Swithland

SWITHLAND SHOW. The 43rd Annual Swithland Flower and Vegetable Show takes place on Saturday, September 7, and preparations are well in hand for this major event in the village calendar.

As usual the Show will be held at Swithland St.Leonards Primary School for the Baking, Preserves, Crafts, Children’s classes and Flower Arranging, with a special marquee on the school playing field to accommodate the Vegetable, Fruit and Garden Flower classes.

The Tombola stall and Plant Sales table will be in the patio area of the Griffin Inn from 12.30pm onwards, where the Auction of items for sale after the Show will also take place as usual. Both venues are in Main Street.

The Grand Opening of the Show will take place at 1.45pm in the Griffin Inn courtyard. This year we are delighted to welcome Dave Andrews, the well-known Radio Leicester Presenter, who will perform the honours. Dave was born in Kent but moved to Leicester in 1972 to train as a teacher. He taught History for many years and in 1980 became Deputy Head of the Martin High School in Anstey. But when he had a ‘Millennium Opportunity’ to move over to the BBC in 1999 he decided to do so.

Dave has been with BBC Radio Leicester since then where, over the years, he has presented many of the daily and weekend programmes. He now presents his weekly Sunday Supplement midday magazine programme as well as the UK’s oldest local radio show, the gardening programme Down to Earth. Also providing commentary for special events, Dave was privileged to fill this role for BBC Radio Leicester during the occasion of the re-interment of King Richard III at Leicester Cathedral as well as the Maundy Service, which was attended byHM The Queen.

As chairman of Applause, a not-for-profit company with the aim of raising the profile of local musicians, whilst also raising money for local charities, Dave is a familiar figure on many fronts.

He was recently honoured to be commissioned as a Deputy Lord-Lieutenant of Leicestershire.

Swithland Show’s main charities this year will again be LOROS and Rainbows with smaller donations to other local charities. The Show Committee are grateful for the generous support of sponsors, advertisers, local businesses and everyone who has contributed towards Tombola and Raffle prizes, all of which will help these worthy causes.

Show schedules are available free now at the Griffin Inn, Swithland St. Leonard’s Church porch, local Post Offices and shops.

The schedule lists all the classes and gives the complete programme for the day. It also gives helpful hints for competitors. This year we have included a ‘Gluten Free’ cake and, again, a bottle of

‘Flavoured Spirits’ in the home made produce section, plus a new addition ‘Largest Marrow’ in the vegetable section. There are three new themes for the flower arranging section: ‘Harvest Celebration’, ‘ Teatime Special’ and ‘Eruption’. Please note the Novice Flower Arrangement class is included again this year - it is a free choice of size and content, so do have a go.

The Photography Section includes the themes ‘Measuring Time’, Huts & Sheds’, ‘Milestones’, and, for the teenagers (ages 12 to 17 years), the theme is ‘Friendship’. The classes in the Children’s Section all have various age categories, as detailed in the schedule. There are many classes to interest our younger supporters of all ages.

We have three separate sections this year: Toddlers for age 4 years and under, Children ages 5 to 11 years and the Teenager section for 12 to 17 year olds. They include ‘Chocolate Crispy Cakes’, ‘Something I have made myself during the summer holidays’, ‘Decorated Biscuits/Cakes or ‘Bug’ Cakes’, ‘Something I have Grown Myself’, and ‘Colouring and Drawing’ classes, as well as several other categories for making and designing items using recycled materials, playdough, plasticine, paper or foil. There are plenty of classes, of course, for vegetable and fruit growers, cut garden flowers, home baking and preserves, and the Arts and Crafts Section which comprises ‘Something I have made and Designed Myself’, to include woodwork, textiles, pottery etc. and original drawings or paintings. Please consult the show schedule for full details of all the classes, including sponsored classes and other prizes.

Entries must be staged on the day between 8.30am and 11am for all classes, after which the rooms and marquee will be closed while judging takes place. The Tombola and Plant Sales stalls will be open for business from 12.30 in the Griffin courtyard.

The Griffin Inn will be open all day and will serve tea throughout the afternoon.

The presentation of trophies and special prizes will commence at 4pm followed by the Grand Auction of show items left for sale and many valuable additional items generously donated by local businesses and friends of Swithland Show. The auction will take place on the pub patio (or in the marquee if wet) with Jeff Harrison and Nick Holloway set to ‘wield the gavel’. The raffle will be drawn at approximately 6pm.

All are warmly invited to come along and join in this traditional village fun day. This is an open Show and entries are most welcome from friends old and new, but whether or not you enter a class you are promised an entertaining afternoon.