The ‘Reluctant Gardener’, Mr C P Hadwell, gave a most amusing account of his life where gardening had played an important part at the July meeting. 
Born in 1930, the son of a gardener to the ‘Big House’, and whose grandmother was fanatical about gardening, he soon began to hate the chore of having to help as a young child.  Being ‘forced’ to clear an overgrown area ready to grow potatoes and other vegetables necessary to feed the family.
He had brought along a stocker, an implement to prepare the potato rows, and a pair of sheep shears, used for trimming lawn edges, which had been found when clearing out the old home.
Having passed the scholarship, he stayed at school beyond the age of 14 years, when children left to start work, so he had to give his labour ‘freely’ to family and friends.
When he married, he still had the gardening to do under the watchful eye of his wife, but now retired he pays for a gardener while he has time for his hobby, repairing old clocks!
Details were given for several county events, including ‘The life and times of Mary Berry’, with flower arranging by Andrew Lloyd at Sixways on September 25;  two Singing for Pleasure events in September and October; and Ballroom Blitz evening on September 28. 
An invitation has been accepted from Tenbury W I to attend their September meeting when Jane Davey will talk about the ‘Food of Norway’.
The August meeting will be the visit to Highgrove.
The next meeting in Mamble Village Hall will be on September 10, starting at 7.30 pm. Paul Cook will return to talk about ‘Autumn colour in the Garden’.
The competition is a letter ‘S’ item, and there will be a trading stall.