It seemed strange to have two club meetings in March and none in April, but I am sure that our Open meeting with Mark Entwistle was well worth the change of date. I thought he was super and his designs were inspiring with so many beautiful flowers and unusual orchids in each design. It was a great evening.

Since then my husband and I have been on a river cruise to celebrate our Diamond Anniversary that was very special. Thank you to the Club for a lovely card and present of two celebratory candles.

Clophill & District have a busy time ahead for the next few months, so I will give you some reminders.

Area Members' Day 28 April at Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead with a talk on Diamonds, a delicious buffet lunch and a demonstration by Lucy Ellis. Tickets £25 are still available from Celia Thompson 07711 861958

7 May Our Club meeting with a demonstration by Sharon Badger ‘Floral Medley’. The theme of the Charity table is Cosmetics and Body lotions

9 May the Plant Stall at Clophill Village Fete with the profits for our 2026 charity. Please bring any plants/ seedlings to the club meeting or to Clophill Church on the morning of the day.

15 May Our trip to the National Flower Show at Hylands House near Chelmsford. There are still spaces available - £30 for the coach and entry. It will be a really good day out with lots to see – flower arranging competitions, plants and craft stalls, demonstrations and even a talk by Adam Frost. Contact Celia for further details

4 June Our Golden Anniversary Celebration starting at 6.30pm with a talk by a goldsmith/jeweller Maria Pennington on Jewellery through the Ages. Then, a special 2 course dinner and drinks. This is for members only at a subsidised cost of £10. Please make sure you have your ticket and we know of any special dietary needs you may have. You can pay at our May meeting or by Bank transfer. Contact Celia for further details

18 June Area Fashion Show and Afternoon Tea at the Civic Centre, Welwyn. We have spaces on a mini-bus to make the journey easier, leaving Clophill at 11.30am. There will be fashions to buy and a raffle. Tickets are £10 and the transport is £12.  See the poster below.  Please contact Celia for further details.

2 July Our Club Meeting with a demonstration by Louisa Rigden ‘ Twists and Turns’ . The Charity table is Kitchenalia and Ceramics – all donation will be welcome
​
In July we have been invited to visit a Lynda Coles a local flower grower in Gravenhurst . She has an amazing garden and polytunnels and sells flowers from April to November. I have arranged for us to visit on two days Thursday 16 July at 7pm or Tuesday 21 July at 2pm. There is no charge and Lynda will give a tour and then provide refreshments, Please sign the sheets at the next meetings to join one of the tours.

Next meetings: 
5 March Lorraine Gagan is coming to demonstrate ‘Into the Wardrobe’.   At the beginning of this meeting we will be presenting a representative from MND with a cheque for £800 from our fund from 2025. The Charity for 2026 is Alzheimer’s Society UK – supporting a local branch. Thank you all for your donations. The Charity table on 5 March will be books – fiction

24 March PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DAY AND DATE this is to avoid Easter and availability of the hall.
This is an Open Meeting with Mark Entwhistle returning to demonstrate ‘How to be a Diva’. Mark is an International and Area demonstrator who comes from the North West. Tickets are available £7 for members and £13 for visitors at the next meeting or contact [email protected].

The subscriptions for 2026 are now due @ £50 for the year. This is still excellent value to belong to an active and friendly club with 10 demonstrations during the year. You can pay by cash/cheque in January, February or March to join.  You can also pay by Bank Transfer.   The visitors fee will be £8 per visit.

Home Counties Area are holding another Virtual Competition ’ Winter to Spring’
The closing date is 23 March.

Houghton Conquest Garden Club are holding their Spring Show on 5 April .
There are 3 Floral Art Classes.
**Easter Story – an exhibit symbolising any aspect of the Easter story
**As You Like it - an exhibit using flowers from your garden or a bunch costing no more than £10
**Spring in a Bottle - a petite exhibit in a bottle or vase 23cm in any direction.
More details from Margaret on 07419 736604

​Home Counties Area Show ‘Changing Seasons: will be held on 26 September – more details later

Area Member’s Day on 28 April with a talk and demonstration by Lucy Ellis at the Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead. Tickets, including a delicious buffet lunch are £25. I attach the details below

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Home Counties Area of NAFAS

A warm invitation to our
Area Members’ Day

Tuesday 28 April 2026 - Doors open at 10am
Marford Memorial Hall, Marford Road, Wheathampstead AL4 8AY

Stalls to browse and drinks available
11am A talk by Maria Pennington on ‘Diamonds’

12noon A delicious buffet lunch will be served

1.30pm A demonstration by Lucy Ellis, National Demonstrator
entitled ‘Nature’s Embrace’

Tickets are £25.  Tickets may be ordered through your Club or the Area Treasurer, Celia Thompson [email protected]
Please apply no later than by 15th April

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Another year has begun and this year will mark the 50th Anniversary of our Club.  It seems amazing when I remember the first meeting in 1976 held in the old School Hall when Barbara Hudson, our first Chairman, gave the first demonstration.  Since then the Club has gone from strength to strength.

