Members Articles

Memories of the President

Back along, in the summer oil 1981, Dick (my late husband) and I visited the New Forest Fuchsia Society Annual Show. We had already caught the "fuchsia bug' by then and decided to ask their advice about starting a Fuchsia Society of our own. The Chairman of the Society introduced us to Chris G, who was showing there, because he also was keen to start a Society m the Bournemouth area.

An inaugural meeting was arranged for the end of September 1981 (to be held at Pelhams, Kinson), so we advertised everywhere we could think of and waited for the day! It was a dreadful evening, wet and windy, so we did not expect very many people to turn up but, much to our amazement, people kept on arriving. Members from the New Forest Society came over to lend us some moral support and eventually
over 100 persons were present, 92 of whom signed up that night. A committee was formed with Chris as Chairman and myself as Secretary - and so Bournemouth and Poole Fuchsia Society was born.

Among the first members were the Adeys, the Streets and Derek L. The Society very quickly affiliated to the British Fuchsia Society and to the Royal Horticultural Society. Sadly, many of our original members have moved from the area or passed away but we have always had new -members joining to take their place.

Our first meetings, were in a Church Hall in Wallisdown, and the first Show in a Church Hall on Ashley Road (with the local Carnation Society). Very soon the Society outgrew those venues and moved to our present ones about two years later.

Over the years our Annual Show has gone from strength to strength and it is now one of the most successful Affiliated Society Shows -m the country - thanks largely to all the hard work the members put into it- We have even started winning the Affiliated Society Classes at National. Shows thanks mainly to the Forses, the Jumps and Derek L.

There have been many notable speakers over the years, often travelling some distance (as far away as Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Scotland), many, coach trips and other outings have been organised and enjoyed by members.

Thanks to Jon M, and modern day technology, the Society boasts of having one of the best Affiliated Society web sites - something that was unheard of 18 years ago.

During the life of the Society its members have worked hard, had a lot of fun and learned a lot on the way. It makes me very proud to be elected as your President

LS - President
First published in the 2000 Year Book.