Page 58 - Simply Vegetables Winter 2022/23

Chairman’s Report
Following my recent heart attack at the beginning of September I would like
to thank all those NVS members who sent me get well messages and cards, they were much appreciated. Thanks also go to my next-door neighbour who administered CPR and kept me going until the ambulance crew arrived and which without her intervention, I may not have survived to be able to write this report. It will be a long road to recovery, and I know that I will need to relinquish some of my activities and take life a little easier, but with the help of the Southern Branch Committee, I will continue as your Chairman.
I have mentioned in previous reports that we are looking for someone to take on the role of Southern Branch Treasurer and allow Neil Hope to finally retire, something that he has been pressing for the past eighteen months. I am pleased to announce that we may now have his replacement, with a member agreeing to shadow Neil. Once the role has formally been offered and accepted then a further announcement will be made.
The various affiliated Societies who are members of the NVS form a vital part of our Society, and it is through those affiliated Societies and their members that new members of the public are encouraged to grow and enjoy the benefits of gardening, and specifically the growing of vegetables
for their own consumption. Many of these affiliated Societies hold one of more village shows where their members can display the efforts of their labours with the late summer show being the pinnacle of the year. Within the Southern Branch we have a number of affiliated Societies who make application for a NVS Plaque and Card, and we would like to encourage more
to apply for the Plaque and Card. The affiliated Society can nominate in order of preference up to three individual classes when applying and the NVS Plaque and Card will be won outright by the winner
of the selected sponsored class. If any affiliated Society wished to apply for the NVS Plaque and Card, then please contact Jan Lovell our Southern Branch Secretary. Jan’s contact details can be found in the Branch Officers Directory on the NVS website. Ideally this would be prior to 31st January but we will accept applications to the end of February 2023.
As a result of my illness, the allotment has been somewhat neglected since the beginning of September and unfortunately, I also missed the Sussex DA mini-show and the Ardingly Autumn Show. As I have been prevented from doing any heavy lifting by my doctors, I am unsure how much of the allotment will be getting its usual treatment, but hopefully when I have a medical assessment at the beginning of December, I may be permitted do some
heavier work. The priority though as I write this is to take things easier and enjoy life.
It has now been confirmed that the
NVS Southern Branch AGM will be held
on Sunday, 16th April 2023 in the new Hilltop Tulip Room at RHS Gardens Wisley commencing 12noon. As in 2022, we will be holding the AGM as a hybrid meeting and will be available on Zoom as well
as in person. This will enable members who live in the far flung reaches of the Southern Branch to be involved and all things being equal we should be able to
do on-line voting via Zoom. Joining details with the Zoom link will be on the NVS Website closer to the date. For those NVS members who do not belong to the RHS, presentation of their NVS membership card will give them entry to the gardens in order to attend the AGM. Details of our speaker are being finalised and will be announced later so please keep checking the Events pages on the NVS website for any updates and we look forward to seeing as many members as possible, both in person and via Zoom.
To all of our Southern Branch members I wish you a successful growing year in 2023 and look forward to meeting many of you at the various NVS events in 2023.
Norman Dickinson FNVS Southern Branch Chairman
Hants DA
Following a busy summer culminating in the New Forest Show, Hants DA enjoyed a month off in August as usual. We can recharge our batteries and come back reenergised for our Annual Show in September.
The show was a few days after the
sad passing of HRH Queen Elizabeth
II. We discussed whether to cancel but decided instead to dedicate the show to her Majesty’s memory and held a minute’s silence before judging began.
Ted runs the Hants DA annual show and Eric manages the results, along with Ros this year. I have started to do bits of paperwork for the show which included revamping our prize cards, picking up on design cues from national level to give a more corporate feel. We print on coloured card which saves on ink, but several local shows had changed their prize cards to white which looked very fresh; there could be another new look for Hants DA prize cards next year.
Barbara tirelessly manages the catering which is always much appreciated by everyone. Debs Needham came to stage
Alan and Ali with prize-winning annual flowers
some exhibits and hearing we were short staffed in the kitchen, stayed all day to help with the catering and was terrific.
Bryan Madders judged the flower sections as usual, and our veg judges were Kelvin Mason, Neil Hope, Brian Cooke
and Ian Clemens who kindly stood in for Keith Hine who was unable to attend. David Shergold, Bob Marsh and I were the
Debs’ 1st prize novice onions
judges’ stewards. I confess, I couldn’t help having a silent victory dance behind the judges backs when they awarded my small fruited tomatoes 1st prize amongst the stiff competition of 11 entries.
I say it every time, but this year seemed like the best standard we had ever had. Naturally with the challenging weather conditions this year and because so many
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