THIS year’s Wootton Courtenay Flower and Produce Show raised a record sum for the village’s gardening club, billed as ‘the most popular’ in the tiny Exmoor community.

The club looks each year to support deserving causes with the proceeds of its flower and produce show, particularly in the field of horticulture.

The 2023 event raised a total of £656.70, which was more than £250 higher than last year and nearly £150 better than the previous best year of 2019.

The club will give £300 to Adam Reed, of Good Vibe Veg, in Horner, who has started a school visits programme with Porlock School where from September pupils will make regular trips in their year groups to experience the Good Vibe Veg garden.

Visitors to Wootton Courtenay Flower Show helped it raise a record-breaking sum.
Visitors to Wootton Courtenay Flower Show helped it raise a record-breaking sum. (Bill Hodgson)

The youngsters will be sowing, growing, weeding, and harvesting, and learning about where food comes from at the same time, including healthy eating and sustainability.

Mr Reed will use the £300 to buy tools, wheelbarrows, and gardening gloves suitable for the children.

Club chairwoman Marion Jay said: “Thanks to everybody who made the show such an enjoyable and sociable event. I hope you will take part again next year.”

The 47-strong gardening club hosts a series of talks in the village hall from September to June, with non-members invited to attend, for a small charge.

It also arranges garden visits, which are self-drive/car-share with costs met by those taking part in the trips.

And once a year the club funds a trip for club members only, ensuring that the selected garden is opening for charity, such as the National Garden Scheme, where entry fees covered by the club go to a good cause.

This year, the charity supported by the garden it visited gave £100 to the Marion Evered Trust, which raises funds for the Oak Children’s Cancer Unit, in Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton.

The club has also become a Plastic Free Ally, supporting plastic reduction in the garden and encouraging sustainable gardening techniques, such as avoiding the use of weedkillers and pesticides.

Advice on how to avoid plastics and practice sustainable gardening can be downloaded here.