Oct_2017

Faith & Flowers
The Magazine of the Church of England
Flower Arrangers’ Association
Issue 16 – October 2017

Letter from the Editor
I am sure that all of us who have gardens have an excess of
foliage after the summer weather and Autumn tidying up is going
to be extra hard work this year. Even so, I hope you will find
time to share news of some of your summer activities with us
over the next few months.
Averill has been off on her travels again, following in the steps
of Ernest Hemingway, this time on an interesting visit to Cuba.
Later, intrepid as ever, she made her most hazardous journey yet.
Bravely she crossed the wilds of the North York Moors in search
of giant gooseberries.
When travelling with friends in the local area, never far from
home, I saw various ideas about weddings that we will look at
over the next few editions.
For myself I am delighted that the stent (really a piece of drainpipe)
that has been implanted in my left eye works. I am so very
grateful for the skill of the surgeon, the care of the nursing staff
and the prayers of my church and friends. The latter were such
a comfort at quite a frightening time. So too was the joy
expressed when we learnt that the surgery was a success. My
very sincere thanks to all those who shared in my worries and
thankfulness.
May I be the first to wish you all a joyful Christmas and happy
arranging.
Ruth
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Greetings from Chesterfield – September 2017
Hello C.E.F.A.A. members. That wasn’t much of a summer, was
it? Keith and I have been up to Aberdeen and then flew to N. Ireland
to visit our family. We came back to a jungle of a garden; the rain
had made everything jump up. It’s pouring down and Keith has set
off with his sandwiches and his mallet to play in a croquet match in
Sheffield!!
The Derby branch is meeting at St. Thomas’ Church, Chatsworth
Road on the 12th of September to plan a Flower Festival for October.
The tower is in scaffolding and the plan is to raise funds towards its
repair. Margaret Taylor is co-ordinating the show. It has been
decided to celebrate the shops and businesses on Chatsworth Road.
It is quite cosmopolitan, with nice little private craft shops and some
pavement cafes. One shop, which has just closed, has been with the
same family for four generations. It was an Ironmongers called
Johnson’s. You could get any kind of nail, screw or tool there. When
I first came to Chesterfield 34 years ago, I was a Cub Scout Leader
at the “Crooked Spire” church. The group Scout Master told me to
see Mr. Johnson on Chatsworth Road and that he would sort me out
with a key to the parish hall. The key was about 9 ins. long and was
impossible to lose. I have chosen to depict the Ironmongers.
I am a member of Chesterfield U3A Garden Group. This summer
we visited George Smith’s garden in York. The colour schemes and
groupings of plants are always super. Our Pampas grass plant is just
opening. We always have some in church for Harvest Festival.
The Derby branch had a very sunny summer trip to Hopton Hall.
We enjoyed the lovely roses and the afternoon tea and cake sitting
by the old Crinkle Crankle wall. It looks like being a good harvest
this year. On my walk last Monday in the Peak District, I ate too
many blackberries, I just can’t resist them. Have a good Harvest
Festival.
Ada Fawthrop,
National Chairman.
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Rev Canon F.R.N. Michell – President of C.E.F.A.A.
In 1979 the Rev Canon F.R.N. Michell arrived at St. Ann’s Rainhill
as vicar along with his wife Lesley and children, Paul, Becky and
Anna, in the middle of the final preparations for the 150th
Anniversary Flower Festival at St. Ann’s and also the Rocket
celebrations. As the history of C.E.F.A.A. shows following these
celebrations was the beginning of the association.
The Rev Canon Michell was well loved and respected, affectionately
known in the parish as Noel. As a very thoughtful Christian and
scholar, a gentleman was invalid starting the association. He had a
very quiet and sincere way and was a great help. He wrote the prayer
and chose the hymn. He arranged the meeting with Roger Arden,
the then legal adviser for the Diocese. His calming influence carried
many meetings, each of us on that first committee was very thankful
for his advice. He was so thrilled when it was decided to appoint
him as our first President, which he took very seriously.
Noel and his wife, Lesley, were extremely kind and hospitable
during their time with us. We enjoyed Garden Parties in the vicarage
gardens along with great fellowship. He loved mars bars and I
remember one of his birthdays, the beginning of his sermon he
thanked the congregation for the dozens of mars bars left at the
vicarage for him.
On a more serious note he was a very talented man, especially in
music. He wrote the rudiments of two symphonies and various
pieces for the church organ. In 1988, he left St. Ann’s to move to
Rainford Parish Church, the loss to us was felt intensely, we all
missed him very much.
At Noel’s passing our sympathy and prayers are with his family.
Their contribution to the life of St. Ann’s and the association was
much valued.
‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant’
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Our Girl in Havana
The history and culture of Cuba has always intrigued me. From the
time when it was almost a closed country to the British, the invasion
by the US in the Bay of Pigs, the Cuban missile crisis, the decline
in health of Fidel Castro, his subsequent death and the succession
of his brother, Raoul, as leader – all these names and events made
me curious and want to visit the island. This year, persuaded by
the travel agent not to leave it too long before visiting as the country
is changing, I finally went in April.
The first surprise was the journey from the airport into Havana.
Parts of Havana resembled war-torn Beirut. Some buildings had a
decidedly Soviet feel to them, yet, just a kilometre of so away, the
buildings hark back to a colonial past and are well cared for.
The next surprise was the vast number of 1950s American limos
driving around the city. Many are used as taxis, particularly for
tourists, but many are owned by locals and obviously driven with
pride and joy to impress!
Havana is a city of contrasts. There are splendid buildings, many
museums, hotel, churches and government buildings and yet, just
a short distance away, we saw an alleyway and a courtyard around
which were rooms in which 23 families were living. On every street
corner, there is music and dancing. People are happy and contented
with life. Is it to do with the sunny weather? I don’t know…life is
certainly hard for people. The average wage is the equivalent of
£120 per month. In this 21st century food is still on ration. Indeed,
we saw the blue ration books, so reminiscent of the Second World
War. We watched in a supermarket how the ice cream cabinet was
unlocked for a purchase. Just imagine that in Britain!
Having said that, the education system and healthcare is excellent
and all free to Cubans. We were fortunate to have two guides during
our stay in Havana who were prepared to answer our questions
frankly which helped us to understand how people feel today about
life. Cubans work hard to earn the tourist currency (CUCs), many
having second jobs as guides.
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We travelled into the centre of the island, touring the Vinales Valley.
There are several varieties of palm trees which grow profusely in
the region. Most common are the tall elegant Royal Palm and the
strangely, but aptly named, Cuban Belly Palm.
April is the month for harvesting mangoes in Cuba. Here, in
England, I have to pay £1.50-£2.00 for a single mango, but, at a
roadside stall in the fertile Vinales Valley 15 mangoes cost 1 CUC
(approx. 80p) I had never seen mangoes growing before so was
fascinated to see how each one grows separately on its own stalk.
Other crops grown locally were avocado pears and corn on the cob.
5

