Elstead Garden Club held its Spring Flower Show on Saturday 21^st March in the Village Hall on a beautiful sunny day, which encouraged local visitors to come and see the display. The past week of warm sunshine had brought daffodils into full flower, one of the main attractions of the show with 8 different classes, together with other Spring flowers, shrubs and pot plants. There were also flower arrangements, domestic and junior sections and a photographic competition. The domestic section was especially popular with many cakes and biscuits, as well as the junior section, with rock buns and Easter cards to be judged.

Congratulations go to Di Terry and her team for organising the show and to all the competitors for adding to its success. The prizes for their efforts were awarded by the club's President Mr. Brian Deaville.

The Porter Vase (1964) for the best exhibit in the Daffodil classes went to Joyce Baker for her miniature daffodils; the Violet Gordon Trophy for the best exhibit in the Cut Flowers and Pot Plants classes to Diane Tulett for her hellebore flowers; the Percy Bond Trophy for best exhibit in the Polyanthus classes to Brian Bond, and also the Porter Cup (1960) for best exhibit in the Vegetable classes for his leeks; the Cornick Trophy for the best Flower Arrangement went to Diana Burgess; the Porter Cup (miniature) for the best Junior entry to Eleanor Benson for her Easter card; the Porter Cup (1957) for the best exhibit in the Domestic section to Jennifer Hearn for her jar of chutney; and the Spring Photography Trophy to Brian Bond for his photograph of snowdrops.

The Worshipful Company of Gardeners' Diplomas for Excellence in Horticulture were awarded to Susan Holmes for her sprays of Pieris, to Betty Fields for her pot of a an Aeonium, and to Brian Bond for his leeks; and finally, The Worshipful Company of Gardeners' Certificate of Merit for Floral Art was awarded to Diana Burgess for her flower arrangement, which was also the Judge's Choice.

President Betty Moxon welcomed one new member and one visitor to the well-attended April meeting which was held in the URC Hall.

Betty reported that the theatre trip to "Les Miserables" in March was a great success and the Committee is looking at other possibilities for the summer trip and in the autumn.  A Coffee Morning & Plant Sale is to be held on Saturday, 2^nd May, followed by Victorian Afternoon Tea & Plant Sale on 14^th May, both events being hosted by members.

Betty attended the Annual Council Meeting in Dorking and a workshop at the Surrey Federation in Guildford and gave a comprehensive report on both.

The speaker for the afternoon was Tom Yendell from the Mouth & Foot Painting Artists situated at the Selborne Gallery in Hampshire who gave a most interesting and enlightening talk about the MFPA.  Tom was born without arms and was one of 458 babies born in Britain to mothers who had taken thalidomide.  He learnt to paint using his mouth and feet and obtained a degree at Brighton in art.  The Selborne Gallery was opened in 1992 and is the only full-time dedicated gallery for exhibiting the work of disabled artists.

The competition "An Art Postcard" was won by Audrey Barnes.

The next meeting on the 7^th May will be a Resolutions Meeting.