18th – 22nd September 2024
The weekend was an amazing event for our Area and it achieved all our aims and exceeded our expectations. We wanted to showcase our skills, talents and love for flowers in a beautiful location. We wanted to promote NAFAS and our Clubs and to bring our members together. We wanted the public to see what we do and to know about flower arranging.
St Mary’s Church, Hitchin is the largest church in Hertfordshire and we filled it with 44 large exhibits arranged by Clubs and members , both experienced arrangers and some who have never arranged on a large scale before. We know how much thought and planning, travelling and time our members willingly gave and there was a very happy atmosphere throughout the staging and weekend. The Church was filled with floral exhibits in different styles, designs and colours all based on Blessings eg, Family , Knowledge, the Holy Spirit , Joy, Happiness and many to bless the Natural World. We encouraged public participation by placing a flower in to a design to focus on peace throughout the world.
Most Clubs sponsored their flowers and the Area had raised a fund to subsidise and cover all the claims.
We worked within our budget and had some left for a future event.
There was a NAFAS Information Area with exhibits and programmes, posters and information about our Area Club.
The Flower Arranger Officer was busy promoting the magazine
and was giving free back copies that our members had donated. There were stewards there to tell the public about NAFAS and where their local Club meets. Already some Clubs have told me they have had enquiries from people who are interested. Hopefully, we have raised an awareness of NAFAS and we will gain new members.
We worked in partnership with St Mary’s Church, Hitchin by using their church and they organised the publicity, refreshments, programmes, stewarding and the wonderful music that entertained the 1,600 visitors throughout the weekend. The church members worked extremely hard for four days to take full advantage of the fundraising opportunity that we gave them. The Church has now informed us that they made a profit of over £16.000, that will help to improve the facilities in their beautiful church. The agreement worked well as we wanted to design, stage and sponsor the cost of the flowers and the Church desperately needs funds
I really enjoyed the whole week from the start on Tuesday to dismantling on Monday. It gave me great pleasure to talk to so many members and to talk to the visitors about our organisation. The members enjoyed meeting others who shared their love of flowers and friendship.
I really appreciated Ellie Meaking , NAFAS Director joining us at the Preview Evening on the Thursday and felt very proud showing her around the Festival. Kim Wilde also attended to officially open it . We had visitors from a wide area of the country ,the photographer from The Flower Arranger, some National demonstrators and the local press, so hopefully the ‘Abundant Blessings’ will be remembered as a very happy occasion celebrating the skills and talents of the members of Home Counties Area of NAFAS
NAFAS at it’s Best
Carolyn Cranswick
Chairman of Home Counties Area of NAFAS