Upcoming events.
WESSEX & JERSEY MEMBERS’ DAY
Our Area Show on 9th April 2025 is featuring a talk by Steve Pateman, known as The Boss In Boots, a man who inspired a TV programme, a film and a blockbusting Broadway and West End musical. Our afternoon performance is by Sara Barrow, a National Demonstrator from Preston in Lancashire.
AGM & Demonstration
David (right) with his partner John in their garden at Hazel Cottage.
Picture copyright of the National Garden Scheme
This is our final meeting of the year where we look forward to what is coming in our Council Meeting and look back at the past year in the AGM. We then follow that with a festive demonstration which, like the council and AGM meetings are open to all our members.
The AGM will also include the updating of the area constitution to reflect the changes we have made within the area to make everyone’s roles equally valued and to add financial and diversity statements.
Once the serious business is over we will welcome the amazing National Demonstrator, David Ryland. David is from the North West area where he is Chairman. David’s heart and soul are in garden flowers. His garden at home is part of the National Gardens Scheme and he and his partner John have raised over £11,000 over the years opening the garden!
Anyone who visits the National Show will be very familiar with David’s work as he has won multiple first prizes and special awards for his garden inspired work.
We are so lucky to have him coming so don’t miss out, contact Donna Savage for tickets here
David’s prize winning design from the National Show in London
Area Show
The Area Show team are really loking forward to welcoming you to Broughton. L-R Lynn MacKenzie, Donna Savage, Debbie Wadge, Martina Coleman & Val Hockley. Andrea Hillyard is also on the team.
Our next Area show is taking place on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th November 2024 with staging on Thursday 7th November.
It is taking place at Broughton Village Hall, High Street, Broughton SO20 8AX. It’s bright, warm and welcoming feel makes it an ideal venue for us to use, to hold an intimate and friendly show. Which aims to be all about our members and encouraging them to come and take part or to come and visit the show.
We have flower competitions, photography competitions, catering, a wonderful “sweet treats” tombola and not forgetting our fabulous sales table.
However to make this a fabulous show we need your help and we need this in acouple of ways.
Firstly by taking part:
Entering - encourage members to enter the competitions, maybe for the very first time. Everyone needs a little bit of confidence to enter, be the person to help them gain that confidence. We have organised a “hotline” for all competitors, our Judges have agreed to be available to answer any queries or questions you may have regarding competing. Any queries on the schedule itself Martina Coleman, the competitions secretary is available to answer any question. We want everyone to be happy taking part and confident.
Visiting - arrange a trip maybe you can bring a few cars and see the wonderful designs and partake of the wonderful catering and catch up with friends across the Area.
Secondly financially, are you able to:
Sponsor - Sponsor a class for £30
Tombola Please can you help make our tombola a sweet success by donating boxes of chocolates, sweets, or even a single bar
of chocolate. Every little helps and will be greatly appreciated. (All in sell by date please!!)
Please can you ask your club members to collect donations at your club meetings or give to Marion Catt, Debbie Wadge and
Andrea Hillyard. Andrea may be able to visit you to collect items. Please contact her on 07803 584 243/andyhillyard@hotmail.com
If you are unable to send a prize you can still sponsor some prizes for the tombola for between £5 and £10. Payment can be made to the Area bank account. Account Name: Wessex and Jersey Area of NAFAS. Account Number: 30383953. Sort Code: 20 97 01. Reference: AShow
Thank you for your generosity and support!
Don’t miss out on the fun and the chance to win some delicious prizes for Christmas.
Debbie Wadge - Area Show Chairman
Area Show
We are so excited about our area show. It is being held in the lovely village hall at Broughton, near Stockbridge on Friday 8th and Saturday 9th November.
The show team of Debbie Wadge, Lynn Mackenzie, Martina Coleman, Andrea Hillyard, Liz Chick, Val Hockley and Donna Savage met at the hall this week to check all the plans worked and that everyone was familair with the hall.
Val Hockley, who is our catering supremo (as well as education representative) was delighted with the wonderful professional kitchen at the hall! She will be serving home made soups including leek and potato and beetroot and bacon amongst others with fresh bread. If you are not so hungry there will be a multitude of cakes to choose from including gluten and dairy free.
Carole Norman will be present with the area trading table with lots of fun new items there thanks to a very kind donation from past Flower Arranger Editor, Judith Blacklock. She closed the bricks and mortar side of her London flower school in August but continues with online courses. We are enormously grateful to her for all the fabulous containers and sundries she donated to the area.
We are also having a Sweet Treats tombola. It will be packed with wonderful chocolates, sweets and other tempting things for those of us with a sweet tooth. It is perfect for Christmas presents or a yummy treat for yourself.
