ALLOTA GARDENING ON SHOW

What happens when you grow and show? You have the recipe for a great family day out as proved on

Sunday when the Tattenhall Garden Society (TGS), along with the Tattenhall Allotments Association (TAA), had their annual show at the Tattenhall allotment site. The "allotmenteers" had had their 10th birthday party on Saturday afternoon then on Sunday they joined with the "gardeners" to hold a "safe" outdoors version of the annual TGS show. This turned out to be the last chance for the community to meet in numbers before the latest Covid-19 "rule of 6" restrictions were imposed, but a rigorous health and safety assessment exercise meant that participants, visitors and stewards could move around in a socially distanced manner through the main marquee and into the plots of the allotment. The sun shone and all was well in the world.

Over 200 people came along to "have a gander" at flowers, vegetables, fruit, pickles, jams, cupcakes, veggie people and scarecrows, as well as to marvel at the allotments. For some, this was the first time they had been aware of the allotments or had heard about TAA and TGS; all were suitably impressed and the waiting list for TAA plots has probably grown!

After a guided tour of the allotments, Mrs Diana Barbour went on to judge most of the exhibits in the marquee. Choosing a best jar of pickle without tasting it must have been a challenge!

Weighing scales and tape measures established the biggest squashes and the like. Outdoors, the scarecrows were judged by the public.

Young Charlie Walley was the proud creator of the winning scarecrow and visibly very pleased by the outcome. It just goes to show that you can never be too young to be a successful show competitor.

Jane Johnson photographed many entries and activities. You can see just a few of her photos here, which prove what a colourful, creative, and glorious day it was.

But it was not something that just happened overnight or by magic. Thanks must go to:
Sponsors – Chester Event Hire and Mortons Spar Tattenhall
Mrs Barbour – for giving her time to judge such a diverse range of exhibits
Alex Radley and team – for spearheading the HSSE assessment and designing the one-way system
Martin Chalk and team – for organising the marquee and "facilities", and for sourcing, collecting (and returning) and setting up most of the tables needed for the entries.
All the stewards – for helping in various ways before, during and after the event.
All the competitors – for growing and/or preparing exhibits to put in the show.
The chairs and committees of both groups – for going ahead with the events in the face of regular changes in government advice.

The organisers had many positive comments back, about how brilliant and safe the events were, and also how the weekend had helped people mentally and given families something to aim at and focus on. TGS and TAA are glad to have been able to lift community spirits. Keep an eye out in future Tattenhall Online articles for other events these groups are holding.