Newsletter

January 2008

Happy New Year to all our members!

We have another full year planned with our monthly meetings, shows, competitions and outings.  We hope there will be something for everyone to enjoy and take part in.  Look out for all the details in our newsletters every month and the MHHS Year Book which will come out early in the year. 

The first speaker in the new year is Stephen Westover on "Arboriculture".  Stephen is a sylvicultural and arboricultural consultant and contractor.  He worked for 24 years for Essex County Council eventually becoming head of the arboricultural team.  

Janshaven Cup 2008

Many of our members have beautiful gardens with flowering shrubs and beautiful flowers throughout the year.  So the committee would like to encourage all our members to exhibit your flowers and shrubs for two main reasons, one for all members to share your enjoyment in your garden, secondly to share with us your expertise and knowledge.  Then when the points are added up at the year end you may have the opportunity of winning the Janshaven Cup, which was donated to the Society by a Maldon woman, and £5 prize money.  This January exhibits will be judged by the speaker, normal judging rules will apply.  Margaret Hurley

Outings for 2008

We are already planning the outings for this year which so far include Kew in the spring and Pensthorpe Place in Norfolk in the autumn.

Look out for details and booking forms in your newsletter.

Victorian Evenings

Thank you to everyone who supported our stall at the Victorian Evenings, whether by helping out on the stall, tying the bunches of mistletoe or buying your holly wreaths, mistletoe or hot punch from us.  Thanks too to Phillipa Perry for making the wreaths.  This is our main fundraiser of the year and we had two very good nights completely selling out by the end of the second night.

May I remind any members who have not yet renewed their membership that they will not receive the monthly newsletter or any other communication, after 31 January 2008, as their membership will have lapsed.  If you wish to renew and have mislaid your application form, please contact me on 01621 859008, and I will gladly forward one to you.  Alternatively, membership can be renewed at the members’ meetings.  After the above date, a re-joining fee will be required.

Shirley Thorp, Membership Secretary

Diary Dates

Thursday 10 January           MHHS Committee Meeting, 7.45pm, Moot Hall

Tuesday 15 January               MHHS Members Meeting, 7.30pm, URC  Hall

Thursday 14 February             MHHS Committee Meeting, 7.45pm, Moot Hall

Tuesday 19 February              MHHS Members Meeting, 7.30pm, URC Hall

The Big Garden Birdwatch is the world's biggest bird survey.  Thanks to its simplicity and the small time it takes to do, the Big Garden Birdwatch has always had great support, providing the RSPB with a vital snapshot of the UK's birds each winter.  In 2007, over 400,000 people took part by counting the birds in their garden for an hour. Together they spotted 6 million birds across 236,000 gardens, helping reveal the winners and losers in the garden bird world.  Over the past three decades participants have made a significant contribution to monitoring garden bird numbers and helped highlight that some garden birds are in need of help.  The survey has recorded the huge declines in some of our most familiar birds. Since 1979, the number of house sparrows counted has fallen by 52% and the number of starlings by 76%.  However, it isn't all bad news - chaffinchs and great tits have both seen their numbers increase since 1979 by 36 and 52 per cent respectively.

Taking part in the Big Garden Birdwatch is simple and fun.  All you need to do is watch your garden or local park on either Saturday 26 or Sunday 27 January 2008.  Simply spend an hour counting the birds, recording the highest number of each species seen in your garden (not flying over) at any one time.  It's important you don't count all the birds you see because some birds will return to your garden many times in the hour. Seeing the same blue tit come back 10 times does not make 10 blue tits.  You can do your Birdwatch in your garden or a local park. Either way it's best to decide on a place where you can see the birds well and where you can sit quietly so they are not disturbed. The RSPB analyse the results to find out about garden birds in the UK.   Submit your results online at www.rspb.org.uk  or look out for details in the press.  The online form will be open from 26 January 2008 for you to enter your counts. The RSPB will collate and publish the results in March 2008.

Wild about Gardening

Bulk & Seed Order Reminder

It’s not too late to place your order for the annual seed order from Suttons Seeds.  Catalogues are available from committee members, the order form is attached to this newsletter.  Members receive 20% discount by buying through the Society so it is a worthwhile saving.  Now is a good time to look through the catalogue and plan what to sow this year and maybe try something new.