

National Events outside the North West
Sat 11th March Annual General Meeting
This is probably the most important event in our calendar. The formalities are vital to the well-being of our Society. These only take up part of the meeting with the afternoon reserved for more social activities. I personally make a weekend of it by arriving on the Friday evening in time for dinner and also staying Saturday night, returning on the Sunday morning. On Friday and Saturday night Sweet Peas are germinating, flowering and dropping buds off all over the hotel (hypothetically speaking). It takes quite a lot of organising and it would be wonderful if we could have strong regional representation – please try to attend. Full details will be in the Autumn Bulletin.
Mon 10th/Tues 11th April Harlow Carr Information Bureau
The RHS have asked us to have a presence at their Harlow Carr garden as we are not having a National Show there in 2017. Apparently National Garden Week commences on Monday 10th April and the RHS at Harlow Carr are staging a series of events to encourage children/novice gardeners.
We intend to demonstrate Sweet Pea seedling production from sowing to planting accompanied by a series of illustrated talks throughout the two days.
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Volunteers will be needed and whilst members from the North East of the country will be contacted and asked to volunteer it would be very useful if any of the North West members could help to make up the numbers. Please contact me if you are interested. On the two days in question your Sweet Pea membership card will give free access to the gardens. As the 2017 membership card is normally issued with the Annual at the end of April the 2016 card will be accepted.
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Thurs 11th to Sun 14th May Malvern Show
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As last year the Society will have a floral display and bureau stand. A number of North West members helped out with the project which was highly successful. It is hoped to repeat it this in 2017.
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Weds 7th to Sun 11th June RHS Chatsworth Show
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This is a completely new show. The Society has been invited to put on a display and to run the event in a similar manner to Tatton. It is still very much in the embryo stages but if anyone from the North West feels they may be able to help at this event it will be appreciated. Please contact me. Details to follow as things evolve.
Weds 28th/Thurs 29th June Early National Show
Held at Frosts Garden Centre, Woburn, Milton Keynes, this is the Society's largest event. It is unlikely that growers in the North West will have flowers early enough to exhibit but the show is well worth a visit and any help you can offer will be appreciated. Full details are in the Show Schedule.
Sat 15th/Sun 16th July Eckford Sweet Pea Festival and Show
This is considered by a number of top exhibitors to be the “third National Show”. It's location at the southern tip of the North West region makes it almost a local show and is very well attended. Further details and advertisements are in the publications or you can contact me directly.
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Weds 19th July Late National Show Driffield Agricultural Showground, Driffield South Yorkshire
This is the largest one day agricultural show in the country and we expect a large footfall. It is a fantastic spectacle! The timing should be right for North West members to exhibit. Full information will be in the Schedule but if you need help and advice please contact me. The National Shows have graded classes so most of you would not be competing against the larger growers but you would gain valuable experience if you volunteer to steward and your help is always welcome in the manning of the bureau stand and the general running of the show.
Mon 24th to Thurs 27th July The Royal Welsh Show Builth Wells, Powys
The Welsh Region are currently discussing the option of organising a Society Display and Bureau Stand and would welcome any assistance that North West members can offer. There are also graded competitive classes for amateur exhibitors. Further details will be in our publications but you can contact me with any enquiries.