FIFTY years of a small but great flower club were celebrated at a strawberry extravaganza at Mount Shire Farm near Werrington.

In 1965, Joan Rendell called together a group of like-minded people and Launceston Floral Art Group was formed. It became affiliated to the South West Area of NAFAS, which covers Wiltshire, Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, but within a few years it split and Devon and Cornwall became an area in its own right.

Fifty years on and three of those early enthusiasts are still members. Renee Smale was a founder member and was closely followed by Phyllis Libby and Dorcas Heal. This year the club has about 40 members, and Charlotte Dawe, its enthusiastic chairman and the youngest club chairman in NAFAS, planned the strawberry extravaganza to celebrate the 50th anniversary this month.

Members met at Mount Shire Farm by kind permission of Mr Lloyd Duke and Miss Samantha Le Marquand and enjoyed a glass of Pimms and a strawberry tea.

Although one of the smaller clubs in the area, Launceston Floral Art Group is blessed with flower arranging talent. Members bring home prizes from the Launceston and Royal Cornwall shows as well as from the NAFAS area and national competitions. Its members include area and national judges, demonstrators, teachers and speakers and the standard and creativity of the work produced is very high.

At the recent area competitions the group again brought home the club cup as members had gained the most points and to crown it all Averil Lashbrook arranged an exquisite exhibit which won the award for best in show.

For the full report, and a round-up of the area news and sport, see this week’s edition of the Post.