take part this year because of illness, but Margaret said: "I am delighted to say he is now out of hospital, but of course we have missed him."

"The committee work their socks off for this - they are amazing and work so hard, especially vice-chairman Mick Gergory, and Ellen Damen and Dorothy Dancer who do the refreshments. They are standing there all afternoon having been here all morning setting everything up."

The society has 430 members, and Margaret has chaired the committee for more than five years.

She said: "We have winter meetings from October to March on a Saturday afternoon when we have a speaker, then we do a coffee morning probably three or four times over the year which are held at Parkhurst Hall.

"Then we have super outings - at least five a year. We are having a rather smart outing this year ... we always have a St George's Day lunch and this year we are going to Ashdown Park Hotel. We will have lunch in the Lady Brassey suite, then Julian Porter is going to give us a little talk about Lady Brassey who did a lot for horticulture, then we will have a guided tour around the garden."

Margaret said of the society: "I love it. I enjoy gardening. I was secretary of the committee then took over as chairmn so I enjoy that part of it as well. They are such super people and we all work together so well. It is lovely because I walk into town every day and you can bet your life I will always see somebody, one of the members, and we say hello and have a chat. If people just want to give an hour or so to these things, it keeps the society going."

Anyone interested in becoming a member can contact Ellen Damen on 01424 222997