What’s On… The Flower Show and Village Society events
BINFIELD HEATH FLOWER SHOW TO MOVE HOME THIS YEAR
Binfield Heath's popular annual Flower and Dog Show is changing venue. After taking place opposite Holmwood in Shiplake Row for more than 75 years, the event is moving to the other side of the village, on Sonning Common Road.
The new site has three connecting fields with plenty of space for the show tents, stalls, activities and food and drink areas, as well as easy parking access. The fields belong to the Phillimore Estate and are horse paddocks.
Flower Show committee chair, Caroline Dowling said: "We have been so fortunate to use Holmwood’s field over the years and greatly appreciated the hospitality of Jerry Hall and her predecessors – the Marks family, the Talfourd Cooks and the Makowers, who have all welcomed us.
“Now we have new hosts, Tristan and Jemma Phillimore, who have offered us the chance to try out a different site for this much-loved village event and again we’re extremely grateful. We hope everyone gets behind this exciting opportunity and fully supports the Flower and Dog Show this year.
"Taking part in the Flower Show in one way or another is so much part of life in Binfield Heath."
The Flower Show celebrated 75 years in 2024, but its history goes back much further. Holmwood first hosted the show in 1882 when Col Baskerville of Crowsley Park presented the prizes. The following year, it took place in Crowsley, attracting over 700 entries, with more than 100 in the various potato classes.
The show then moved between Coppid Hall, Crowsley Park, Shiplake House and Holmwood until the start of the First World War. It returned in the 1940s as part of a wartime fund-raising gymkhana and settled into the Flower Show field when the Makower family lived at Holmwood. The forerunner to the Flower Show committee was an enthusiastic group of head gardeners from the larger houses around. Since then, only one year was missed – in the 2020 pandemic.
From its earliest beginnings, the Flower Show, like other local summer festivals, encouraged people to cultivate their gardens. At its heart lay the still enthusiastically contested competition of fruit, flowers, and vegetables, now affiliated to the RHS. It soon included home baking as well as arts and crafts sections. Local people from miles around and of all ages took part – and still do.
The produce show grew to include sports, games and stalls. There were cricket matches and, later, a tug-of-war between the five pubs which flourished in the village. Farmers gave tractor rides and showed shire horses and later, a vintage car display became popular. The Woodley Concert Band long ago replaced the original military band of the Oxfordshire Hussars. Punch and Judy shows, treasure hunts, children's fancy dress, hoopla stalls, splat-the-rat and painting competitions were introduced and still come and go. The Dog Show, linked to Crufts, is now a highlight of the day.
Among famous names who have opened the show and presented prizes are Antony Worrall Thompson at the millennium and Vince Hill in 2003. Jerry Hall and Mary Berry headlined last year's anniversary event.
“The Flower Show has evolved, changed and grown,” Caroline said. "We now have a famous tea tent, food and drink from local hostelries and artisan stalls alongside traditional sideshows.
"But the most important thing is how much our community values the show and joins in – to set it up, enjoy the day, even if it pours with rain, then takes it down again and starts planning for next year. With big thanks to the Phillimore family, long may the Flower Show continue in its new home. We look forward to seeing everyone there."
This year's Flower Show is on Saturday, August 23, on Sonning Common Road, next to the allotments.
Celebrities, Mary Berry and Jerry Hall joined hundreds of local people as the Flower Show celebrated its 75th anniversary on Saturday August 24th. Julie Lee won the diamond-themed cake competition, judged by Mary, which was the centrepiece of the jubilee celebrations.
Mary Berry opened the event at the entrance to the marquee after touring the stalls and attractions with Jerry Hall, who gave out cups and prizes at the end of the day. Mary is pictured here with Sarah Fulton Urry and Neil George as she cuts the ribbon.
The flower show was in full swing when the heavens opened and one of the longest, wettest downpours ever experienced at the event sent visitors, stall holders, children and dogs scuttling into the tea marquee, the beer tent and the music shelter. The dog show had to be postponed for an hour. But then the sun came out and the show went on…
A big thank you to Vin for capturing this special event in the story of Binfield Heath’s much loved Flower Show.
Binfield Heath 75th anniversary Flower Show in pictures
Photos courtesy of Vin Willgoss
Village Society
Binfield Heath Village Society came into being in 2000. Its focus is purely social: everyone who lives in the parish is automatically a member and a committee of half a dozen people organises the events.
It encourages people who live here to come together, meet one another and just have fun. We raise money from larger events such as Village Day to spend within the village and to subsidise smaller ones like the carols singing evening. The group is sometimes able to make charitable donations to local causes or contribute towards village projects. The committee has also run safari suppers and pub quizzes.
Events are advertised on this website and on big boards outside the shop. Usually, when tickets are required for events they are held in the shop.
The summer Village Day on the recreation ground is always a popular event, although it isn’t held every year. It brings together young and old, with teas, a bar, BBQ and stalls. Sometimes this has been combined with a big national event, such as the Coronation lunch and before that the Queen's Platinum Jubilee. Then there's a big village lunch in a marquee, usually supported by the Parish Council.
A week or so before Christmas the village gathers round the tree outside the shop for an hour for Carol Singing with a brass band. In the future this will be outside the Forge when works are completed.
The Village Society joins forces with the Flower Show committee to help out at the biggest annual village event - the Flower Show on August bank holiday Saturday. The teams run the tea tent and help clear up the field the following day. This event needs plenty of muscle for the best part of a week - everyone is invited to join in and help.
Some members of the committee are also on the Flower Show committee, the Playground Committee or the Parish Council, bringing the whole community together.
The committee welcomes new members but most importantly offers of help at the busiest times. And most of all, of course, people are encouraged to come to the events or suggest new ones, and support them.
Village Playground
The village playground behind the shop was gifted to the village by the Phillimore Estate in the 1950s. Before that, from the late 1800s it was part of the allotments on Sonning Common road.
It is held in trust by the Parish Council and councillors are responsible for maintaining it and ensure that the equipment is safe. It is checked by RSOPA annually. The grass is cut by contractors to the Parish Council and villagers help to maintain keep it tidy and litter free, subscribing to a weekly rota. They also check the play equipment and carry out simple repairs, clean the sand and weed the bark when required.
An outdoor table tennis table was donated by the Phillimore Estate - players are invited to bring their own bats and balls. Young footballers enjoy using the new posts, provided by the parish council.
If you have young children - or grandchildren - who enjoy using the park, why not contact Parish Council chairman, Paul Rollason and offer to help? The duties are not onerous and working sessions on the recreation ground are fun and sociable.
The playground is popular with children and their parents from miles around. Dogs are discouraged from entering the recreation ground and must not be allowed in the sand pit.