THE NATIONAL SHOW 2014

Update 8^th. July 2014
   National Begonia Society Exhibitors', who are exhibiting at the National Show, on Friday and Saturday, 8^th. & 9 ^th. August,   Details of classes and Show details are published on the web and entry forms can be downloaded. Closing date for entries, which are to be sent to the Shrewsbury Office, by 19th July . Late entries will not be accepted after the closing date. 

Ian Rhys Williams

Update 7^th. July 2014
   Entries close on 19th July and we need a good display for our first show at Shrewsbury.
With the NBS Bureau at the show in mind this year’s theme is The Centenary of the Show that Never Was 1914”   cancelled at the outbreak of World War I so anyone with old artefacts on Begonias they would care to lend for the show would be very much appreciated.

Mike Avis

Previously

From Mike Avis, National Show Organiser
National Begonia Society - National Show 2014.
 8^th. & 9^th. August, at Shrewsbury Flower Show.

   We are starting a new era with this year’s National Show. After much negotiation by our Secretary Robert Bryce, Ian Rhys Williams and latterly myself we have secured a two year trial of staging our National Show at the very prestigious Shropshire Horticultural Society Show celebrating its 127th year. We hope this will be the start of a long association with this show.
   They have made it very clear that they want our involvement and look forward to our exhibits enhancing this great Show. As always it will be in The Quarry Park, Shrewsbury and our section will be a key feature of the Severn Pavilion and very close to our Society Bureau display.
   Schedules for the Severn & Dingle Pavilion classes can be downloaded from www.shrewsburyflowershow.org.uk or available through the link below.
   Entries will now not be sent to myself or any other Society officer, but direct to:
 The Secretary, Shropshire Horticultural Society, Quarry Lodge, Shrewsbury, SY1 1RN together with entry fees of £10.00 for up to 5 entries and 50p for each additional entry. Entries will definitely close 19th July 2014. This is without exception; there is no provision for staging a late entry on the day as may have happened in the past.
   The presentation of our trophies will be made at 3pm on Friday 8th August by the Severn Pavilion organiser Mr Gordon Parry, this will enable cut bloom exhibitors to get away and still receive their trophies. Talking of which, this year we have a trophy put into our section by Shropshire Horticultural Society, the Bertha Machin Salver, for 1 pot Tuberous Begonia. We have also introduced rosettes for the best cut bloom in each colour range, so showing appreciation to more growers of superb blooms.   All the previous Begonia classes in their schedule have moved into our section, and the whole section is now Open, other than the usual restrictions for Intermediate and Novice. We hope any local exhibitors will join our membership at the show.
   We have to acknowledge that we are being under the normal conditions operated by a top class horticultural show, in fact much as we do at Southport. Your £10.00 entry fee provides you with a show pass for both days of the Show and indeed the wonderful Firework Display as well. These passes would cost you £23.00 per day for adults or concessions for Senior Citizens at £21.00 in advance so well worth making some entries!
   The show closes on Saturday 9th August at 6pm and the only people allowed into the Pavilions are those with clearing passes. No vehicles can come into the ground until 6.45pm. With this in mind we are keen to ensure members exhibits are secure both during the time the show is open and when the show is broken down on the Saturday. Society officers will be on duty in the Pavilion to enable exhibitors to take their plants out to their vehicles or to sell off surplus plants to the public. From reports we had from those removing the bureau last year the clearing was easy and no access problems for collecting plants or getting away which was done within an hour.
   Let's make it a great show and really drum up loads of new members to the Society.
   John Winfield will be our Assistant Show organiser and I appreciate his help tremendously, especially as he is so much closer to the venue than myself. Webb’s was a great venue and they treated us very well, but this is a new platform which can only enhance our chances of increasing membership by being amongst a very dedicated gardening public.
   As a reminder entries will close on 19th July and late entries will not be accepted in accordance with the rules published in the Shrewsbury schedule.
   Any queries regarding the National Show, or indeed my own area Show on 17th August in Bideford Pannier Market, for which schedules remain unchanged, please feel free to email me michael.avis@virgin.net or call either 01237 475914 or 07710 454230 and leave a message if I'm unable to answer right away.
   I look forward to teaming up with my many NBS friends at the Shows and working with the other officers and committee members of both our own and the Shropshire Horticultural Society to ensure the stability of our society for many years to come and hopefully at our long term new home.
   As a reminder will any exhibitors who won trophies last year and have not already returned them please contact myself to arrange their return. I travel a lot and can no doubt arrange to meet for this purpose. As a final note to this for future shows, most of their trophies are returned to their vault after the show and we could arrange that with them.

Mike Avis