A few facts to be going on with……
Meetings: The first Thursday of each month (except in August) 2:30pm at the Flavel.
Number of members: 50.
Cost to join: Annual membership is £31, plus £2 per meeting to include tea and cake.
Three words to describe the club: Friendly, fun, creative.
History: The club celebrated its diamond anniversary in November 2018. It was founded in 1958 with 75 members meeting in the old Flavel Church Hall with an annual subscription of 7/6.
How the club works…
Each month the group of 50 ladies (no men as yet but they are welcome!) meet in the Flavel and have a presentation from a demonstrator or local florist. There are usually five designs which they put together while explaining the plant material used, the inspiration for the design and other interesting anecdotes. At the end of the demonstration the lucky raffle winners have an arrangement to take home.
What else the club gets up to…Occasionally they are asked to decorate St Petrox and other local churches for weddings. The club chairman is Vicky Pearce: “Members particularly enjoy this as it gives them the opportunity to work with some beautiful flowers. Several of the ladies help with general church flowers in Dartmouth and the surrounding villages. The flower arrangement on the desk at the Flavel is by various club members.”
Competitions…
The club used to hold a regular show every couple of years, but it has got too expensive. For the past few years they have instead held a garden party and cream tea in a member’s garden. These have been well supported and have become a much-anticipated social occasion. Several members enter local shows such as Kingsbridge, Strete and Stoke Fleming.
Classes…
Twice a year the club runs a series of six classes at the Towstal Community Hall. These cater for beginners who want to learn the basic traditional designs as well as the more experienced flower enthusiasts who can experiment with contemporary designs and a variety of techniques. There’s a charge £20 for a group of six classes.
The attraction…
The club has a solid following and has remained a popular past time for Dartmouth residents for the past 60 years. Vicky explains why: “We are a friendly, social group with a shared interest in design and plant material. All flowers, fruit, vegetables and foliage are great to work with. We are quite creative and have lots of fun!”
The secret to a beautiful bouquet/display according to Vicky…
“Good mechanics, suitable flowers and having fun doing it. There are so many pretty flowers around this spring. Just look around the town at the beautiful daffodils and the contrasting purple crocus. There’s also stunning mimosa, camellia and magnolia peeping over garden walls.”
Everyone is welcome to join the ladies, especially if you have an interest in either watching or taking part in floral art. You don’t need to have any experience.
For more information contact Vicky Pearce on dartflower@gmail.com
First published in By The Dart magazine May 2019
