Page 6 - Simply Vegetables Summer 2023

Lady Chair’s Report
SANDRA HALL FNVS, NATIONAL LADY CHAIR
Since my last report, my husband, Mark and I attended the funeral of Ian Stocks. It was a lovely fitting send-off, and I was pleased to see so many NVS members from South of the border pay their respects.
Just a couple of weeks later I drove up
to Stanley to the North East Horticultural Society’s first seminar. This was instigated and with help to organize by the late Ian Stocks and Gareth Cameron in conjunction with John Soulsby and Gavin Thomson of Premier Hydroponics. (See article page 30). As you are probably aware Ian Stocks was the Scottish Branch chair, inspiring
the Branch to the heights it is today, with one of their key events each year being the ‘Seminar.’ I would like to see more of these ‘Seminars’ spread across the country or perhaps we should call them gatherings of friends? The Northern Branch had started to organize their first one for 2020 only
to have to cancel it because of Covid-19. Hopefully the Northern branch will be
next to follow in Ian’s footsteps. I would recommend to any Branch thinking about this, that they have someone attend the Scottish branch Seminar to see how it’s run.
Throughout March and April this
year, all five Branches held their Annual General meetings back at their usual time again. There have been changes to all but the Northern and Welsh branches. The Scottish Branch voted in a new Chair and Vice Chair, a new Chair due to sad circumstances, and the Southern branch voted in a new Treasurer with Neil Hope stepping down. The Midlands are looking for a few new volunteers to come forward
and join the team, as a few of the long- standing committee members stepped down. Why not think about attending a Midlands Branch Committee meeting, finding out what they do, where they go etc., then perhaps you may feel you could contribute in some way, no matter how small.
I’ve chaired two Trustees meetings this quarter and am delighted that our new recruits have settled into their new roles well. Sponsorship Manager, Chris Spree is doing a great job liaising with not only our long-standing partners, but introducing us to new ones and Assistant Secretary, Michelle Nixon is efficiently recording our meetings and getting involved in actions. The two Midlands Branch representatives Bernard Brown and David (Sam) Forrester stood down at their AGM and I would like to thank them for their time in the Trustee Team. In April we welcomed June Davies, Midlands Branch’s new Chair to her first Trustee meeting.
As I write this report the spring shows are in full swing. The North Yorkshire & South Durham DA have been to Harrogate and been awarded a Silver Gilt for their educational display and I am about to be on my way to Malvern with the Midlands branch.
Beans, peas and runners
filling up the website events page and the SV’s what’s on guide with meetings and talks again. Check these out and if you live nearby, why not go along to an enjoyable evening.
Our winter zoom talks have come to an end now, and preparations are underway for next winter. The talks were very well attended which makes them even more worthwhile to do, they have all been downloaded to the website’s library for
6 Simply Vegetables
Eaten cauliflowers
Our AGM will also be held
at Newby Hall on Friday
15th September 2023 and
we are looking for two new people to join our team (see page 29).
It’s nice to see the majority of Shows back again this year, including our Southern Branch Championships (July 25th to 27th) , Scottish Branch (Sept 2nd), Welsh Branch (Sept. 9th & 10th) followed by the Midlands Branch (Sept 22nd to 24th). NB The Northern Branch decided not to host
a branch Championships this year with hosting the National Championships. I’m delighted to see so many DA annual shows planned for this year too.
It’s great to see our District Associations
time of writing, I’ve started to plant up
my polytunnel with onion sets, beetroot, turnips, carrots, sweetcorn and plenty of brassicas. The over-wintering peas and broad beans have started to take off a bit now. There is also a row of early runners on the go, but the other night when doing my lock-up walkabout with my glass of wine,
I noticed somebody had taken a fancy to my cauliflowers, so the next day I kept my beady eye open and spied some pigeons flying in the back door of the tunnel as I was walking in! There’s always something to keep us on our toes.
Looking forward, I am excited about the NVS National Championships 15th – 17th September at Newby Hall, Ripon. Your schedule is enclosed in this issue of Simply Veg so take a look and remember there is a new “15 points and under” class.
The talks were very well attended which makes them even more worthwhile
you to watch whenever to need to, for example, when you get to that stage in the gardening season when you ask yourself a question and remember the answer was on one of the zoom talks.
It is also the busiest time in the garden when everything is ready to plant out, but beware the weather isn’t always on the gardener’s side at this time of year. At the