Friends' News
Newsletter Number 69
The autumn newsletter has now been published and has been dispatched to all Friends. It opens with a report from the Chairman, Joan Shepley this is followeed by Garden Matters written by the new head gardener John Wade-Palmer. Nellie Badgerson is back in thoughtful mood and also an invitation to visit Brede Manor with an accompaning map.
Friends are also advised of the shape of things to come. With Sarah Harris releaving Daphne Clark as Membership Secretary subscription procedures are to be updated and a renewal form for all members to complete will be sent out with the March newsletter. This will ensure that membership records are fully accurate.
Introducing the new Committee
Our Annual General Meeting took place on 7 July 2023 and we now have a new committee, made up of some already serving members and now some new members.
The committee members are now as follows:
Officers:
Joan Shepley – Chairman
Beverley Kent – Vice Chairman
Daphne Clark – Treasurer
Committee Members:
Rosemary Clark
Mike Wadey
Philip Dawson
John Wade Palmer
Pauline Elkins
Susan Richardson
Sarah Harris
Geraint Llewelyn
Friend's Easter Coffee Morning
Friends of the Physic Garden were invited by the committee to join them in a spring coffee morning and bring a companion. Visitors were welcomed by a beautiful sunny spring day as well as a cup of coffee and a choice of scones or cakes. The morning also marked the start of the Easter Egg hunt and a number of young children enthusastically sought and counted the hidden treasure in the Garden to win a prize. Once again Paddy and Philip Dawson were responsible for the hard work they put into making a success of the event.
Keeping Friends informed of events
We now have a number of interesting events going on in the Garden and we would like to make sure you don’t miss out on these. They will usually be listed on the web site, either under “Events” or “Friends' News”. but if you would like to have a personal notification then please let us have your email address. Don’t worry all Data Protection rules will be followed and we will not be passing on your address to anyone else.
Just email us at: ContactUs@petersfieldphysicgarden.org.uk and we will make sure you are kept informed.
Volunteers Christmas Lunch
In the beautifully decorated exhibition hall volunteers of the Garden joined together to enjoy a festive lunch and celebrate Christmas together. Here pictures show the colourful decorations, the delicious spread and the visitors arriving.
Autumn Newsletter
The Friends' Autumn Newsletter (Number 67) has now been published and is on its way to all members. An ntroduction by Jenny Hill records 'an extraordinary mixture of achievement and loss' over the last six months. She writes of the sad death of Chairman, Lewis Kent and also mentions the lost area of Garden which has been cordonned off because of the unstable state of one of the walls. On the positive side the Garden has recieved a considerable amount of praise and publicity.
In addition a garden report by Paul Barton and Michael Wadey is included together with other articles and the continuing misadventures of Nellie Badgerson.
Lewis Kent
It is with sadness that we record the death of our past chairman, Lewis Kent on Thursday 28th July. His death was not unexpected as he had been suffereing from cancer for some time. Lewis will be much missed for his many contributions to the Garden in his time as chairman. It is a mark of his commitment that he only retired from this position at the recent AGM where in spite of ill health he presented his report and thanked many of the volunteers. Lewis had also worked as a warden for many years, a role which will be continued by his widow Beverley.
Lewis's funeral took place at Porchester crematorium on Tuesday 23rd of August.
Petersfield Physic Garden Annual General Meeting and Summer Party 21st June 2022
Attendees at the AGM
Friends enjoying the Midsummer Evening Party
After a three year break Friends were able to hold this year's AGM in the exhibition hall. The meeting was chaired by Lewis Kent, the retiring chairman and also attended by President Rupert Bowen. After Lewis gave the Chairman's report, in which he thanked by name the many helpers for all their contributions in maintaining the Garden so well, Daphne Clark presented the accounts for the year ending 31 March 2022. Jenny Hill was approved as new chairman, with Joan Shepley remaining as secretary and Daphne Clark as treasurer all standing with the rest of the committee for the next three years.
As has now become customary after the AGM Friends gathered in the Garden on the lovely summer evening to enjoy refreshments and chat.