Heald Green Flower Show 21st August 2010 2:00 pm – 5:00pm

Posted July 13th, 2010 by Mike Savage

The Show was a great success.

Winners and Photos will appear shortly!

Next years Show date 20th August 2011

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Roy Gordon Wardrop (d. 10th May 2010)

Posted June 4th, 2010 by Mike Savage

Tribute for Roy at his funeral.

Roy’s family tells us that our local Horticultural Society was Roy’s life, in truth he was the lifeblood of the society.  They asked us if we would like to say a few words today, well, it’s an honour and privilege for me, on behalf of all our members, his friends, to offer these thoughts about Roy’s time with us.

Roy was a passionate photographer and lover of nature, both in its landscapes and in the variety of remarkable plants and flowers, – particularly flowers.

It was his love of these, to be seen in his many photographs, that first brought him to our Horticultural Society, to enter them in our Annual Show. Roy then joined us, this was soon after coming to live in Heald Green some 50 years ago, staying with us for the rest of his life. He was made an “Honorary Life Member” in 2001 for his invaluable contributions and dedication to the Society over all his time with us.

He has, throughout those many, many, years, fulfilled all the roles of Office, apart, I believe from Secretary, though I may yet be corrected on that by anyone who has also been a member continuously since the 1960s.

Roy will probably be best remembered for his work as Show Secretary, putting on our Annual Flower and Vegetable Show, year on year with a typical quiet authority, preparing the Schedules, arranging Judges, tables, exhibits and exhibitors and doing every last little task to ensure an event to be proud of. He was naturally successful in achieving this, year after year. Roy eventually came to realise that he could not continue in this role for ever and carefully mentored his successor Mike, to take over in good time: A wise and generous gesture.

Roy led by example too:  He exhibited at all our shows and was renowned for his love of Fuchsias and Geraniums and would regularly win classes and trophies with his entries. Despite being a private, seemingly reserved, quiet person, he was well known in the Horticultural circles he moved in, where he was liked and respected and his dry wit appreciated.

Each year we have a programme of winter talks and on a number of occasions over time, Roy presented a slide show from his wonderful library. He loved the Lake District and captivated us with his wide range of photographs of it.

I particularly remember that, on one occasion, we were let down by a speaker at the very last minute, but Roy rode to the rescue with very little notice and put on a fascinating slide show of his latest holiday exploration of the Lake District.  Mister Reliable was our Roy!

Our Annual Spring Plant Sale too, was organised and run by Roy for years and years, until recent times, when he felt he needed to pass on the baton to someone a little younger and fitter.

Roy also managed our Depot, “our shop” that is, successfully for many, many, years until his health made it difficult, but he was still a volunteer, attending at weekends until quite recently.

While I said he was a private and quiet man; he was also obstinate and a fiercely independent man. Roy soldiered on with great fortitude as his illness progressed, still attending meetings and talks with good humour, when he could, and according to neighbours, even during last winter’s snows he would struggle down into the village, practically before anyone else!

Just one month ago, Roy came to help at the Depot on the Sunday morning, but struggled rather, and needed to rest – not like him. But that was the measure of the man – he just wouldn’t and couldn’t give up!

Commitment is a word often banded about, but Roy’s commitment to our Society was immense. Any organisation would be proud indeed to have one such as Roy as a member.

Roy, you will be missed and remembered always.

May you now rest in peace.

Kelvin Vann President, Heald Green Horticultural Society

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Talk from Wednesday

Posted February 12th, 2009 by Mike Savage

Members enjoyed an excellent talk on Wednesday 13th February.  National Vegetable judge, Dave Hampsey, gave the benefit of his vast knowledge on vegetable growing. Not for exhibition but for the pot. There was a wide ranging question and answer session throughout the evening.

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