There is parking on site and on the road outside or there is an excellent car park on School Lane, Broughton as spaces will fill up quickly. Feel free to drop off your passengers at the hall then head off to park the car. Car sharing will really help with the parking.
Most importantly, you will be there, whether you are entering the competitions, coming to support friends from your club who are entering or just having a lovely relaxed day out.
We are really looking forward to seeing you there.
Pip Bensley - Area Chairman
President's Lunch
What a wonderful, happy Members Day we had – so much laughter and chatter – and that is without the entertainment and retail therapy!
SO we thought we would organise another event to give members another chance to come together as an Area, hence the President’s Area Lunch to be held on Wednesday 9 October 2024.
The lunch will be held at Woodlands Lodge Hotel, within the New Forest National Park, and the aim is to have a relaxed get together and hopefully catch up with all that is going on in the Area.
You will be greeted with a welcome drink, a three course lunch and then a special presentation by Michael Bowyer. There will, of course, be the essential raffle too.
The objective is to socialise, enjoy being with flowery friends, those already known and making new contacts. I, with the Area team, look forward to welcoming you and sharing this time with you. So no more waiting, space is limited, the application form and menu choices have been sent to your club chairman.
See you there! Marion x
New Forest Show
Time to start planning for the New Forest Show, our Hampshire county show. The schedule is attached and includes lots of great titles.
The show this year is not our Area Show, ours will be held in November, but the New Forest Show is always well supported by our members.
Speakers Test 2025
This Autumn the Wessex and Jersey Area hope to start a Speakers’ Training Course with a view to the candidates taking their Area Test in the Autumn of 2025. If you have a subject in which you have expertise or are particularly interested or even passionate about this is your opportunity to pass on your fascination and knowledge. You may love a particular flower or be inspired by a designer, whoever, or whatever it is, this will interest and inspire others.
The thought might be slightly terrifying at first. However, once you are underway there should really be no problems, it is just practise that will make it perfect. Choose a subject you really enjoy and are passionate about and your enthusiasm will shine through. It is necessary to thoroughly research the subject matter, this may take a bit of time but will give you a greater knowledge and a wider horizon. There will be suggestions on how to use PowerPoint as many of us use projectors which saves carrying around props.
The course will be taught by experienced Instructors over this period with 6-8 training days held in local halls. It will be necessary to attend at least 3 certificated days before you attempt the test. We have a Mock Test which will then be followed by the Area Speakers Test a few weeks later.
The tests will be attended by a fully qualified Adjudicator together with a trainee. These will be held in the Autumn. Having a gap between the tests gives the candidates time to iron out any glitches that crop up in the Mock Test.
We also have an Area Refresher Day once every three years to keep you updated. Meanwhile the National Committee will offer further training in IT and other matters. Once you are qualified you may wish to go on to be a National Speaker requiring further training which will again be given by qualified Instructors.
No two talks are the same. It is tremendous fun travelling around the various clubs meeting like-minded people who will come along to enjoy your talk.
Gill Pelton - Speakers’ Representative
Members Day 2024
Members Day is our big annual get together to raise funds to help support all the training the area does.
The day starts with time to socialise as everyone gathers at the theatre building at Thornden School in Chandlers Ford. Our Area team will be one hand to welcome you.
We will have the education team led by Val Hockley talking about our training opportunities and workshops that our teachers and workshop leaders can offer.
Our media representative Frances Barnett will have details of events at local clubs and in the area and your club can also bring along leaflets to be handed out at the event.
There will be a tombola in the entrance hall with instant prizes of some really super prizes kindly donated by our members.
Your ticket entitles you to a welcome tea or coffee from the main foyer.
We then have shopping stalls with favourites like Hardy Cottage Garden Plants, Wrap Up in Style, Love is Peace, Pip Bensley Vintage Vases plus a new trader Antique Tea Cup Candles and of course Carole Norman with our Area Trading Stand.
Our speaker at 10.45 is Paul Hervey-Brookes, the RHS gold medal winning Garden Designer and Gardens Judge, writer for The Telegraph and a regular gardening partner for Viking Cruises and Brewin Dolphin . You can read about Paul here.
Lunch can either be your own packed lunch or you can order a delicious lunch from our catering partner TASTE Dining Company led by Tim and Sarah Trussler.
After lunch you have time for some last minute shopping and don’t forget to buy raffle tickets to win the flowers from the demonstration.
Our demonstrator is Jacqui Arnold from Kent. You can read about Jacqui here. Jacqui is a double RHS Gold medal winner and loves using garden plant material in both traditional work and more quirky contemporary designs.
