Dear CHAPS member,
Since the summer newsletter CHAPS members have been busy. A large group enjoyed an afternoon visit to Vann Garden, Hambeldon in June. After a wet day the weather turned beautiful, and following an interesting talk on the house and garden the walk round the garden was lovely with lots of different areas and styles of planting to explore.
At the beginning of August we had the summer party at Quinnettes which I hope was enjoyed by all who came along. Judging by the empty plates and noise of conversation it was a good social evening.
Looking forward to our Autumn programme there is still much to keep you occupied.
CHAPS Autumn Show is on Saturday 10th September. This year we are hosting the Close Brooks Cup, an inter-village competition so there will be an opportunity to see fruit, vegetables, flowers and a pot plant produced by other villages in the area.
As always I would encourage everyone to have a look at the schedule to see if there are a few classes you can enter. There is lots of choice from floral arrangements through garden flowers to fruit and vegetables and then on into home industries and photography. If you need any help or advice please contact one of the committee members who will be happy to offer assistance.
Also, please don’t forget to encourage your children under 16 to enter. There are three categories: a photograph they have taken, a bookmark or a potato person.
Entries can be made by using the entry form in your schedule and posting it in the box at the Village Hall or you can submit your entries by E mail to chaps.showsecretary@gmail.com. Please include the same details on your E mail as you would on the entry form. The deadline for entries by whichever method you choose is 8pm on Thursday 8th September. We start preparing the show cards on the Thursday evening so it is important that this deadline is met.
Exhibits should be staged by 10.45am on the Saturday and the show opens at 2.30pm. There will be tea, coffee and home baking available plus a raffle. The prize giving will be at 4pm.
Our first talk of the autumn season is on Thursday 15th September and will be on Planting and Growing Autumn Bulbs by Tim Woodland.
On 20th October we have a talk on Growing Soft Fruits by Peter Barwick.
The AGM is on 17th November followed by a talk on Garden Birds by Roger Beck . The September and October talks start at 8pm in the Village Hall. The AGM will be in Quinnettes and a glass of wine will be served at 7.45pm with the AGM starting at 8pm. As advised to members earlier in the year we have been working on a website for CHAPS – this will be unveiled at the AGM – hopefully you will find it useful (if nothing else, if you mis-place your handbook you will know where to go to find out about forthcoming talks and entry schedules for the shows.
We do have a few vacancies on the committee so we would be delighted if any members would like to put themselves forward to join.
Don’t forget the celebration of 50 years of Quinnettes on Saturday 3 September from 2 to 5.30pm. CHAPS will have a promotional stall where new members can join and we will be running a raffle for a potted planter and a trug of fresh fruit and vegetables.
We have been advised by the Parish Council that the person who has been looking after the planting and weeding of the War Memorial in Churt is moving away and will no longer be able to undertake this work. If anyone is interested in taking on the job please get in touch with Dawn Barrow, the clerk of Churt Parish Council.
I look forward to seeing you at some or all of the forthcoming events.
Happy gardening!

Maggie Wright, Chairman