A big thank you to Pat Woolston
Although Jean and I had been members of the Rutland Group for some years, we were not frequent attenders. It was back in 2002 on a national Hardy Plant Society Summer Day in South Wales that we first got to know Pat. We were visiting the home of a one time national chairman, Brian Dockerill, looking round his extensive garden. Pat spotted our ‘Rutland’ badges and started the conversation. We were soon introduced to her husband Henry.
It soon became very clear that both Pat and Henry were staunch supporters of the Rutland Group, both serving on the committee in various roles. Pat’s input into the group has been invaluable, whether it be helping to organise the National HPS Summer Day in Rutland, a large task on its own, but even opened her own garden as part of the day, or volunteering as minute secretary at committee meetings.
She has always been a valuable help at our Annual Plant Fairs at the changing venues over the years. Not least with the publicity and roadside signage.
Many of us enjoyed some Rutland Group garden visit holidays that she organised, travelling in our own vehicles to an area based hotel that she had sourced and booked. These have been as far as Sussex in the south to Cumbria in the North.
Always ready to take on a task she took on the organising of the clubroom tea rota for a while - yet another job!
Pat has always been ready to stand in when needed, and we owe her a debt of gratitude for the years of service to our Group, latterly as our publicity officer ensuring we had mentions in all kinds of local publications and broadcasts.
Reluctantly Pat has decided to stand down from the committee and the associated tasks, so with thanks we wish her all the very best, and look forward to her continued attendance at our meetings and outings.
Well done Pat! Perhaps we should call you
Pat ‘Capability’ Woolston!
(with thanks to John Dyson for this tribute)
Thank you to John Dyson
What a lucky Group we have been for so many years with the support of John. He has always insisted that he is not a gardener but it is amazing what knowledge he actually has! He very much hides his talents under a bushel. Jean has always been a keen gardener and John has supported her throughout, from the days when she attended Hazel Kaye’s lectures in Leicester to when Hazel helped form the Rutland Group of the Hardy Plant Society.
Little did John realise then, how involved he would become with the Hardy Plant Society!!! Johnbecame a member of the Group Committee and designed our website and is still happy to run it. He joined Jean on many foreign trips and garden weekends organised by the HPS and his photography and computer skills came to the fore. So the non-gardener became a Trustee in 2015 and Website Coordinator. He was presented with a gift when he retired from the latter role in 2023.
At Uppingham, John is always at meetings setting up the technology and the sound system beforehand. He is there vacuuming up the debris afterwards. He has decided to step back from the Committee, of which he was a very valued and respected member who contributed a different approach to the discussion. He still helps with all the activities and website in his quiet unassuming way. Thank you John for being you and a valued member of the Rutland Group of the HPS.
(with thanks to Pat Woolston for this tribute)
At the recent Plant Sale, a few of us involved with the set-up surprised John with a thank you gift for his enormous contribution to the Rutland Group.
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