Do come and join us, there are a few tickets still available
AGM Demonstration DAVID RAGG
This year’s demonstration will be by the much loved International Florist David Ragg. David’s inventive style and gorgeous flowers make for a very special demonstration.
David runs his own floral business and if you haven’t seen David you can read about him here.
Keep an eye out for details about how to secure your ticket very soon.
AGM and Area Council Meeting
This meeting combines two meetings. Our normal Council meeting where Club Chairmen, Area Management Team, Associates of Honour and Past Presidents meet quarterly to discuss area plans and ways of supporting clubs. Then our Area AGM which reviews the year and follows the Council Meeting. Other members are welcome.
These meetings are followed by an afternoon demonstration at 2pm. See the AGM demonstration event for tickets for the demonstration.
Area Management Team Meeting
The Area Management Team meet regularly to plan and review all the area’s activities at Colbury Hall in the Ashurst Room
Club Officers Day 2
Wessex & Jersey Area of NAFAS
CLUB OFFICERS DAYS 2023
TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER OR TUESDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2023
9.30 for 10am start, Finish approx. 3pm
Colbury Memorial Hall, Main Road, Colbury, Hants, SO40 7EL
(Ample all day free parking)
This is a chance for your team of Club Officers (you can bring your Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Programme Secretary, committee members – max 4 in total over both days) to get advice and get to know the Area Management Team and plan your next steps for the club.
We are planning to get together for a welcome drink at 9.30 followed by a getting to know one another session, look at using your computer to send back forms using email, ways of forwarding emails to committee and members, how to make ends meet and getting new members - amongst other things.
The content of both days will be the same so you can all come along together or split into two groups – whichever works best for your club and your officers and committee members.
There will be plenty of time to ask questions both during the day and at the end.
The day is FREE but you need to bring your own packed lunch. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided for FREE throughout the day and if one or two of you are able to donate a cake (made or bought) it would be really appreciated.
We are having two days do that those who can’t make one can attend the other.
To attend please fill in the attached form and send it to Pip Bensley.
Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Wessex & Jersey Area of NAFAS
CLUB OFFICERS DAYS 2023
TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER OR TUESDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2023
9.30 for 10am start, Finish approx. 3pm
Colbury Memorial Hall, Main Road, Colbury, Hants, SO40 7EL
(Ample all day free parking)
Please apply for places by sending this form to
Pip Bensley, 24 Branksome Avenue, Upper Shirley, Southampton SO15 5NY
or emailing it to chairwessexandjerseyarea@gmail.com
Please state your club name and write clearly the names of your attendees and their position in the club.
Tuesday 10th October
Club Name………………………………………………………………………………….
Name (Christian & surname) Position Held
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS
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Tuesday 17th October
Club Name………………………………………………………………………………….
Name (Christian & surname) Position Held
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS
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First Aid Course
Gill Pelton from Salisbury Flower Club bandaging Debbie Wadge at the last course.
Are you ready for any emergency?
Our first aid course will make sure you know just what to do in any situation, when to call 999 and when to reach for the first aid kit (and what the contents do!) plus how to work a defibrillator.
It is run by the lovely Pete Hockley who is a very experienced trainer and can even cope if you don't like the sight of blood!!
The course is certificated and an essential for anyone leading a club or teaching students and is relaxed and fun too!
Contact Val Hockley here to reserve your place.
Club Officers Day 1
Wessex & Jersey Area of NAFAS
CLUB OFFICERS DAYS 2023
TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER OR TUESDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2023
9.30 for 10am start, Finish approx. 3pm
Colbury Memorial Hall, Main Road, Colbury, Hants, SO40 7EL
(Ample all day free parking)
This is a chance for your team of Club Officers (you can bring your Chairman, Treasurer, Secretary, Programme Secretary, committee members – max 4 in total over both days) to get advice and get to know the Area Management Team and plan your next steps for the club.
We are planning to get together for a welcome drink at 9.30 followed by a getting to know one another session, look at using your computer to send back forms using email, ways of forwarding emails to committee and members, how to make ends meet and getting new members - amongst other things.
The content of both days will be the same so you can all come along together or split into two groups – whichever works best for your club and your officers and committee members.
There will be plenty of time to ask questions both during the day and at the end.
The day is FREE but you need to bring your own packed lunch. Tea, coffee and biscuits will be provided for FREE throughout the day and if one or two of you are able to donate a cake (made or bought) it would be really appreciated.
We are having two days do that those who can’t make one can attend the other.
To attend please fill in the attached form and send it to Pip Bensley.
Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis.
