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FEERING  AND  KELVEDON  GARDEN  CLUB

RHS Affiliated Society No. 10545127 

      We are a friendly group of people who are interested in our gardens & plants, to the extent that we enjoy meeting each other on a regular basis.  Anyone who has a garden no matter how big or how small, window-boxes or just a patio or who finds TV gardening programmes interesting is welcome to join us.

       We hold our meetings in The Institute, Kelvedon on the first Tuesday of each month, save January, August & September, normally at 20:00 (8.00 pm), but the April & December ones start at 19:30 (7:30 pm).  An invited speaker gives us a talk - usually illustrated with slides, sometimes with plants & items that can be bought.  Now and again the talk is on something totally different from horticulture, just by way of a change.  One year the speaker was a fingerprint expert from New Scotland Yard, highly recommended for his light-hearted and fascinating explanation of his work. 

       We have an interval for refreshments during which there is a raffle and our ‘Flower of the Month’ - a rather informal competition.  Members can bring along a single flowering stem from their garden, and those at the meeting place a single coin (a mimimum of 10p is suggested)   against the one specimen they like best, or, if one is feeling generous, an equal number of coins for each exhibit with an extra one for the bloom preferred.  The value of coins is irrelevant, only the number, & points are awarded to the first three. At the Christmas Social, (yes, we have a Christmas Social, which is a proper sit down meal) the member with the most points is awarded a little trophy to keep until the following year and the accumulated money is sent to Perennial, the Gardeners' Royal Benevolent Society.
       At the meetings, we also have items such as second-hand gardening books, seeds, plants or produce for sale on a 50/50 basis, i.e. half to the seller, half to Club funds. 
       On top of all these monthly meetings, we have outings.  In high summer, one of our evening meetings is often replaced by a 'special invitation' visit to a garden open only occasionally.  But for many, the highlights are the week-end coach outing or outings, usually in May, June or July. 
         In April in the Institute, we have a Members-only Spring Show, and in late August or early September in the Feering Community Centre a Summer Flower & Vegetable Show (with photography, art, craft, cookery, preserves & youngsters special sections) that is open to all.  Don't be put off by some of the gardening programmes on TV that make you think of months of lavish care and devotion, endless hours of crimping and preening, up at the crack of dawn on Show Day with artists' sable-hair brushes and Cotton Buds to ensure that all is perfection.  Not us!  But the entries and exhibits still win prizes. 
       There may well be one for you. 

          If all this makes you feel that you would like to join the Club; it won't break the bank.  Membership for this year (and probably next too) is only £4.00, whilst the part of the cost of some coach trips is subsidised for Club members.  A small charge is made for the Christmas Dinner & Social, and usually for the evening garden visit.  The Christmas Dinner & Social in Kelvedon Institute on the first Tuesday in December is the last meeting of the year  .  The next one after that will be the AGM on the first Tuesday in February. 

For £1 you can come along to any meeting just to give it a try, or for £4 you can join for the year at any meeting and, after the Open Show, for £2 for the remainder of the year.  We look forward to welcoming you. 

 PROGRAMME FOR 2008

April           1       MEMBERS’ SPRING SHOW
                                                        Melvin Prentice will answer questions

May           6       Friends & Foes in the Garden  Karen Kenny

June           3       Gardening Then & Now  Rodney Tibbs
July            1       Evening visit to Cant’s Rose Nursery in Colchester
August     30       ANNUAL OPEN FLOWER & VEGETABLE SHOW
October      7       The Good Life  Peter Webb
November  4       Managing Ancient Woodland in Essex  Steve Westover
December  2       Christmas Dinner & Social 

COACH OUTINGS

Spring      16  February   Anglesey Abbey & Gardens

Summer   13  July          Wyken & Helmingham Halls                  

                        If you would like to join the Club you can contact
            Roger Pitt———  on    01376 570569
            John Benson —–   on    01376 571127
            Avril Edge ——–  on    01376 570159 

or come along to any meeting and join there & then