Bolton le Sands Horticultural Society’s 93rd Annual Summer Show was held on SATURDAY 12TH AUGUST from 2pm – 4.15pm at the Village Community Centre.
It turns out that 2023 has been a bumper year for fruit and vegetables despite the drought in June and the downpours in July. With 14 entries in class 82: ‘3 sticks of rhubarb’, there was more rhubarb than you could shake a stick at.
Other bumper classes were soft fruit (8 entries), shallots (10 entries), runner beans (11 entries) and cherry tomatoes (23 entries).
There was also an outstanding display of onions and the new B Noon Memorial Trophy was presented to Martin Ellam of Arkholme for his winning entries in the onion classes.
Martin Ellam also won the National Vegetable Society Silver Medal and the Blue Ribbon for best Horticultural Exhibit for class 66: 4 coloured potatoes. Vegetables Judge Jim Robinson of Endmoor and Flowers Judge Jack Gott of Milnthorpe both agreed that the winning spuds, a variety called Blue Belle, ‘outshone all the other horticultural exhibits in the Show’.
Martin Ellam went on to win the RHS Banksian Medal for winning the largest amount of prize money in all the horticultural classes.
An item that was originally thought to be a gas cylinder, when it was brought into the hall in a big black holdall, turned out to be the Heaviest Marrow, weighing in at 6kg (that’s just under a stone in old money) grown by Andrew Severn.
At 2pm the Show was opened by Rev. Peter Hamborg of BLS Holy Trinity Church who congratulated the committee on such a wonderful Show.
Then, as if by magic, the rain clouds rolled away and the sun came out to greet visitors to the show. 180 people came through the doors to enjoy the exhibition and to partake of the excellent coffee & cakes provided by the lovely team from the WI.
Wendy and Colin Hargreaves received 20 year long service awards from President, David Regan.
This year’s Auction was conducted by our new Social Secretary, Steve Slater, aided by Chief Steward Chris Bainbridge and Auction runner, 7 year old double Trophy winner, Jenson Lofthouse. Jensen, aged 7, was also the winner of the J Withington Challenge Cup for Children’s Art Photos,and the A.Woods Cup for Children’s Model Making.
The Auction raised £48, half of which will be donated to our Charity of the year, the Forget-me-not Centre at St John’s Hospice.
The Show Secretary, Louise Belcher, sends huge thanks to all the committee members, helpers, exhibitors and visitors who ‘made’ the Show such a great success. Without everyone’s hard work we couldn’t put on such a wonderful event.
The Open Flower Section
The Open Veg Section
New Variety of Sweet Pea named after much-loved local sweet pea grower, Terry Davey.
Committee members take a well-earned break!