Wessex & Jersey Area of NAFAS
CLUB OFFICERS DAYS 2023
TUESDAY 10TH OCTOBER OR TUESDAY 17TH OCTOBER 2023
9.30 for 10am start, Finish approx. 3pm
Colbury Memorial Hall, Main Road, Colbury, Hants, SO40 7EL
(Ample all day free parking)
Please apply for places by sending this form to
Pip Bensley, 24 Branksome Avenue, Upper Shirley, Southampton SO15 5NY
or emailing it to chairwessexandjerseyarea@gmail.com
Please state your club name and write clearly the names of your attendees and their position in the club.
Tuesday 10th October
Club Name………………………………………………………………………………….
Name (Christian & surname) Position Held
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………
Tuesday 17th October
Club Name………………………………………………………………………………….
Name (Christian & surname) Position Held
PLEASE USE BLOCK CAPITALS
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NAFAS National AGM
The beginning of last year’s AGM with Beryl Cotton compering
The virtual annual AGM of the National flower arranging charity NAFAS. Available live online via zoom (we will post the link as soon as it is issued) and available later on the NAFAS YouTube channel
Our members Mala Williams and Debbie Wadge will be honoured with their National Associate of Honour awards so do watch to give them our support.
We will also discover who is going to be appointed as President Elect.
This is an excellent chance to find out more about what NAFAS does so put the date in your diary.
Area Council Meeting
Club Chairmen, Area Management Team, Associates of Honour and Past Presidents meet quarterly to discuss area plans and ways of supporting clubs. Other members are welcome.
Teachers Refresher Day with Jane Rickard
The Area’s Teachers will be brushing up on their teaching skills with tips and techniques from National Teacher Jane Rickard.
Attendees have been asked to bring a copy of the NEW Competitions Manual plus a note book and pen. Jane will be going through all aspects of
teaching techniques with our teachers.
Do not forget to bring your lunch with you. There will be tea/coffee biscuits and Val Hockley might even make a couple of cakes, after all no study is complete without it.
We will open at 9.30 for a 10am prompt start. We are scheduled to finish by 3.30pm.
If you do not already have a copy of the NEW Competitions Manual they can be either ordered direct from the NAFAS website or through our Area Publications Officer Carole Norman.
Tickets £20 for W&J teachers, £25 for other Areas. Available from Val Hockley (Education Rep)
National Advisory Council Meeting
The quarterly meeting of all the NAFAS Area Chairmen and the Board of Trustees held via zoom.
Area Management Team Meeting
The Area Management Team meet regularly to plan and review all the area’s activities at Colbury Hall in the Ashurst Room
Area Show 2023
We are delighted to invite you to join us at our Area Show which is incorporated into the New Forest Show. Schedules will be emailed out to all last years competitors at the beginning of April. It is also available here.
There will be 10 classes with something for everyone. From pedestals to petites you will see our best exhibitors competing to take home the Best in Show award.
We really look forward to seeing you at the show. Our Education Team will be there to chat to you about our courses, recommend teachers for your club and show you a design idea or two. You will also be able to chat about the Flower Arranger Magazine or find the club closest to you.
Education Workshop Mel Smith Using Agrawool
Mel Smith is a European Master Florist and Floristry Tutor and will be sharing her tips and techniques for arranging with Agrawool. Mel is fun and full of great ideas and positive energy.
Our education workshops are tailored for teachers on our area list, workshop leaders who have done or are doing our course and members teaching courses of flower arranging lessons on a regular basis.
National Show - Gloucester Cathedral
For the first time since the pandemic we are having a “proper” National Show. This is where competitors from all around the UK get together to compete for the coveted Best in Show award.
It is being held at Gloucester Cathedral and looks like being a super show. If you want to join an organised trip Salisbury Flower Club are running a coach and have a few spaces still at £42.50 to include entry to the show.
Sustainable Flower Crown Workshops at Gardeners World Spring Fair at Beaulieu
After the success of last year’s event, the Gardeners World Team have asked the Wessex area to come back again. A team of wonderful volunteers led by education Representative, Val Hockley, will man the workshops. The whole design is compostable using ivy strands, raffia and flowers. Tickets for the workshops are available at the BBC Gardeners World website.
Members Day
Join us for our main fundraiser for the year. We have a wonderful, relaxed day catching up with friends. In the morning we have Senior RHS Judge Jim Buttress talking to us about ‘70 Years in Horticulture’. You will remember Jim from The Big Allotment Challenge on BBC1 with Jonathan Moseley. In the afternoon talented national demonstrator Alison Penno will delight us with her demonstration “Floral Idols’. We have shopping from Carole Norman, South East Flowers, Hardys Cottage Garden Plants, All Wrapped Up and Love is Peace. Tickets area available via our Area Treasurer, Donna Savage. Click here to contact us