See write up below

Friday the 18^th was quite an historic day at the Century Hall. BBC Radio Gloucestershire set up their Outside Broadcast studio to record successfully two one-hour programmes for their Gardeners’ Questions from the village. Some 90 people turned up to listen and about 16 also had questions prepared they wished to put to the panel of gardening experts. Engineers turned up at 4.30pm to set up the outside broadcast recording equipment. Roy Preece and Karen set up and tested their equipment, and our Explorer Scouts turned up to prepare refreshments. BBC presenter Vernon Harwood was to compere the programme and started by walking around the Social Centre grounds and recording a couple of interviews. The hall was filling up by 7pm, and Vernon carried out a warming up exercise for a half hour till 7.30pm. The experts panel consisted of Duncan Coombes lecturer at Pershore Agricultural College, James Boyle who is from Northern Ireland but has been in this country for over twenty years and now works at a nursery on the Gloucester to Tewkesbury road; and the inimitable Reg Moule who is at Hurrans Garden Centre and can be heard weekly on Radio Gloucestershire. Questions put to the panel, and quite a variety they were too, were all parried successfully and at times with an appropriate amount of humour. One such was a question put to the panel about cats and seedbeds. Reg Moule’s suggestion was burying an inflated balloon in the centre of the seedbed, and the first cat to come along and dig its claws into it would certainly never visit your garden again. An intermission at about 8.30pm saw a crowd at the tea bar served with a smile by the Explorer Scouts, and back to the second one-hour recording.  Anyone wishing to hear the programmes and experience the great fun had by everyone last week please tune in to BBC on 104.7FM or 1413MW on Sunday 3^rd April 2005 at 1pm and the second programme on Sunday 24^th April 2005 also at 1pm. A very professionally run, informative and fun evening.

FRIDAY 18TH MARCH - 7PM START Ad appearing on website before the event. BBC Radio Gloucestershire Gardeners' Question Time will be recording two of their well-known radio programmes from the Century Hall of the Social Centre in Shurdington. Come and Meet Vernon Harwood Reg Moule Entrance is free and there will be refreshments during an interval between recordings. The evening will end about 10:15pm. There are several gardening related societies and groups meeting at the Century Hall, and this is an open invitation to them to come and take part or just listen. There is currently the Shurdington & Badgeworth Gardening Society, Cotswold Fuchsia & Pelargonium Society and the NCCPG, The National Council for the Conservation of Plants and Gardens. A member of the NCCPG will be sitting on the panel. Judging by the many beautifully kept gardens round the village, there appears to be much local interest in this pastime. Put this date in your diary - 18th March 2005 - 7pm If you wish to reserve a FREE seat Tel: 07770 480272

Generated with Arles Image Web Page Creator