The Society’s Annual Flower & Produce Show took place on Saturday 17th August and was very successful. 586 entries were on display in categories covering flowers, vegetables, fruit, floral art, wine, cookery, handicraft, photography and children’s entries. The Society was delighted to welcome 13 new adult exhibitors. Visitors were treated to a wonderful display of exhibits which filled the village hall and they were also able to enjoy a welcome cup of tea and a slice of home-made cake.
The cups & trophies were presented by our Chairman Brian Dundon. Trophy winners were:-
R J Croxon Tankard (Most Points Ardleigh Residents Only Classes) – Chris Whitfield
E C Catling Cup (Runner Up Most Points Ardleigh Residents Only Classes) - John Culley
S H Every Cup (Most Points Fruit & Vegetables) – Chris Whitfield
The Bill Sparkes Salver (Best Vegetable Exhibit) – Kevin Jackson
G Osborne Cup (Most Points Flowers) – Andy Owens
The Connie Revill Trophy (Best Gladiolus Exhibit) - Andy Owens
Brenda Sparling Salver (Best Flower Exhibit) – Andy Owens
W Hudson Cup (Most Points Dahlias) – Roger Cook
The Patrick and Lilian Sparling Memorial Salver (Best Dahlia Exhibit) – Roger Cook
W J Freeman Cup (Most Points Flower Arranging) – Rosie Skeet
The Sparling Salver (Best Flower Arranging Exhibit) – Rosie Skeet
Mrs E Clayton Cup (Most Points Wine) – John Culley and Linda Spinks
Best Exhibit of wine – John Culley
Mrs V Mowles Cup (Most Points Cookery) – Barbara Borrell
The Downing Salver (Best Cookery Exhibit) – Hannah Dingley
L S Trew Cup (Most Points Handicrafts) – Barbara Borrell and Rosie Jackson
The Sparling Saver (Best Handicrafts Exhibit) – Rosie Jackson
JM and BK Pearce Camera Cup (Most Points Photography) – Pat Ainger
D Underdown Trophy (Runner Up Most Points Photography) – Ian Parker
Best Photography Exhibit – Pat Ainger
Mrs R Parsons Cup (Most Points Children 4 Years and Under) – Lucy McTurk
Dorothy Culley Cup (Most Points Children 5 to 8 Years) – Leo Bruce
David Sibley Shield (Best exhibit in the Children's Classes) – Leo Bruce
The Edwards Shield (Best exhibit St.Mary's School Gardening Club class) – Joseph Coombs
Lynne Askham Perpetual Rose Bowl (Most Points in Home Crafts – Cookery, Handicrafts & Flower Arranging) – Barbara Borrell
Brian Dundon Cup (New Exhibitor with most points all classes) – Sarah Blyth
Gordon Locke Shield (Most Points Ardleigh Resident all classes) – John Culley
Mrs R Parsons Shield (Most Points All Classes) – John Culley
The Society would like to thank:- Craft Nurseries, the main sponsor of the show; Percival Engineering, The Debbie Millar School of Dance, Brantham Mill Crafts, Ardleigh Garden Maintenance and the Jubilee Restaurant who all sponsored sections of the show; Brantham Mill Crafts and The Lion of Bengal for donating raffle prizes; David Mason for transporting the tables. The Society is most grateful to all the exhibitors and all those who helped make the show a success.
A date for your diary - next year’s show will be on Saturday 16th August 2025
Some photos from the Show
Best Exhibits
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Best Vegetable Exhibit 5 onions. Kevin Jackson
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Best Gladiolus Exhibit 3 spikes of Gladioli. Andy Owens
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Best Flower Exhibit 1 vase of 10 stems of mixed flowers of at least 3 different genus. Andy Owens |
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Best Dahlia Exhibit 3 vases of any cultivar of dahlias – 3 blooms per vase. Roger Cook |
Best Decorative (Flower Arranging) Exhibit An arrangement of foliage & berries. Rosie Skeet |
Best Wine Exhibit 1 bottle of dry red wine. John Culley |
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Best Cookery Exhibit A free form loaf. Hannah Dingley |
Best Handicraft Exhibit A Soft Toy. Rosie Jackson |
Best Photography Exhibit Summer. Pat Ainger |
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Best Children's Exhibit An animal made from fruit & vegetables (Ages 5 to 8 years). Leo Bruce |
Best Exhibit St Mary's School Gardening Club Class 3 beetroot in a pot. Joseph Coombs |
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Thank you to our Photography Judge - John Merison for taking some of the following photos of the show |
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| Judging taking place | ||||
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| Our Sponsors | The Trophies | |||
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| Ardleigh Residents Only Section - Sponsored In Memory of Ted and Dorothy Culley | ||||
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| Open Fruit & Veg Section - Sponsored by Percival Engineering | ||||
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| Flowers Section - sponsored by Ardleigh Garden Maintenance | ||||
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| Dahlia Section - sponsored by Lynda Chase Gardener in Memory of her mother Beryl | ||||
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| Decorative Section (Flower Arranging) - sponsored by Diana & Chris Whitfield in Memory of Ishbel Simpson | ||||
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| Wine Section - sponsored by Percival Engineering | ||||
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| Cookery Section - sponsored by Jubilee Restaurant | ||||
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| Handicrafts Section - sponsored by Brantham Mill Crafts | ||||
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| Photography Section - sponsored by Andy & Judy Owens | ||||
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| Children's Section - sponsored by Debbie Millar School of Dance | ||||
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