Sunflower Competition 2010

Firstly thank you all for your support once again and for buying plants and taking part in the competition. I know my Dad and Keith would both be chuffed.

I am sorry that 2010 seems to have been so very busy and I didn't keep the blog updated - it won't happen again! Anyhow I'm attempting to put up a resume of this year's activities and mishaps finishing up with a report of the prize presentation.

John worked like a trojan again all year, taking cuttings, planting seeds, etc to stock the stall on May Day. Our summer house morphed itself once again into a hothouse as the plants outgrew John's garden's capacity. On the day, true to form, the weather was atrocious - we were cursed with spells of rain, hail and wind with only the occasional little bit of sunshine peaking through. The leaflets and posters blew everywhere, the plants were complaining bitterly by drooping before our eyes and balloons etc were impossible - so hence no photographs of May Day and perhaps subconsciously I was trying to block out the memory and didn't blog!!

Somehow however thanks to all your support we still managed to raise a whopping £1100 which was equally divided this year between the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation and the Little Havens Childrens' Hospice in Rayleigh.

John and I would both like to thank everyone who braved the weather to come to the May Fayre and buy plants but a really big thank you to Vicki, and Gill for helping us on the stall from setting up early in the morning to clearing up. I recall we were all shattered, freezing cold and aching when we finally got home. A huge thanks as well to Alison, Sam, Phoebe and Harry for their help too, also the kind people who kept us warm supplying cups of soup, coffee etc and to Margaret for allowing us to use the pub - we couldn't do it without you all. Maybe Harry can give the guess how many sunflower seeds in the jar another go next year and we'll all pray for no wind!

Over 200 sunflower plants were sold, taken home and hopefully planted. Some of you nurtured them, fought off the slugs etc and we ended up with a fair few contenders for this year's prizes. Some of you had some mishaps -like Bill (last years widest head winner) who decided to tidy up his garden and do some deadheading which led to him severing a potential prize winners head clean off! But Bill is 86 so lets hope he's not such a tidy gardener next year. Some specimens snapped off and some just didn't make the grade.

John started doing his rounds at the beginning of September taking care as always to be absolutely accurate and re-measuring when necessary! You can't deceive John le Measurer even if you try! Overall all the plants seemed slightly shorter this year for some reason and no one yet has challenged Andy Duzniak's 2007 record of 3.74.

Jim was hoping to move up the winners rostrum this year having moved up from 5th to 4th in previous years but unfortunately didn't make the grade. He did however win the "Half the Proceeds in the Pot" prize on May Day so that is some consolation! However his prize money didn't actually get out of the pub as he had to then buy the next few rounds until it was spent!! Never mind Jim - better luck next year! Our commisserations to everyone who didn't quite make it this year - better luck next time!

It was great to see some newcomers with Joesph and Lottie Hannett, who bought their plants at the May Fayre, kept the leaflet in a safe place and took the Tallest Children's prize home to Chelmsford. We hope to see you back next year.

The prize presentation was held on 26th September at the Rose and Crown and we had a good turn out - I hope everyone enjoyed themselves and the winners were pleased with their prize goodie bags.

We were lucky this year to have some wonderful prizes donated which we raffled and raised another £70 to be split equally between the two charities.

We would like to extend out thanks to Emma Bridgewater for donating a fabulous teapot (which I think we all wanted to win). It was won by my daughter-in-law Rosie so I know it will be treasured as she is a Emma Bridgewater fan. If you liked the teapot and were disappointed you didn't win it, take a look at http://www.emmabridgewater.co.uk/ and maybe treat yourself.

Bailey's Hairdressers also donated a voucher for a free cut and restyle which was gratefully received. Sue and Vic Dixon from the Braintree Nursing Home and the White House Residential Home donated the obligatory cuddly toy - an enormous Minnie Mouse which went to Rose, a new Nan to be who is hoping for a grandaughter to go with her brood of grandsons! So thanks to all of them.

That's enough blurb for now - here are the 2010 prize winners and picture gallery.


Tallest Sunflower
(in memory of Eric Miller)
1st - Nick and Jackie Payne 3.365m 11' 0½"
2nd - Iain and Clare Lee Avery 3.240m 10' 7½"
3rd - Tony Kelly 3.215m 10' 6½"
4th - Rosemary Olgilvie 3.175m 10' 5"
5th - Michael Doyle 3.125m 10' 3"

Widest head
(in memory of Eric Miller and Keith Stevens)
1st - Sue Dixon 42cm 16½"
2nd - Rosemary Olgilvie 34½cm 13½"

Children’s Tallest
1st - Joseph and Lottie Hannett 3.100m 10' 2"
2nd - Sky Riddington 2.810m 9' 2"