The AGM was held last week attended by the Committee and a few loyal members. We had reports from all the Officers who all reported that 2025 was another successful year. We had 76 members, the finances were stable, in spite of increased costs, and we had some really good demonstrations and a great Dabble Evening. It was agreed to make a donation £800 to MND Association from our charity fund and thanks was given to everyone who supported the Charity stall during the year.
​
We will be voting at our next meeting for the charity for 2026. We have three nominations and members will have the opportunity to vote for their favourite. The theme of the Charity table in February will be Unwanted Gifts.

The subscription for 2026 was approved to increase it to £50 a year to cover increased rent charges and flower allowances for the demonstrators and an increase in NAFAS affiliation fees that have been imposed on us. This is still excellent value to belong to an active and friendly club with 10 demonstrations during the year. You can pay by cash/cheque in Jan, Feb or March to join or we can give you details to be able pay by BACS to Clophill and District Flower Club.  The visitors fee will be £8 per visit.

We have welcomed two new members on to the Committee – Nicky Olden and Alicia Leverett, who will take over some of the roles of responsibility. Kate Smith has now stood down after many years on the Committee. Thank you so much Kate.

Next meetings:
5 February A demonstration by Violeta Burgess with ‘My Way’

5 March Lorraine Gagan is returning to demonstrate ‘Into the Wardrobe’
​
24 March PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DAY AND DATE to avoid Easter and availability of the hall.
This is an Open Meeting with Mark Entwhistle returning to demonstrate ‘How to be a Diva’. Mark is an International and Area demonstrator who comes from the North West.

Home Counties Area are holding another Virtual Competition 'Winter to Spring’ and I am attaching the details below. This is an excellent opportunity for you to do an arrangement at home and when you are happy with it, take a photograph and then submit it. Our Club were very successful last time – let’s see if we can repeat it this time!

There will be a Members' Day on 28 April with a talk and demonstration by Lucy Ellis at the Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead. The Area Show and Competition will be there on 26th September

a warm invitation to all our members to enter the

This is your opportunity to be imaginative and creative in interpreting the title ‘Winter into Spring’.
 
Your entry should be no larger than
60 cm wide by 60 cm depth, height 90 cm
Judged to the NAFAS Competitions Manual 4th Edition 2023

​Entries should be photographed against a plain background and in good light.

Christmas and the New Year are fast approaching so we have many things to look forward to and plan.  At our  meeting on 4 December I promised to send a newsletter with dates and events to put in your diary.   Next year will be a special year for our Club as we celebrate our Golden Anniversary in June and Joan has organised a full programme of demonstrations with some new talented people and some of our favourites.

December
​ I hope you enjoyed Debbie Davis as she had come a long way to entertain us and I think she was a very interesting lady who filled the stage with beautifuldesigns and, also, she was very quick!

January
We are holding our AGM and Social Evening on 8th January at 7.30pm. This is an opportunity to review 2025 and to plan for 2026. There will be some changes to our Committee and we always welcome new members.

The subscription for 2026 will have to be approved but we are proposing to increase it by £5 to £50 a year to cover increased rent charges and flower allowances for the demonstrators and an increase in NAFAS affiliation fees that have been imposed on us. This is still excellent value to belong to an active and friendly club with 10 demonstrations during the year.  You can pay by cash/ cheque or by BACS in Jan, Feb or March to join.
Gift Vouchers are available to purchase for membership as a special gift of another Year filled with Flowers and Friends.

5th February  A demonstration by Violetta Burgess  ‘ My Way’

5th March  Lorraine Gagan  is returning to demonstrate ‘ Into the Wardrobe’

24th March PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DAY AND DATE to avoid Easter and availability of the hall.
It is an Open Meeting with Mark Entwhistle is returning to demonstrate ‘How to be a Diva’. Mark is an International and Area demonstrator who comes from the North West.

