Nothing brings a room alive quite like an arrangement of fresh flowers, but many people simply don’t know to make the most of their bunch. If, however, you live in Abingdon, why not take the chance to learn from the expert flower arrangers as they demonstrate just how to create beautiful arrangements.
By watching how it is done, you will pick up valuable tips and ideas so you can be creative in your own home. The Club also holds occasional workshops so you can get hands-on. If this appeals, the Abingdon Flower Club meets monthly on the first Tuesday of each month at the Northcourt Centre (except January).
The Abingdon Flower Club was first established in 1959 and held its first AGM a year late. Since then, membership has grown and currently, there are 64 members but room for more.
“We are always looking for new members and are delighted by the response we have had since Covid.” Says Christine Pearce, Chair of the Abingdon Flower Club. “Many younger people are coming forward to enjoy our wonderful world of flowers. Anyone can join the Club by just coming along for a free trial evening on one of our meeting days and from there on, as a visitor for a while if they wish (£7.50 a session) or to join as a member for £40 for the year.
Each month we either have a demonstrator who puts on a wonderful show of flower arranging or on our members nights, we do workshops. Once a year we try to do a garden visit locally. If there is an event in Abingdon town, particularly societies days, we will support it and have a presence to promote the Club and the art of flower arranging, usually with public participation. This year we are also putting on a flower festival in the Baptist Church in Abingdon during the Heritage weekend – 16th-18th September – and we will be filling the church with glorious floral arrangements depicting the four seasons. The festival our Club was involved with at Dorchester Abbey, is just one example of the type of arrangements with which we get involved.
Our Christmas meeting is held at Larkmead School and is a demonstration by a national demonstrator – a glorious show of flowers – and we have sales stalls and the inevitable glass of mulled wine and mince pies! This is an open meeting and tickets, at the Club, go on sale from September. This is an open meeting for anyone to buy tickets although members are given priority to purchase tickets.”
Monthly meetings start at 6.30 pm. To find out more they are on Facebook: Abingdon Flower Club and Instagram: @abingdonflowerclub. The Northcourt Centre is at Northcourt Road OX14 1NS
The Abingdon Flower Club is part of the national parent organisation The National Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (NAFAS) which is a network of 21 geographic areas, consisting of 850 flower clubs and 44,000 members.
