Auction to raise funds for garden club’s 90th celebration party

CHERITON Fitzpaine Garden Club will be 90 years old in 2016 and to celebrate members are planning a day-long free party for everyone in the village with one of the highlights being a well-known TV celebrity gardener visiting the event.

Of course a day like this requires funds, so the enterprising group is starting fund-raising on Saturday, October 31 with an Auction morning, Spring Bulb Sale and Raffle from 10am to 1pm in Cheriton Fitzpaine Parish Hall.

Andrew Dean, “Deano”, well-known in the village for his hilarious performances as the Dame in Cheriton’s annual pantomime, is also an enthusiastic vegetable grower and member of the Club and has bravely volunteered to be auctioneer for the day.

As part of his role he has visited many businesses in the area who have kindly donated a huge array of lovely items to be auctioned.

However this is an auction with a twist. Villagers and other members of the public are also invited to take along new or good pre-loved items they have at home and Deano will auction them too.

Of the sale price, 50 per cent will go to the owner and 50 per cent to the Club’s party fund.

Deano explained: “I have never done anything like this before but am looking forward to the challenge and banging my gavel on lots of bargains. So many shops and businesses in the area have been really generous with their donations.

“We want to make a big splash in 2016 to recognise the remarkable achievement of a Garden Club surviving for 90 years in a small Mid Devon village like ours, so every penny we make at the Auction will go into our party fund for the celebrations next June.”

Alongside the auction there will be a spring bulb sale, at least 10 other stalls, a raffle, coffee, tea and home-made cakes, so it should be a really fun morning.

Anyone wishing to enter items into the Auction is asked to please take them to Cheriton Fitzpaine Parish Hall at 10am on October 31 or telephone Ann Nixon on 01363 866976 to have them collected.

The Auction then begins at 11.30am sharp.