Tobacco is a major crop in
the area. We visited a farm
where the plants are
grown, the leaves
harvested and dried and
cigars made for home
consumption. The leaves
felt soft, rather like suede.
Benito demonstrated how
cigars were made, as well
as enjoying smoking his
own!
Five days in Havana were indeed a time of learning and new
experiences, including earing fresh lobster on 3 days and attempting
salsa dancing. Yes, Cuba most definitely lived up to my
expectations!
Averill Lovatt
6

Egton Bridge Gooseberry Show
When asked if I would like to visit a gooseberry show, an
inquisitive and curious soul like me, just had to reply, “Yes,
please!” So, it was, on August 1st, also known as Yorkshire Day,
that Ruth, our magazine editor, and I set off for Egton Bridge, a
village in the heart of the North Yorkshire Moors.
The village hall was decked out with bunting and a banner
proclaiming, Annual Gooseberry Show. Inside were many tables
laid out with plates, each one holding gooseberries of varying sizes,
some red, some green and some almost yellow. Along the centre
of the display table were stands, each one about 45cm (18in) high,
each one topped with a competitor’s finest gooseberry.
The largest, and heaviest, of this
year’s offerings was grown by
Mr. Graham Watson, who was
only too delighted to have his
prize winning specimen
photographed. He beamed with
pride as I asked him if I could
place a £1 coin next to the
gooseberry to give an indication
of size!
There were several classes to be judged including best plate of
mixed coloured gooseberries, best beaten gooseberry and heaviest
twins. Varieties grown included such exotic names as Newton
Wonder, Surprise, Woodpecker and Just Betty. One thing I did
notice was that the competition was all about size; there was no
mention of taste or flavour of the fruit.
It certainly was a different day out and one which I thoroughly
enjoyed, and opened my eyes to the world of gooseberry growing!
Averill Lovatt
The Show is always held on the first Tuesday in August.
7

