Members celebrated Abergavenny Flower Arrangement Society’s Diamond Anniversary with a splendid visit to Llanover House Gardens followed by a delicious tea ,on a very hot day recently.
The garden luckily has a selection of splendid mature trees to allow shade!
President, Lucy Powell ,one of the founder members cut the celebratory cake.
The Club began with 50 members and today our membership stands at more than 60.
One thing has not changed, our affiliation to NAFAS (National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies) and thus our aims remain to encourage and support flower arranging in all its forms .
The club meets monthly with visiting demonstrators as well as holding practice classes, competitions and our highlight, floral festivals.
The venue for such festivals, originally in large local private houses are today mainly in local churches and Cathedrals .
The Constance Spry School of arranging has today given way to more interpretive work which club members find challenging and the general public more popular ..
However such work demands more space hence the move to local churches and Cathedrals.
The club has, over the years, been honoured to stage a pedestal for the Queen`s visit to St Mary`s Church as well as being invited to exhibit at Chelsea Flower Show.
More recently, the Club provided the Queens posy and an arrangement representing Lesotho for the Commonwealth Service in Westminster Abbey.
Working through the night in such locations were an unforgettable experience .
Throughout the 60 years the Club has supported local and national charities helping to raise over £85000.
This year we are giving £500 to both Plas Gunter Mansion Trust and The Welsh Air Ambulance .
Our most recent flower festival was held at St Helens Church, Llanellen, entitled `Chocolate Fantasy` a show case for the creative and interpretive skills of the club members and was much appreciated by the general public.
Could you illustrate` Bounty Bar` in flowers?
The festival raised more than £1000 for the Church .
A festival programmed for June 2023 is to be held at St Peters Church, Llanwenarth, and entitled `A Midsummer Night’s Dream`.
The challenge, interpreting `Puck`?
The club welcomes new members and visitors to our monthly demonstrations ( held on the second Thursday of the month )n the Guide Hall, Fairfield Car park.
They also hold practise classes to assist members to take on the challenges of flower arranging today .
The club will hold its Annual Open Meeting in the newly refurbished Borough Theatre on December 8, when the nationally renowned demonstrator Emily Broomhead will illustrate her ideas for Christmas.
Tickets will be on sale shortly .
The club continues to flourish and we are delighted to continue the tradition of using our creative skills to demonstrate `Friendship through Flowers`.
Report by
Gordon Davies