A PETERSFIELD club that has been arranging flowers for 31 years, including in cathedrals, has closed after no-one offered to run it, and given the remainder of the money it raised to two local charities.
Petersfield Evening Floral Club was formed in February 1987, but now the club has disbanded as none of the members, mainly retired and elderly, wanted to be committee members.
Last Friday (March 9) its remaining funds, more than £3,700, were split between the Petersfield charities, Home-Start Butser, who helps local young families, and the hospice at home charity, The Rosemary Foundation.
Member Margaret Davies said: “Although we had 45 members no one wanted to join the committee, or be the chairman, as it’s hard work and most of us have done it at least once, and felt we had run out of ideas and time.
“So after 31 years we sadly decided, with lots of regret, to close.”
The club was founded by Myra Banyard, Caroline Parker and Hazel Williams, all of Petersfield, after they successfully completed a three-year City and Guilds course in flower arranging.
It met at the Half Moon pub in Sheet 11 months of the year and in 1991 it applied to join the National Association of Flower Arrangers (NAFAS).
Hazel Williams, whose husband was head teacher for many years at Herne Junior School, said: “We agreed it was to be a teaching club with a limited membership and with the aim of all the members being practically involved.”
And until its closure it remained one of only two teaching clubs out of the 54 branches in the whole Wessex and Isle of Wight NAFAS region.
Over the years club members have created spectacular floral displays in Winchester Cathedral, as well as various other cathedrals and churches.
They have also decorated the Rose Room and Festival Hall every year for Petersfield Music Festival, and entered exhibits in national and regional flower arranging competitions.
Margaret added: “Two of our members went to The Mansion House in London to arrange two large displays on pedestals, which was a great honour.
“We have also undertaken flower festivals in various churches in Petersfield, and arranged flowers at Bedales school for a concert by the Band of the Royal Marines.”