Flower Festival at St. Mary’s Halewood
St. Mary’s Church had its 50th birthday this year in March. It is
one of three churches in the parish of St. Nicholas, St. Mary’s
and St. Hilda’s, a large parish which straddles the Liverpool and
Knowsley boundary, and is also part of the LEP with an active
Methodist contribution. It makes for an interesting pattern of
worship! The Building itself is modern, and a replacement for
the original building which was burned down shortly after
opening.
Like the Queen, St. Mary’s could be considered to have two
birthdays each year. The church building is part of a larger
building which offers a nursery and a day care centre to the
community. There are after school clubs and a ‘Holiday Club’,
this year based on Daniel, at the start of the school summer
holidays, with up to 100 children participating in many
activities, including flower arranging.
The Flower Festival was part of
the annual Halewood
CultureFest, which was itself
celebrating 10 years of activity,
and helped to fund the floral
displays, particularly round the
altar. Other exhibitors included
the St. Nicholas’ Bell ringers, the
St. Mary’s Saturday Coffee Shop
(a 5th birthday here), Brownies,
Scouts, Mothers’ Union, the
Town Council, Stroke Club,
Halewood Community Choir and
several individual arrangements.
Parishioners did say they had never seen their building so
beautifully decorated, so it appears to have been successful.
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We were open on Friday 30th June and Saturday 1st July. Friday
was the funeral of Megan Hurley, a victim of the Manchester
bombing, held at St. Nicholas’ Church, so there was an ‘orange’
floral tribute (her favourite colour) on the altar at St. Mary’s,
and we lit candles to
commemorate her short life.
As a link into the festival the
‘Good Morning Jesus Christ’
service the previous Sunday
had children (and others)
planting shoes, (yes, really).
These were placed outside on
Friday. Some shoes led away
from the entrance and some
led inwards to represent the
community being brought in to church, and the church being
taken out to the community.
It was hard work, but it was worth it.
Linda West, Kate Cooper and Christabel Hardman
9

Paradise Island
This summer I was fortunate to go to Barbados to see the World
Flower Show. Barbados is known as ‘Paradise Island’ and it truly
lived up to its name. It’s the most easterly island in the West Indies
with the Caribbean Sea on the West Coast and the Atlantic Ocean
on the East Coast. It’s about the same size as the Isle of Wight.
The climate is tropical, the heat being very humid. The rainy
season starts on 1st June and goes through to the end of November.
When it rains the droplets come straight down in a sheet of water
for a short while but when it stops everything dries quickly. The
rains make a lush landscape giving the spectacular roadside foliage
a glossy appearance. Hedges of pink and purple bougainvilla
oleander and hibiscus are dwarfed by rows of royal palms. Behind
are the Chattel houses, the type once occupied by the slaves. Today
they are extended and painted in bright colours.
It was a British colony for 300
years gaining independence in
1966. The Bajan people are very
proud of their link with Britain and
are very quick to say that your
Queen Elizabeth is our Queen too.
The Union Jack is seen to fly
alongside the Barbadian flag.
The culture is a blend of British and
West Indian. They are by far the
warmest people I have ever met.
Visiting St. Peter’s church in
Speightstown one Sunday morning,
it happened to be Father’s Day. The
men of the congregation had
arranged all the flowers in the
church. Exotic variegated foliage
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and palms with ginger lilies, pineapple gingers, upright and trailing
heliconias with anthuriums. Then in pride of place imported spray
carnations are used! Something I learnt about anthuriums is that
only the yellow central upright part is the actual flower, the
coloured surround is a leaf. It’s a bracket like the poinsettia.
They have a Mother’s Union, a Men’s Society and a Church Army
Group, attached to the church. What a treat awaited us the service
was about three hours long, we sang twelve hymns with help from
a fantastic Gospel Choir and the sermon given by the Rector
Reverend Canon Peter Haynes was forty-five minutes long and
quite entertaining in parts. It is a religious island. All the shops and
businesses close Saturday lunch time and don’t re-open until
Monday morning. There are over one hundred religious groups
and their places of worship ranging from wooden structures to
majestic coral stone structures. There are eleven parishes each with
its own cathedral all being Anglican built in the 17th century.
Followed by the Methodist, Moravians and the Roman Catholic
churches. After coffee, we went back to our hotel by bus. Not just
any bus but a ‘Reggae bus’ painted bright yellow complete with
the music of Bob Marley, we sped along the roads stopping along
the way only when people requested the bus to stop. On one
occasion during our stay while on the bus a passenger spoke to the
driver. The bus stopped at the next wayside cart the passenger got
off, we all waited, he purchased his lunch he got back on the bus
and we went on our way.
There are also ‘blue buses’ council owned with no music and have
regular bus stops. But not as much fun. We took a blue bus into
the capital Bridgetown, visited the cathedral of ‘St. Michael and
All Angels’. It was a Friday and Friday is flower day for the
cathedral arrangers. It’s our flower day too at Liverpool cathedral.
Anita Yarde was at the pulpit doing a splendid three-tier display.
She was surrounded by buckets of anthuriums, tulip gingers,
pittocorum, upright heliconia and gerbera in shades of pinks and
11

