New members help floral art group to grow

Ballymena Floral Art Group is ‘blooming’ in more ways than one with a bumper turnout at the first meeting of the new season.
Chairman Ross McGookin (Centre) congratulates Ballymena floral Art Group members, Heather Hume (Left) and Victoria Robertson (Right) on achieving 'Area Judge' awards. INBT floral (submitted)Chairman Ross McGookin (Centre) congratulates Ballymena floral Art Group members, Heather Hume (Left) and Victoria Robertson (Right) on achieving 'Area Judge' awards. INBT floral (submitted)
Chairman Ross McGookin (Centre) congratulates Ballymena floral Art Group members, Heather Hume (Left) and Victoria Robertson (Right) on achieving 'Area Judge' awards. INBT floral (submitted)

A total of six new members were welcomed to the club.

At the meeting, member Victoria Robertson, was inspirational with her interpretation of ‘Forward thinking’ and she wowed the audience with her fabulous contemporary arrangements.

Victoria and another Ballymena Club member, Heather Hume, who incidentally is also an area demonstrator, were both congratulated by Chairman, Ross McGookin, on recently achieving ‘Area Judge’ awards. Both girls are great ambassadors for the Ballymena Club and for floral art and both operate successful businesses; Heather owns ‘Flowery Potters’ in Antrim and Victoria, ‘Tortraits’, Portglenone.

It was announced that another member, Karen Frew, will have the honour of assisting one of the top UK floral designers, Derek Armstrong, as he creates a ‘Red Shoe Treasure Hunt’ in Blackpool to promote the massive Flower and Food Festival to be held in The Winter Gardens in Blackpool (13-15 November 2015). Kylie Minogue, no less, has donated a pair of red shoes for the event.

The winners of the club competition entitled ‘September Sweetness’ were as follows:-Intermediate Class – Maureen Laverty; Open Class – 1st Colleen Hamill, 2nd Mary Knox, 3rd Margaret Bamford.

Plans are well underway for the club’s ‘Open Night’ on Wednesday November 18 in Tullyglass House Hotel when James Burnside, Alan Beatty and Barbara Megarry will be demonstrating their interpretation of ‘Let’s Celebrate’ to mark the clubs 40th Anniversary Year.

Trade stands will be available from 6.45pm with the demonstration commencing at 7.30pm. The receiving charity is Hope Centre, Ballymena. Tickets (£10) are available from The Treasurer: (028) 25861550 or 07761217072.

The next meeting will be held at 7.30pm in Michelin Athletic Club on Monday 19th October when Susan Turley will be giving a demonstration entitled ‘Back to Basics’. As always, new members are welcome to come along.