November 2011 Club Meeting Minutes
THE BRADFORD FLOWER CLUB
MINUTES OF THE CLUB MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 21st November 2011
1 In Attendance – there were 78 members and 6 guests.
2 The Chair welcomed everyone with a special welcome to our guests and in particular to our North East Area Chairman Sheila Rogers. Sheila took on the chairmanship on Saturday at the Area AGM so this wass one of her first official visits in her new role. A welcome was also extended to Mr and Mrs Evans who are guests of the demonstrator. Bradford Flower Club is always pleased to see members and guests at our meetings.
The Chair extended a thank you firstly to Gwyneth for taking our October meeting whilst the chair was rallying on the Isle of Mull and also to Muriel who lead our Club Workshop a couple of Saturdays ago. In Muriel’s own words “That was fantastic you should have all come!” Laughter was a plenty and we everyone went home with wonderful arrangements. Thank you Muriel very much indeed.
Club notices
At our December meeting on 12th we will be joined by the Lord Mayor for the evening. There will also be our Christmas fuddle and Christmas fancy dress – back by popular request so the Chair hoped everyone will be able to stay after our demonstration and share in our joint offerings.
The Annual Dinner on the 5th March 2012 has once again been booked at the Bankfield or the Mercure as it is now called. The dinner will start off our Emerald year for the club so it is hoped as many members and guests can join us on the evening as possible. By negotiation we have managed to keep the price as last year and a letter will be available at the December meeting listing more details and the menu. Please put the date in your diary.
3 Area News
The NE Area AGM was held on Saturday at the Queen Elizabeth Grammar School in Wakefield. As always the meeting was very interesting and informative. Louis Nettleton and Gill Renshaw were made Area Honorary Associates and also that Norma had been made an Honorary National Associate. Congratulations were given to all.
£2.5K had been raised for the McMillian Cancer Fund as a result of the Shibden Flower Festival. A super result and the Club has purchased a DVD of photographs from the festival and these have been showing on our TV.
Many of Club members may have been aware that there has been some discussion as to whether the name NAFAS should be changed or not. Chair reported that the original wording will remain and so we still belong to the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies. The North East Area now has 67 clubs and 4070 members so we must be one of the largest Areas in NAFAS.
Following the AGM there was a wonderful demonstration by Vanessa Wellock how has been to our club a couple of times. The stage looked fantastic and I hope to be able to show you some of her arrangements at our December meeting.
4 Dates for Diaries:
Steeton Flower Club has invited BFC to a demonstration by David Ryland at Skipton Town Hall this Thursday 24th November at 7.30. Tickets are £10 and available from Chair.
New Dimensions are having an open meeting this coming Sunday 27th November with Per Benjamin. Tickets are £12 and the event starts at 2pm.
On Tuesday 29th November Acomb Flower club has a demonstration by Janet Hayton entitled ‘So this is Christmas’. The cost is £10 and doors open at 6.45.
All details are on the notice board.
Also on the board are details on the NAFAS Show at Southport from the 12-14 July 2012
- The Area is also organising a trip to Chelsea on the 23 and 25th May. More details will be coming soon.
- The Fund raiser on Sunday 1st April at the Rowntree Theatre will be a very enjoyable day led by Tony Cleaver.
- The Area Luncheon next year is on the 9th June at the Majestic Hotel in Harrogate. More details will be available nearer the time.
- And lastly the Area photography day with David Lloyd will be held on the 9th August 2012.
5 The Chair warmly welcomed Andrew Mason to the Club with his title ‘Dreaming of a White Christmas’.
Andrew gave a very entertaining and amusing demonstration and started the evening by showing us how to tie a ribbon bow. He staged 6 arrangements all in green and white; flowers used were – lilies, roses, carnations, gerberas, chrysanthemums and with a good variety of greenery.
1 For his first staging Andrew made a wreath for a door. He had already prepared part of the wreath with cupress and quickly filled in with white flowers and more greenery. He then ‘produced’ a white door from behind a drape and hung the wreath in festive fashion on the door – very dramatic!
2 Andrew’s next arrangement was in a white basket in a triangle shape and when this was completed he produced another made earlier, to complement the first.
3 A fantastic piece of wood was the centrepiece for the next arrangement which encompassed three tiers linked with trailing ivy and greenery.
4 Lilies, carnations, gerberas and lysianthus were the focal point for the next huge triangle which Andrew stage on a pedestal and hung with lights.
5 The next staging was in a tall glass vase filled with baubles. On this were twigs hung with baubles and lilies, gerberas and carnations were the flowers used.
6 The finale was a magnificent centrepiece of three large bamboo poles with fatsias, palm, lilies, carnations, and gerberas.
The stage looked stunning and quite dramatic with the contrast of green and white.
Andrew drew the cards for the flowers and 13 happy members and guests were able to take home an arrangement.
The vote of thanks was given by Sheila Rogers