7th May  Sharon Badger

June 4th  Our Golden Anniversary Dinner with Maria Pennington, a goldsmith and an excellent speaker. This will be for Member’s only and subsidised by the Club.

Area News there will be a Member’s Day in April and AGM in November. The Area Show and Competition is on
26th September at the Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead.
​
So there are many things to look forward to in 2026

We had a committee meeting last week when we had long discussions on future meetings and events. They are always very social occasions as we are friends and each member contributes. That is why we are a great team as each plays an important role.

We all agreed that the Dabble Evening went very well and all who attended, including 15 visitors enjoyed the varied crafts. In fact some members said it was their favourite meeting of the year!  Nine of our members attended the Area Fun Day on Tuesday, this week in Wheathampstead when we ‘dabbled’ at leaf manipulation with Gill McGregor and created foliage designs.

Our demonstrator at our next meeting on 6th November is Lynne Sharp with her ‘Car Boot Collection’. This should be an entertaining evening and we will see what Lynne has found at car boot sales in the Midlands.  The theme of the Charity Table is ‘Christmas’ so if you have any contributions, please bring them to add to the stall.  We are introducing Gift Aid forms for MND Association to support your donations.

Area AGM and Christmas demonstration is on 19th November at the Marford Memorial Hall in Wheathampstead. I am attaching the details and tickets are available from Celia Thompson, who is on our committee and greets you at the door. This should be a great day and the demonstrator, Delyth Price, is excellent.

Our Christmas demonstration is on 4th December with Debbie Davis from Warrington. This is an Open Meeting so you will need to have a ticket and these are now available from Gillian (07960662334) - £6 for members and £12 for visitors. Mulled wine and our famous mince pies made by Joan T will be served at the beginning of the meeting. The Charity Tables will be selling candles.

The Flower Arranger magazine is the official NAFAS publication and can be ordered through the Club. Subscriptions for members are £17, which is good value for 4 issues that are packed with ideas, articles and information for all those who love flowers.   Please see Kate or Alison to order for 2026.

St Mary’s Church, Clophill is holding a Christmas Tree Festival on 6/7th December and we will be decorating several trees for this event. Seasonal refreshments will be served and there will be music played throughout the weekend.

2026 is our Golden Anniversary Year that we will be celebrating in June with a dinner and special meeting.
Please note our Open meeting in 2026, usually held in May, will be on Tuesday 24th March as we have had problems with our booking for the hall and we have tried to avoid Easter.
​The Committee have other special events planned – further details later.

I hope to see you on 6th November,
 
With my best wishes,
Carolyn
Chairman of Clophill and District Flower Club

It seems that our last demonstrator took us into Autumn with her seasonal designs. She was a florist and showed us some different styles and ideas and had certainly put a lot of preparation into her demonstration.

Our next meeting a practical Dabble Evening is on 2 October. There will be 5 different activities for you to try – all with floral connections. All you need to bring is a pair of scissors and all materials will be provided free for you to use. As it will be a busy evening there will not be a charity table. These meetings are always very social, so even if you don’t want to ‘dabble’ you are welcome to come and meet friends.

The weekend of 19/20 September sees the staging of the National Competitions in Gloucester Cathedral. I know Linda O’Toole, one of our members has entered so we wish her every success. Three of our members received awards in the Area Virtual Competition with Nicky Olden 1st, Celia Thompson 2nd and Joan Palmer Commended. Congratulations to all and thank you for representing our Club.

Area Fun Day is on Tuesday 28 October at the Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead. I am attaching the letter with all the details. Gill McGregor will be showing different techniques, there will be a practical session and other activities to take part in.

Area Club Day is on 23 September – Club officers are invited so we are sending representatives to listen and contribute. One topic will be NAFAS finances and also exchanging ideas to promote our clubs.

Flitwick Church Flower Festival on 4 and 5 October is being organised by some of our members on a theme of 
​ ‘All Things Bright and Beautiful’.  I am sure it will be worth a visit.
​
I look forward to seeing you at the Dabble Evening or at our club meeting in November

With my best wishes

*****************************************************

Home Counties Area of NAFAS

Education Fun Day
‘FUN WITH FOLIAGE’

An informative and action-packed day
including competition work, foam-free designs.


Wednesday 28 October from 10am – 4 pm
To be held at Marford Memorial Hall, Marford Road, Wheathampstead AL4 8AY
(There is easy access and parking)


There will be a variety of activities throughout the day to inform and inspire you
and have fun working with others

Gill McGregor will be demonstrating Leaf Manipulation

Tickets £20 – includes all drinks.   Please bring a packed lunch and a mug!

