{"id":42748,"date":"2024-09-18T04:33:12","date_gmt":"2024-09-18T04:33:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/village-shows-are-declining-but-this-one-is-thriving\/"},"modified":"2024-09-18T04:33:14","modified_gmt":"2024-09-18T04:33:14","slug":"village-shows-are-declining-but-this-one-is-thriving","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kede.com.br\/news\/village-shows-are-declining-but-this-one-is-thriving\/","title":{"rendered":"Village shows are declining – but this one is thriving"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The summer flower and produce show has been a staple part of British village life since the 18th Century.<\/p>\n

This tradition is on the decline, with fewer in existence today amid the effects of an ageing population, the fragmentation of communities and the Covid pandemic having kept people indoors.<\/p>\n

But some are still thriving – like on Cornwall’s south coast where Crafthole’s 350 residents manage to throw a mighty annual show.<\/p>\n

Photographer Jim Grover visited the village hall to discover a story of community, competition, hidden talents, winners and dashed hopes – as well as a tradition under threat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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An annual event since 1941, the Flower and Vegetable Show is a big day for Crafthole. <\/p>\n

“Everyone loves coming,” committee member Fiona Babbage says.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s just a nice day where we can all get together, show our wares, have a cup of tea and a slice of cake, and chat. <\/p>\n

“It\u2019s village community. <\/p>\n

“There\u2019s a little bit of competition – there\u2019s a lot of competition, in some cases.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“There are strict rules on the Victoria sandwich – you have to use seedless raspberry jam and have to dust the top with caster sugar.”<\/p>\n

Fiona\u2019s own Victoria sandwich cake won first prize – and the June Martin Cup, for the best exhibit in the cookery section. <\/p>\n

The baking judge said: “It tastes like a Victoria your granny would make – delicious.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Su Hillman won the cup for the best painting.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m self-taught,” she says.<\/p>\n

“I must have about 100 pictures or so at home – they are just accumulating. <\/p>\n

“I enter a few exhibitions but I never get further than this. <\/p>\n

“People say sell them – I guess I need a manager.\u201d<\/p>\n

The judge said: “Excellent, full of detail and movement – I can feel the wind – beautifully presented.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This year, 35 entrants entered 266 exhibits across 85 classes, including cookery, handicrafts and art. <\/p>\n

And there are 26 trophies at stake, including the most sought after, the Champion\u2019s Cup, for the most points in the show.<\/p>\n

Some enter 20 different classes or more.<\/p>\n

But would-be entrants have to contend with some unexpected challenges. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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“I\u2019m hoping to win a few prize – but I\u2019ve had a bad year,” regular entrant Bob Stevenson says.<\/p>\n

“I had deer come in my garden last week and they ate my roses, just the flowers. <\/p>\n

“I\u2019ve only had them come into the garden three times – but they would come in the week before the show.”<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, Bob won three trophies, including the bowl for the perfect rose. <\/p>\n

His tomatoes were placed third.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The future of the traditional village show is less assured. <\/p>\n

“I used to judge 16 shows a year,” Ricky Hoskin, of the National Vegetable Society, says.<\/p>\n

“Because of the pandemic, a lot have folded.<\/p>\n

“Now, I am doing around eight. <\/p>\n

“I feel really sad about that.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Rosalie Dunn says: \u201cI have lived here for 76 years – and my mum lived here all her life. <\/p>\n

“My mother and grandmother were founding members of the WI [Women’s Institute] and they formed the flower show in 1941 – her picture is on the wall of the village hall. <\/p>\n

“Mum always won the prizes in the handicrafts. <\/p>\n

“All the ladies used to get very excited about it.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s lovely to be still going on.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s such a highlight for Crafthole and the whole parish. <\/p>\n

“Quite a number of shows have stopped, so we really need to keep it going. <\/p>\n

“It brings all the village together.<\/p>\n

“There\u2019s always a lot of laughter and friendly competition. <\/p>\n

“People love it – I love it”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Once the names behind her chosen winners had been revealed to bread judge Fiona Harvey (above right), she joked: “Now I know who to avoid around the villages over the next few days.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Another villager, totting up how she had fared, said: “My husband and I are very competitive against each other. <\/p>\n

“He\u2019s won some and I\u2019ve won some – but who is the winner? Just about me.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Some categories are highly contested – 13 hydrangea heads battled it out for the first-prize certificate. <\/p>\n

In contrast, the George Penfound Cup, for the best marrow, went to the lone exhibit. <\/p>\n

Either way, the judges leave encouraging comments with the exhibits. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Royal Horticultural Society rules are applied to the cut-flowers, fruit and vegetable classes, WI rules to the cookery, preserves and drinks. <\/p>\n

And some exhibitors\u2019 hopes were dashed as they discovered, too late, they had inadvertently fallen foul of them. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Robert Bushrod was not allowed to exhibit his beautifully tied shallots, as he had not entered them on his application form. <\/p>\n

And Lynn Vickery had failed to list an ingredient for her yeast buns, ruling out her entry, though her brownies came in third.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The tearoom quickly filled with the sound of laughter and locals catching up with each other over tea and homemade cakes before they all gathered for the awards ceremony.<\/p>\n

“We\u2019ll be doing it again next year I think,” Mel Parry, who chaired this year\u2019s show, says.<\/p>\n

“It\u2019s hard work – but it\u2019s worth it.” <\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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