REDDITCH BONSAI
www.midlandbonsai.org www.redditchbonsai.co.uk
SUPPLEMENTARY NEWSLETTER JANUARY 2025.
The sole purpose of this Supplementary Newsletter is to inform MBS members
about the programme for 2025. Please study it carefully. Any comments would be
welcome. Redditch members will hear from us early next week!
The Society is adopting a new approach to life as we know it in 2025!
There will be attached to this Supplementary Newsletter a Programme of events for
- What follows is intended as a commentary upon and explanation of changes
being made and new additions to the programme.
The key feature of all this, however, is that there will be more emphasis on a
practical approach to Bonsai. Each meeting, more or less, will comprise a short talk
on a particular subject/aspect of Bonsai followed by a practical workshop session
with more experienced members and/or invited guest speakers offering help and
guidance to members as desired. So far we have spoken with David Cheshire and
Malcolm Hughes about these changes and they are both ready and willing to support
you in this way. Please refer to the attached programme for full details of each
meeting.
Here, in no particular order, are some comments/explanations of the proposals.
The Society reaches 50 years of age this year. Judging from the Minutes in our
possession the first meetings took place in late 1975 with the first AGM held in
December 1976. So, your committee has decided to hold an “Anniversary Social
Evening” which will take place at the Cricket Club on Thursday 2nd October 2025.
Brian Cooke has agreed to organise the event and will be forming a sub-committee
of members to assist him. More details of final proposals to follow in due course.
The Club’s Annual Show will take place on Sunday 8th June. David Attwood has
been appointed Show Secretary for this event and indeed any other similar events
that we decide to organise. He too will be forming a “show sub-committee”.
For new members who do not have any or only one or two trees we propose to
donate a “starter tree” free of charge by way of encouragement.
We hope to organise at least one “All Day Workshop”, probably on a Sunday from
say 10.00 until c. 4.00 when members may “come and go” as they choose.
Teanah Rowland is organising Trips for us this year. She has already fixed 25th May
2025 for a trip to the world renowned Cottered Japanese Garden” near Stevenage,
Herts. One bonus of visiting on that day is that the collection of the well known
Bonsai Artist, Harry Harrington, will be on display there. More details of the trip to
follow from Teanah in due course but put the date in your diary. Redditch members
are of course to be invited to join in the fun.
Teanah is also trying to organise a return trip to the garden of renowned expert,
bonsai artist and pot maker, John Pitt, in Derbyshire. Watch this space for more on
that.
Teanah will also shortly be asking you to think about the Tombola at the show by
suggesting that you put aside any “unwanted or unused” presents to swell the prizes
on offer.
She is also to organise a “Bottle Prize Draw” in house. Every bottle donated is given
a number. Every member gets a ticket. An equal number of prizes and tickets so
everyone wins something. Simple! There might well be a small entry fee! Let’s see?
Malcolm Beach has very kindly agreed to organise a ramble around the “backside”
of the Lickey Hills in the early part of May (a Saturday or Sunday afternoon) in
delightful woods called Beacon Wood and Chadwich Wood. Well worth the effort,
so please support Malcolm.
Advertising. We have one or two ideas about this, You have, no doubt, already
started designing your entry for the sticker competition, so we will see how many
entries come forward for judging before embarking on any other similar ventures.,
which might include pens, badges, coasters and keyrings.
Other comments upon the programme and notes attached:-
David Cheshire and Malcolm Hughes will be on hand on the dates identified.
The websites noted are there to enable you to do some background reading upon the
subject of the month’s meeting.
A further copy of David Cheshire’s Soil Notes will be circulated in the early new
year.
The words “Committee Meeting” in notes to several months simply serve as an aide
memoir to your secretary to think about organising a meeting around that date if
required. The committee meeting would not take place at the cricket club on the
night of the monthly meeting.
Here are the details of the 2025 Programme.
Our monthly meetings will offer an initial talk from our experienced members, or a
guest speaker, followed by guided workshops and help with members’ trees.
Month Meeting Activity Notes
January 9th Membership update
Deadwood – Jin & shari
workshop – led by DA & BC
Donations request: Tombola, raffle &
bottle prize draw.
February 6th Bonsai soil & feed mix –
sharing practice.
Membership update
March 6th Repotting & root pruning –
David Cheshire
Membership update
April 3rd Wiring workshop – David
Cheshire
May 1st Show preparation – Malcolm
Hughes
Bank Holiday Bluebell woodland walk –
Malcolm Beach
25th Visit to Cottered Japanese Garden
June 5th Show classifications
Pruning & defoliation
Final show prep
Sunday 8th June = show
July 3rd Accent plants
August 7th Rock planting & building
landscapes – Malcolm Hughes
September
4th
Autumn colour art workshop –
paint & other media
Crafting trees from wire, painting pictures
of your trees & sketching your trees.
David Attwood, Brian Cooke & Teanah
Rowland
October 2nd 50th Anniversary Social
November
6th
Winter prep Committee Meeting
December
4th
AGM, Mince pies & Quiz
BRING YOUR TREES WITH YOU!
You will have ample time to work on them, get advice and maybe even show them
off!
Your committee sincerely hopes that you will find this new approach useful,
interesting and enjoyable. As ever, feedback would be much appreciated.
Richard and Angela Gilkes. 3rd January 2025.