All members are very welcome,
as well as an opportunity for all teachers and judges to refresh their skills.

Tickets may be ordered from Celia Thompson,  Area Treasurer
​

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​Summer is here with time to relax in the garden, except at times it is too hot. I seem to spend lot of time watering and checking that I haven’t lost any precious plants due to this dry weather.  We don’t have a Club meeting in August but the Committee always meet for Afternoon Tea in a garden. We met last week in Gillian’s lovely garden and the temperature was perfect. It gave us chance to chat, as well as discussing plans for the future.

​Next Month on 4th September we have Clare Allen coming to show us ‘Stepping into Autumn’.   Clare hasn’t been to us since 2016, so it'll be good to see her again.  The Charity Table is doing very well this year and in September the theme will be Gloves, Scarves and Umbrellas – ready for Autumn!

On 4th October we will be having one of our popular Dabble Evenings, when you will have the opportunity to try several different crafts and activities – all flower related and all the materials will be provided. You just need to bring a pair of scissors. These evenings are always very social so even if you don’t want to ‘have a go’ please come and support those who are and enjoy watching!
​
In November and December we have two other demonstrators who are new to our Club but I have seen ‘on my travels’. 

Next year is a special year for our Club as it is our Golden Anniversary and we will be celebrating in June
​ with a dinner for all members and an illustrated talk on jewellery by a goldsmith from Norwich. 50 years and still going from strength to strength!
​
September and October is the time for Flower Festivals and local Horticultural Shows. Look out for the posters and banners as it is always a chance to get ideas and admire other arrangers' creations.

In July I explained to members that we have been informed by NAFAS that they intend to increase the Affiliation Fees next year and that there has been very active objections, letters and phone calls to Headquarters and the Board of Trustees. It appears that they have now taken note and have called a special meeting for Area Representatives in September to discuss this.  At last they seem to be getting the message that they need to support members and clubs as we are the foundation of the organisation.  We will have to wait and see but I can assure you that Clophill and District Flower Club will always give you good value and a lively Club.

​I hope to see you in September.  Enjoy the sunshine.

I have just remembered that I haven’t sent you a newsletter for May and now it is now the first week of June. The garden has taken a lot of time in the past month and now it is all planted for the summer with flowers and vegetables and now it has to be watered and the weeds keep growing!

Our Open Meeting on 5th May with Emily Broomhead was very successful. She was amusing, easy to watch and her flowers and designs were amazing. The stage was filled with fantastic arrangements and I am sure everyone thoroughly enjoyed the evening. We had a lot of visitors and an audience of 94.The raffle, sales table and the Charity stall were all well supported. In fact the cosmetics and lotions made £89 for MND Association
​
The Plant Stall at the Church fete also did well and I would like to thank all who donated plants and to Jan, Val, Kate, Chris and Beryl who organised and ran the stall all afternoon. We made £120 for our Charity fund.

Last Thursday, 5th June, we had another special demonstration. This time it was Doug Howard from our Club, who has been an Area Demonstrator for 35 years and has now decided to retire. We are extremely lucky to have him on our Committee and that he has chosen to do his last demonstration to us. It was an amazing evening and he went out ‘in a blaze of glory ‘ with an abundance of flowers arranged in his distinctive style.  His Special Retirement title was  ’A Man for all Seasons’.

The theme for the Charity Table was Games and Puzzles. Last Friday I attended the funeral of Julie Wiles, one of our members who recently died of MND and who was so grateful that we are raising money again this year to support people with this dreadful disease. She was such a brave and dignified lady, always positive and glamorous

On 3 July we look forward to welcoming back to the Club:  Gill MacGregor with her title 'The Floral Jewels of July'

Don’t forget the Area Virtual Competition – Aspects of Summer’. This is an opportunity to do an arrangement in your own time, take a photograph of it and submit it to Sue Calver,  Area Media Team. Details were with my last Newsletter.

Our Area President is holding a President’s Day in her beautiful garden in Kings Langley on Wednesday 9th July. There will be two sessions – Morning Coffee and Pastries from 1030am – 12 noon and Afternoon Tea from 2pm – 4pm. Proceeds are for her Flower Festival in October in aid of the Peace Hospice in Watford. 

