Southend Horticultural Society to close

9:00am Saturday 5th July 2008

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AFTER 56 blooming good years, the Southend Horticultural Society has decided to call it a day.

The group's final show will take place tomorrow at St Mary's Church Hall, Victoria Avenue.

Secretary Gayle Wilkinson cited a declining membership as one of the main reasons to say goodbye.

She said: "It is a real shame after all these years since the society was started by my father in the Fifties.

"In those days, the hall would be full to overflowing with flowers and vegetables, but now it is more and more of a struggle.

"At the show in September last year, we only had nine exhibitors, although they were each putting in a large number of different entries."

Mrs Wilkinson, of Bellhouse Road, Eastwood, added: "Sadly in the last year, we have lost five members of the committee who have died.

"Noone has come forward to replace them and we are just left with the same half a dozen people who have been there for ages."