Open Day 2015
Open Day this year was on Saturday, 25th July and the usual attractions and competitions were on offer. Fair weather was forecast, and experienced, despite some overcast skies and a morning wind that threatened to lift off the various gazebos we had around the site but, fortunately, the wind quietened down in the afternoon!
The day started quietly but the steady trickle of visitors grew and we enjoyed another well attended day so our hearty thanks to all who supported us, not just from Howden but we also had visitors from Doncaster, Barnsley and other far flung parts of the realm!
Our thanks again go to Tony Featherstone for judging the best mature plots, to Bert and Josie Tipping for performing the honours for the veg and flower displays and to Josie for judging the scarecrow competition, which this year had the theme Science Fiction.
The award to the best newcomer was judged a little differently this year when all plot holders were given the opportunity to select who they felt had produced the best plot. A scoring system was devised and nearly all plotholders took part in the assessment. The eventual winner was Graham Bell (plot 21b), second were Sam and Amy Terrace (plot 19a) with Stuart Linley (plot 31b) was third.
The award for best mature plot went to Paul and Steph Creaby (plot 2a), second went to Charlie Riach (plot 13a) and third place was awarded to Chris Tarrant (plot 2b)
In the Tenants Vegetable Competition winners of the Bert Tipping Club Trophy (for most points scored) were Pat and Dave Blee with 11 points, followed by Paul Shields with 9 points with a joint third award with a total of 6 points each to Bert Clarke and Dave Powell. The Pat Mullarkey Trophy for best three globe beetroot went to Pat and Dave Blee. We only hope their mantlepiece is large enough to the weight of all these trophies!!
Results of the Science Fiction Scarecrow Competition were as follows:-
In the Under 12 years category:
1st. Ella Wraith – E.T.
2nd. Georgia Hunt – Darth Vader
3rd. Ryan Wraith – Ghostbusters
In the 12 Years and Over Category:
1st. Amy Terrace - Arnie as The Terminator
2nd. Julia Newsum - Spaceman
3rd. Norman Walsh – Dr. Who
A big thankyou to all tenants for making the day run smoothly. Without your contributions for the tombola, produce for the vegetable stall and home baking for the refreshment tent, the day would not have been as successful as it was. A special thankyou to Bert Clarke for running a shuttle service between his plot and the produce stall keeping us supplied with a steady stream of cauliflowers and peas, which disappeared within minutes of delivery!!
After expenses for prize monies etc. a profit of £863.48 was made, which will go towards the upkeep and improvement of the site.
We also featured prominently in The Goole Times!!
Now a very special thanks to three people: to Keith Lockwood in what may be his last year of making everyone tipsy! Keith's superb homemade wines have been a central feature of the Open Day and will be sorely missed. And to Arthur and Eileen Stevens who managed the tombola every year but "retired" this year to hand over these duties to Paul and Steph Creaby. Arthur also gave us his final year as our official "greeter", giving all visitors a smile and welcoming drink, including some of Keith's homemade wine! (soft drinks for the younger ones of course!!).
Here's to another successful Open Day next year!
