THE BRADFORD FLOWER CLUB

MINUTES OF THE CLUB MEETING HELD ON MONDAY 21 MAY 2012

AT HAWORTH ROAD METHODIST CHURCH

1      In Attendance – there were  76 members and 9 guests in attendance. 

2      Club Notices – The Chair welcomed everyone to the meeting for our guest evening.  The following notices were given out:

• Membership renewal letters were available from Vivienne Midgley.  The Chair announced that unfortunately this year the committee have to raise the fee.   We have managed to keep the annual fee at £27 for 3 years but with rising costs of flowers, petrol etc, this coming year the fee will be £29 per year.  This still makes the cost of £3 per meeting very competitive.  Yvonne asked if members could take letters for those not at the meeting tonight, due to the rise in postage.
• Club Trip – The cost for the coach will be £17 (this is a reduction on the original estimate) and the full cost should be paid as soon as possible.  Pat and June will be collecting the money at the end of the meeting.  Members will pay their own entry costs to Burton Agnes.  There are a few places left if any more members or guests wish to attend.
• Harrogate Spring Show – Chair thanked the team for all their work in producing a wonderful display.  A letter of thanks has been received from the Show organisers complimenting the team on their creative interpretation of ‘My Town’.

Chair also congratulated Eileen Barraclough in obtaining ‘Best in Show’ and also the Area Heat for the Nationals.  Eileen was wished the best of luck for the Nationals.

• Bradford Grammar School – Chair also thanked Jean Mouls and her team: Eulie Henriques, Helen Reynolds and Yvonne Coppin for their efforts in presenting a wonderful display entitled ‘Olympics’ at the Bradford Grammar School Fair.  This had been hard work especially as the team went on to organise 4 workshop (instead of the 3 originally planned).  The workshops were very much appreciated.
• 55^th Anniversary­ – Chair felt last month’s 55^th Emerald Celebration had been a fitting tribute to the club.  Thanks were given to Jean Butterworth for decorating the cake. 
• Schedules for Harrogate (July) were available; Southport; and other NAFAS events.
• Flower Arranger is available from Jean      

3      Demonstrators – Chair welcomed Kate Russell and Patti Dawson with their title ‘Ages of Woman’.  The Demonstrators took turns in either reading amusing snippets of poems or short prose or staging the arrangements, which was very entertaining.  The team thanked the club for the greenery which had been provided for them.

• The first arrangement was done to the music of ‘The Stripper’ and then Kate was revealed ironing!  The theme was the 1950s when women were tied to household duties.  Pat then did an amazing white and green shower arrangement echoing a bridal bouquet of the 1950s on top of the ironing board.  She used white lisianthus; stocks, spray carnations, white roses, white lilac and clematis.  Kate meanwhile read a Pam Ayres poem.
• The second arrangement to depict women ‘going up in the world’ was arranged on a step ladder using pink tulips, alstroemeria, pink/orange roses and orange gerbera.
• Next a tall silver vase was used to depict ‘women at work’.  The team used twisted willow provided by a club member and crystal beads had been stuck onto this and red flowers – gerberas, alstroemeria and roses used.
• A black model draped in black was used next and Kate produced a corsage of greenery on the shoulder using purple/pink flowers – pink tulips, red freesia and then a smaller completed arrangement was placed at the foot.
• The fifth display depicted ‘body beautiful’ with 2 flat green displays and using purple aquilegia, purple alstroemeria, michealmas daisy, yellow gerbera, purple stocks, yellow roses.  This was cleverly placed on a keep fit step with purple weights to complement the purple flower theme.
• The last splendid arrangement was on a huge gold candelabra and depicted ‘women in love’.  Greenery had been arranged in the centre and then the display was draped in trailing flowers –red  lisianthus, pink tulips, pink peonies, pink roses and then in the centre were red tulips fully open.

Muriel Spencer-Wilcock gave the vote of thanks for the wonderful evening, stories and flowers we had been entertained to.

4      Flower Dip

 The following ladies received flowers in the flower dip:

1      J Pearson                                       5          J Dimbleby

2      J Atkinson                                       6          Brenda Duckworth

3      Jean Parkinson                              7          Marjorie Slinger

4      M Lees                                            8          Brenda Wren

5     Next Meeting – 18 June – Tony Cleaver will be the speaker with his title ‘Some Northern Gardens’.           

6     The meeting closed at 9.00pm and guests were invited to have some refreshments and wished a safe journey home.