Harrow Branch Meeting Changes and Show Sat 6th Aug 2016

[Apicra]

Since formation in Oct. 1967, Harrow Branch, NW London has met on a Friday evening. But with increasing weekend traffic, travel at that time is becoming ever more difficult for our members and speakers. So we have moved both our meeting day and meeting hall. We now meet on the first Monday each month and have moved to Hatch End Scout Hall, close to the A410 in NW London. As usual, we will meet at 7:30 p.m. for 8:00 p.m. Our web site provides directions and a map: http://harrow.mycacti.info/ . Hatch End station is on the Euston - Watford - Glasgow mainline railway.

Despite the late booking, some special speakers have agreed to come during the rest of the year. Next month on Monday 6th June, we will welcome Prof. Len Newton, recently retired from Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya, to tell us about his travels in Africa to habitats where succulents grow. He has described over 50 new plant species and has at least 5 plants named in his honour. In July, Paul Hoxey from Cambridge will present a new programme about looking for cacti in two countries not often visited: Cuba and Colombia. In Sep, Paul Spracklin is booked for the first time to tell us about his travels in Mexico. He goes hunting not just for cacti but mostly for Agaves & their relatives. Paul is best known for his garden with hardy succulents outdoors in Essex. Entrance is only £2 on-the-door for these convention-quality speakers, so please come and visit?

Finally, the location of our enjoyable annual cactus & succulent show will be on Sat 6th August 2016 at St Thomas More RC Church Hall, 32 Field End Road, Eastcote, Pinner HA5 2QT, 10:30-16:00 p.m. with Stuart Riley judging. Entry is open to all BCSS members and the show schedule is also available from our web site.

Best wishes,
Derek Tribble,
Branch Chairman

[Apicra]

A quick reminder to all that our annual spectacular Harrow Branch c&s show in Eastcote, NW London is less than two weeks away: free parking, refreshments, great plants to see and lots of plants to buy!

All BCSS members can help make the show a success by entering a few classes. Your favourite plants will also be loved by others, it doesn't really matter how old or rare they are. I'm a believer that it's the taking part that matters, and if you're new or unsure what to do, just let me know and I'll provide guidance. Please remember I need your entries emailed to me by Wed 3rd Aug at the latest. Any questions, just get in touch.

Please find a link below to our website where our show poster and schedule can be found: http://harrow.mycacti.info/

Best Regards,
Chris Backhouse,
Show Secretary

[Stuart]

Excellent show, over 140 paying visitors covered the cost of the hall, advance publicity plus good signs on the day clearly worked, all visitors given branch details when they came in plus the voting slip to choose their favourite plant, good way to involve visitors in the show, more branches should try this. There were a good mix of members sales plants and a great Aztekium won best cactus, hopefully it will be at the National. The Judge was nicely looked after despite finding four NAS entries!! Add in the tombola and refreshments and it was the ideal way to show our hobby to the public.
Stuar

[Apicra]

Thanks Stuart for your kind comments and your work judging and bringing us nice plants to buy!

It was probably a better show in all departments than last year, despite fears about not enough tables. Very nice to see some superb Mexican cacti and big caudiciforms which should be on the National Show benches shortly. The newish Turbinicarpus class was perhaps the best I've seen with over five large clumps to admire.

Particular thanks to two visiting entrants from outside our Harrow branch (Geoff and Costas & partners) for contributing not just show plants but helping with running the day. Our own Richard Bleay and Martin Edwards also grow outstanding plants.

Yes, beware that Aeollanthus are not included in the list of succulents for showing, even if they are sold by succulent plant nurseries abroad.

It was nice to see many visitors from neighbouring BCSS branches - how did I not get time to say hello to Diane? One new experience was being asked to describe the show to a blind visitor. I doubt if I succeeded particularly well, but let him stroke a couple of my own entries!

The People's Choice award is perhaps the most sought-after, being a bottle of wine. What we really want are more visitor's at our next monthly meeting (to hear Paul (from Essex) Spracklin. Pictures should be appering on our web site shortly: http://harrow.mycacti.info/

Many thanks again to all involved,
Derek Tribble,
Branch Chairman

[Liz M]

It sounds like the right way to run a show and a branch. Good luck, you deserve all the success you get and I would love to come along to one of your meetings and the show sounds a must but it is a long way from Manchester.

[Diane]

What a great show it was! Some really super plants (as usual), and I enjoyed my all too brief visit - we did say hello briefly, Derek, but you were quite busy, so all forgiven...