Open evening to mark anniversary (From This is Hampshire)

Open evening to mark anniversary

12:12pm Monday 23rd April 2007

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WINCHESTER'S well-established flower design society will celebrate its 55th anniversary next month with an "Open Evening Extravaganza".

Winchester Floral Design Society, which is the second oldest of its kind in the country, will open its doors to the public on Thursday, May 10 for an evening of poetry and floral design.

The group, which arranges flowers at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital and for various charities, hopes to raise money for Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance through the evening, which will be held at the United Church Centre in Jewry Street.

The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Mary Fagan, and Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Sue Nelmes, will be the guests of honour as the Chapter and Verse Players recite poetry and renowned flower demonstrators, Michael Bowyer and Barbara Hudson, showcase their talents.

Winchester Floral Design Society was founded in 1950 by Mary Pope and joined what is now the National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies two years later. The first meeting was held in a small room above a florist shop on the corner of Southgate Street and Hyde Street with Miss Zorab, a florist from Southgate Street, as demonstrator.

From then on, the group met every Thursday afternoon and is still going today with 42 members, who meet at St Faith's Hall in St Cross monthly.

For tickets to the Open Evening Extravagnaza, which will start at 6pm, are £10. To buy, send a cheque payable to Winchester Floral Design Society, along with a stamped, addressed envelope, to Mrs Pat Noble, 5 Salcotte Road, Winchester SO23 7AY or Mrs Ann Reeve, 10 Orient Drive, Winchester SO22 6NZ.

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