By IW Observer.co.uk
The Island Flower Club has celebrated its Diamond plus one-year anniversary, cancelled last year due to Covid, with more than 50 members and friends, at the New Holmwood Hotel, Cowes.
Chairman, Eileen Douglas, welcomed president, Helen Shipman, and former chairman, Julie Lines, who travelled from Dorchester, as well as thanking the committee for all their hard work in making the arrangements and dressing the tables.
Present was the club’s longest-serving member and former chairman, Shirley Scoble. The beautiful cake was made and decorated by member, Carol Barfoot, and a meal was followed by a flower demonstration by Coral Gardiner from Bath.
Mrs Cyril Whitcombe, who was a flower-arranger and judge, founded the club 61 years ago. Her husband, Lt Col Whitcombe, who was commodore of Seaview Yacht Club, was treasurer, with the Island MP’s wife, Mrs Mark Woodnutt, president and Mrs W Hargreaves, secretary.
The club originally met at the Vectis Hall, Melville Street, Ryde and had more than 100 members. It was involved in exhibitions, garden shows at Ryde Town Hall and decorated churches. Lord Mountbatten was guest of honour at a show it put on at Ryde House.
The tradition has carried on, with the club continuing to provide arrangements for church festivals, while also helping to decorate Osborne House along with the other three Island flower clubs.
Members have been involved with decorating Salisbury, Winchester and Portsmouth Cathedrals as well as Westminster Abbey.
The club holds demonstrations at its meetings held on the second Wednesday of the month (except August) at 2pm at The Sports Pavilion, Watery Lane (opposite Thompson’s), Newchurch. For more details call Eileen on 882860 or Kate on 564369.
Press Release