golds. Large palms and monster leaves formed the background. At
the cathedral, there is a team of twelve flower arrangers led by
Anita. They fund raise themselves to pay for the flowers although
most of the flowers grow freely in their gardens. It was good
spending time with such like-minded and friendly people.
The world show had opened. Different styles from around the
world abounded it was hard to know where to look first. At the
entrance hall, free standing exhibits from all corners of the world.
Each country depicting their own style of arranging and using
materials appropriate to the individual country. From the United
Kingdom roses, hydrangeas and scabiosas with trailing amaranthus
in soft pinks, mauves and lime green. The arrangements are too
numerous to mention here except to say my mind was buzzing with
ideas to take away.
The next stop was visiting an interesting working sugar plantation
and rum distillery at St. Nicholas Abbey. The men brought in sugar
canes from the fields and we were able to observe the process. The
method has been in use since the 1890’s. The flower and herb
gardens were laid out in traditional 17th century style a pleasure
to walk round. Another treat was a visit to the Andromeda botanical
12

gardens at Bathsheba laid out in easy to follow trails. Exotic plants
and foliage identified with a map provided a great help.
Hunte’s gardens (as seen on TV in Gardener’s World) where we
were met by the creator and owner Anthony Hunte who guided us
through a tropical jungle of trees and plants into a sinkhole, a sort
of collapsed cave, which was once part of a sugar plantation. He
highlighted the planting at every turn. Classical music filled the air
and with the aid of a route map it was time to explore. Over eighty
different plants to identify. Hibiscus, Hawaiian gingers,
Anthuriums, Caladiums, Water hyacinth, Ornamental Banana
Flower, Torch Ginger, Potato tree, Euphorbia, Crinium Flower,
Sacred Lotus. African tulip Tree, Orchids and ground orchids to
name but a few. Again, all too numerous to mention.
Two weeks passes so quickly, so much seen and enjoyed and the
memories will last forever.
Alethea Fielding
13

Knitted Bible Stories
Some years ago, several ladies at St. John the Baptist decided to
knit a Nativity scene for the Festive Fayre. It was a wonderful
effort and the finished figures were auctioned for charity. So, the
Sewing and Knitting Group was born…
Whilst in Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival last month, I was
intrigued to see a poster for The Knitted Bible Stories Exhibition
and resolved to visit it myself. What an amazing sight greeted me
when I entered the Salvation Army Citadel in Edinburgh! Thirteen
Bible stories brought to life and beautifully crafted in wool.
Twenty-five members of the Warrington Salvation Army began
knitting only eighteen months ago. Word quickly spread about the
14

