East Reading Horticultural Society

Monthly newsletter

Talks, shows and coach trips

Trading shed (great prices)

 © 2012 East Reading Horticultural Society

History (continued)

For scheduled talks etc., please have a look at the Events page.

From its initial membership of 30, it had grown to 1500 by 1991 and today tops 600. Bearing in mind the tendency for small gardens nowadays and the many calls on people’s time it is felt that the current membership is strong.

In 1991 Mr Maurice Iles resigned as President and Mr Norman Wright became President in 1992 and remained in office until 2009 when he relinquished the post. Regrettably he passed away in 2010, having served the Society for many years. Mr Ray Field succeeded to the position and in 2018 the position was taken over by Mr Don Palmer.

Our AGM was cancelled in 2021 because of the Covid pandemic but resumed in February 2022, when Mr Don Palmer announced he would be retiring as president. During the election of society officers, he proposed that the position be taken over by our current President, Mr Jeffery Gardner MBE. This was carried unanimously by the meeting.

The original membership included Woodley, but in 1965 it was decided that Woodley should form a society in its own name and it continued until 2010 when, due to lack of members, it was forced to close. We have welcomed some 20 members from Woodley into membership and hope that further Woodley and East Reading residents will join to make the Society even stronger.

No organisation can function without an enthusiastic and committed Committee and we must all be grateful for the efforts of committee members, both past and present, for their hard work and commitment over the past 70 years.

A final point, to illustrate change over the 70 years, this potted history has been prepared by word processor and many copies of this document and the newsletter have been e-mailed to members.

History