​With my best wishes 
​
Carolyn
Clophill & District Flower Club

I hope you had a lovely Easter and enjoyed the sunshine – until Easter Monday!! I always think this is an exciting time in the garden as everything is coming to life and you notice things you had forgotten about and plan for more things to come.
 
Our last meeting 3rd April when we had Arnaud Metairie was a really super evening. He is such a talented designer and is also very entertaining.  There was lots of praise for him and I am sure Joan will put him on the list to book again.
​
Next week on 1st May is our Open Meeting with a special demonstration ‘ A Splash of Colour’ by Emily Broomhead from Salisbury.  This will also be a super evening. There are still tickets available  - £6 for members and £12 for visitors. Please contact Gillian Hill if you need a ticket or one for a friend.  The Charity table theme is Lotions, Creams and Cosmetics.

​10th May is the Clophill Church and Village Fete and we always have a plant stall to support our charity fund. We would like to have donations of plants, seedlings, cutting or anything for the garden you can spare. You can bring them to the Club,  take them to a Committee Member or bring them on the day to St Mary’s Church. Thank you.

Area Member’s Day is on 29th April at the Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead when the speaker in the morning is Simone Squire and the National Demonstrator is Alison Penno with ‘Floral Idols’. There will be a buffet lunch and tickets are £25. This should be an excellent day and the venue is easy to get to and the parking is good.

I am attaching details of the Area Virtual Competition – Aspects of Summer’.     This is an opportunity to do an arrangement your own time, take a photograph of it and submit it to Sue Calver , Area Media Team.

At our March Meeting we presented the local MND Association with our donation of £700.   We asked Catherine Wiles, the daughter-in -law of Julie who is really suffering from this dreadful disease. The money will be used to support the victims and carers in different ways, I have received a letter of thanks from Julie’s son Richard that he asked to be passed on to you all and it is printed at the end of this newsletter.

I am delighted to say we the Club have adopted the same charity for 2025. 
Last weekend some of our members helped with wedding flowers at Maulden and Shuttleworth House. It was a very pretty event with mixed Spring flowers. The money we earned will go into the charity fund. 
**The theme for the April Charity Stall is:   Pots, Plants and Planters.

Our next meeting is on 3rd April when we have Arnaud Metairie demonstrating ‘Floral Fantasy’.  He is an excellent and very amusing demonstrator and one you shouldn’t miss. We would also like to have a display of Easter arrangements to share ideas and to inspire everyone to have a go! Please bring an arrangement, however large or small, to create an attractive display. 

 ​Looking ahead: 
On 5th April is the Houghton Conquest Horticultural Show and there is still time to put your entry form in for the Floral Art Classes.

1st May is our Open Meeting with a special demonstration ‘ A Splash of Colour’ by Emily Broomhead from Salisbury.
I have seen her several times and she is one of the top designers and has been selected to demonstrate at the National show in Gloucester in September.  Tickets are £6 for members and will be available at next week's meeting, from Gillian Hill or via the contact tab on this site.

10th May is the Clophill Church and Village Fete and we always have a plant stall to support our charity fund. We would like to have donations of plants, seedlings, cutting or anything for the garden you can spare. You can bring them to the Club,  take them to a Committee Member or bring them on the day to St Mary’s Church. Thank you.
​
Area Member’s Day is on 29th April at the Marford Memorial Hall, Wheathampstead when the speaker in the morning is Simone Squire and the National Demonstrator is Alison Penno with ‘Floral Idols’. There will be a buffet lunch and tickets are £25. This should be an excellent day and the venue is easy to get to and the parking is good.

See you all soon.                      With my best wishes,
Carolyn        
 Chairman of Clophill & District Flower Club
​
​******************************************************************************

​Letter from Richard Wiles
                              Presentation to the MND Association at our March Meeting to Rita Beaumont by Catherine Wiles          


​Dear Carolyn,
I'm with my mother now - as you may be aware, she has taken a turn for the worst and has had a tough couple of weeks. 

She wanted me to tell you that she was so grateful for the donation of £700 for MNDA - she is so appreciative that you chose a cause that is will benefit people in a similar condition to her. 

Betty had first pick of the flowers after having the first raffle number to be picked out, and donated them to Mum.  She was so happy with them - whoever made them did a great job. 

My lovely wife Cath also made mum cry today when Jan Bird replayed her speech - it was really lovely and  I found the words couldn’t have been chosen better.

Please can you forward the above to all at Clophill Flower Club, along with her love and thanks.
And the same from me, too.  

Sincerely,
Richard