project and volunteer numbers grew. The team extended to family
and friends as far away as Dubai and Australia! The knitters have
embraced the challenge of recreating the familiar stories in wool
and have also benefitted from the great fellowship that has resulted
from working together and they have no intention of giving up yet.
The display began at the beginning with the story of creation; every
section of the story was knitted-trees, animals, stars, flowers and,
of course, Adam and Eve. On then to Noah’s Ark; the ark, the
animals, Noah and even the rainbow were knitted. The Old
Testament stories continued with Moses and the Ten
Commandments, David and Goliath and Daniel in the Lions’ Den.
New Testament Stories included the Nativity, the Wedding at Cana,
the Feeding of the Five Thousand and Jesus’s entry into Jerusalem,
leading on to the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and Jesus’s
Resurrection. Attention to detail was striking…the baskets holding
leftover crumbs were knitted, a butterfly perched on top of one of
the baskets, the tablecloth at the wedding was embellished with
sweetcorn, knitted of course, the flowers in the Garden of Eden…
my list goes on.
Which was my favourite in the display? That is a tricky question
to answer, but I think it would have to be Daniel in the lions’ den
simply because I loved the texture of the lions’ manes! I wonder
which yours would be?
Averill Lovatt
15

A Different Kind of Wedding
I make no apologies for being a total traditionalist when it comes
to church weddings. Churches are places of worship and the
wedding is, or should be, a solemn religious and legal ceremony.
They are not places for staging whacky ideas.
During the summer, Averill and I visited a small, local, stately
home. The estate/village church next door was obviously being
prepared for a wedding. Nosey as ever, we went in to see the
flowers.
We were met by the Vicar who was quite impressed by having
two C.E.F.A.A. council members in his church. He was elderly
and obviously extremely bemused by what was going on,
because the wedding had an Alice in Wonderland theme. To
achieve this, the bride had been saving up for six years. The path
from the lych gate to the church was lined with silver birch logs
topped with teapots containing blue hydrangeas. The doors of the
box pews had broad blue ribbons round them, tied with huge
bows. The only thing missing was the white rabbit.
The reception was held in the house, the first ever to be held there
(and the last if the house staff had anything to do with it). It took
the form of a tea party which was followed by games on the lawn
during the evening.
I wonder where the vows and blessings featured in all this?
Ruth Thomson
16

17

Do you know . . .?
1. What Charles Darwin described as “the most wonderful
plant in the world”?
2. The love apple is the original name for what?
3. The Death Cap is the most poisonous variety of what?
4. Harry Wheatcroft was a renowned breeder of what?
5. What is the name of the three-leafed clover associated with
St. Patrick’s Day?
6. Which part of a plant is used to make cork?
7. What is the largest and tallest tree in the world?
8. What name is given to plants which lose their leaves in
Autumn?
9. Which cereal is grown in water?
10. What name is given to the technique of clipping bushes
into ornamental shapes?
11. What is another name for the rowan tree?
12. What flower is named after Dr. Leonard Fuch?
13. What do the berries of mistletoe, laburnum seeds and yew
have in common?
14. What is the popular name for antirrhinum?
15. What is the sacred flower of the Buddhist religion?
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New Members
We extend a very warm welcome to the following new members
who have joined us since 1st July 2017. All will be members of
the London (with St. Albans) Branch.
Mr. Keith Harvey St. James’ Church, Enfield Highway
Mrs. Marion Tucker St. Peter & St. Paul, Flitwick, Beds.
Mrs. Carol Thompson St. Peter & St. Paul, Flitwick, Beds.
I thought you might enjoy the little story I came across recently.
In Medieval Germany, a knight was strolling along the bank of
the River Danube with his beloved. Suddenly the maiden
noticed dainty blue flowers growing downstream. Enchanted
by them, she begged him to pick a bunch. Leaning over to reach
them, he was overcome by the weight of his armour and fell
into the river. Flinging the posy of flowers to the bank, he sank
from sight. His last words were: “Vegisz mein nicht” – “forgetme-not”.
From that moment, the plant was so-named, and
associated with true love.
Answers to the quiz on page 18
1. Venus flytrap 9. Rice
2. Tomato 10. Topiary
3. Toadstool 11. Mountain Ash
4. Roses 12. Fuchsia
5. Shamrock 13. Poisonous
6. Bark 14. Snap Dragon
7. Giant Redwood 15. Lotus
8. Deciduous
19

AVAILABLE FROM CEFAA FOR REGISTERED MEMBERS
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size
Chest
measurement 34 36 38 40 42 44 46 48 50
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