THEY KNOW THEIR ONIONS!
Almost 200 exhibits provided a lovely display in the Village Hall on 8th September at the Ickenham and Swakeleys Horticultural Society’s Autumn Show. The entries in the Junior sections were especially pleasing, and included a superb display of produce and photographs from the Glebe School Gardening Club – we particularly liked the vegetable monsters!
In the adult classes Harry Dixon’s superb onions were worthy of note, as were Roger Trigg’s pot plants, John Stokes’ dahlias and Margaret Mayes’ floral entries. Chris Lane’s wines gained firsts in all the wine classes, and in the cookery section there was triumph for Beryl Upton’s coffee cake, as well as the usual fierce competition in the Men’s Challenge Class.
Mayor of Hillingdon, Councillor Michael Markham presented the prizes and the Lady Mayoress drew the raffle. Both knew they would be in for a treat, as they were already familiar with the efforts of the Glebe Gardening Club. They had visited the school previously and been given a tour of the garden to see the fruit and vegetables being harvested. And they were also among the eager customers when the club set up their stall in Waitrose, Ruislip in July to sell items from their bumper crop. This venture raised £200, to be ploughed back into the Club’s activities.
 We shall be filling shoeboxes again this year as part of Operation Christmas Child. Each box can bring joy and hope to a child in a desperate situation; and provide an opportunity for people of all ages to get involved in a simple, hands-on project that has the power to transform children’s lives.
The project began in 1990, as a response by Dave and Jill Cooke of Wrexham to the plight of children in Romanian orphanages. They could not end conflict, but they could send some ‘love in a box’ – shoeboxes full of Christmas gifts for the children, to bring a smile to their faces.
Over the years, with the involvement of international relief and development organisation Samaritan’s Purse, the scope of the project grew. Well over 62 million shoeboxes have now been sent to children in 135 countries.
This year the Ickenham boxes will be going to Swaziland. Lots of groups will be taking part - churches, schools, mother and toddler groups, brownies, scouts and guides - and each group will have their own plans in place, but eventually all items make their way to the URC, for checking, dedication and despatch. If you want to get involved, the panels here tell you what to do. The key date for delivery of all items to the URC is Sunday 28th October. There will be baskets in the church lobby and in the Hardwick Room for any gifts you can give.
And we need lots of empty shoeboxes – preferably already wrapped in colourful Christmas paper – but if not, then please bring those to the URC as early as possible. Any volunteers to help with the wrapping will be warmly welcomed!
Last year, Ickenham’s contribution was a record 235 boxes. Let’s see if we can set another Personal Best this time!
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