ASTLEY HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY: The committee would like to thank members for their continued support. It was encouraging to see so many people turning out on a very damp, cold evening to attend the AGM.The Committee members were nominated, agreed to continue and were voted in en bloc. We work well together and have enjoyed a very successful year. Treasurer Mike Hughes reported that we had donated £500 to Acorns Hospice and £50 to Dementia UK. He was especially pleased to say that Grenville Mosley has kindly given the Society £100 to cover the "Pumpkin Challenge".This will allow our Show Secretary to award a £20 prize to the winner with the Largest Pumpkin at each Autumn Show over the next five years. Our membership fees have been very reasonable for a while but some speakers are now quite expensive. At the AGM it was Proposed/Voted/Agreed by a show of hands that we increase subscription fees to £5 per person as from AGM January 2017.

We must thank Chris and Russell for having dedicated so much time and effort getting ready to show their pictures taken during our enjoyable Annual Holiday at Harrogate in July 2015. Some of the slides were hilarious. Vic Powell had also presented some lovely pictures taken on holiday with appropriate music playing in the background. Many thanks to Vic who had provided the projector and equipment. We were really privileged that evening as Mike Hughes had also brought along his DVD depicting wonderful shots of the "Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red taken at the Tower of London .

(See Photos on our notice board) Sincere thanks to everyone for providing such an enjoyable ,relaxed evening after the business of AGM.

The group welcomed back well known Roger Umpleby with his subject for the evening, butterflies in Britain.

On March 9 The Morgan Shield Quiz Astley. March 16 is an evening with Reg Moule. March 26 is the Astley Spring Show.