NAILSEA
PEOPLE
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Gallery 2025
Nailsea & District Horticultural Society
spring flower show
Saturday, April 5, 2025
RACHEL'S PHOTOS: Taken on a walk along the footpath from The Perrings to Backwell lake where the issues are the abuse of the free car parking by all day commuters and a poorly swan which looks egg bound and not with aviary 'flu have been mentioned on social media...
It was a brilliant sunny Saturday, April 5, for the Nailsea & District Horticultural
Society spring show staged in the atrium at Nailsea School.
Almondsbury master gardener Ivor Clarke swept the board in what is traditionally the daffodil show.
Joint show chairman Martyn Davis said: “More than 250 people came to Nailsea School on Saturday to see the horticultural society’s spring show.
“On a lovely afternoon there was plenty for them to see with more than 300 exhibits entered by 70 exhibitors.
“The dry milder weather of recent weeks had possibly caught out some of the less experienced growers whose daffodils had already bloomed and finished but there were some excellent blooms on display.
“Ivor Clark from Almondsbury brought some fantastic daffodils and went away with most of the top prizes.
“Other sections of the show were well supported, in particular the photography, cookery, and children’s classes where standards were very high.
“Visitors were able to enjoy tea and homemade cakes while listening to the Filton Community Brass band which was as usual on top form.”
The judges’ remarks are recorded on the floral art exhibitions and among the advice was ‘a delightful spring basket but when using tulips make sure they are well conditioned' and the first prize in the naturalistic design incorporating driftwood said 'congratulations your design is well balanced, interesting and truly makes one feel you are in a seascape mood'.
Printed schedules for the 2025 summer show at the same venue on Saturday, August 2, are out now. Nailsea People will post a link to the online version when it is available.
SPRING SHOW 2025
TROPHY WINNERS
BARBARA RANDALL TROPHY most points in members’ classes William Knight
DAFFODIL SOCIETY CENTENARY TROPHY best exhibit in Class I Ivor Clarke
THELMA HOWES MEMORIAL TROPHY most points in daffodil classes Ivor Clarke
JIM TIGWELL TROPHY best exhibit in Class 2 Ivor Clarke
FRANK CALCRAFT MEMORIAL TROPHY best exhibit in Class 3 Basil Billinger
TOM GREENWOOD TROPHY most points in horticultural classes other than daffodils Sue Irwin
DOROTHY LUCAS TROPHY most points in domestic classes Jane Knight
PHOTOGRAPHY TROPHY most points in photography classes Liz Youngs
Don Everritt Trophy most points in floral art Carol Towell
ZENA HART TROPHY most points in handicrafts Marie Evans
LITTLE ELGYPT WI TROPHY best exhibit in children's classes Harriet Wasiak
CHILDREN'S TROPHY u5s Mabel Player
CHILDREN'S TROPHY 5-7 years Jack Mason
Can you see your house pictured from balloon?
Mike Petteford aeriel images
April 2025
RED AND YELLOW AND BLUE AND GREEN: Balloons against a blue sky and green fields across Nailsea
Morning has broken at Backwell lake and beyond
Phil Williams early morning images
April 2025
eat:Nailsea returns to Nailsea for 2 bumper editions this year thanks to the financial backing of Nailsea Town Council and the support of the Crown Place Shopping Centre.
The first of two eat:Nailsea food and drink festivals for 2025 will be 10am-4pm on Saturday, April 26, at the High Street and Crown Glass Shopping Centre.
This will showcase 100 producers - including farmers' market favourites like ales, cheese and baked goods alongside street food, more exotic deli produce and high-quality makers.
eat:Festivals bring the very best West Country food and drink producers and artisans together.
At the event you can buy local food and drink direct from the producers in a welcoming environment.
The eat:Nailsea is dog friendly and the whole family are welcome and it will be fully accessible for buggies, scooters and pushchairs.
Always free entry - no pre-booking or reserving tickets.
Festival organiser Bev MIlner Simonds said: "We have loved getting to know Nailsea during the past six years and this year, thanks to the support of the town council, we are moving to two festivals a year.
"This one in the spring on the and a bumper festive edition on Saturday, December 6.
"The festival will have more 100 producers stretching through the Crown Glass Shopping Centre, past Waitrose and up the High Street to the Ivy Kitchen cafe.
"We were disappointed that the festive festival last year had to be cancelled due to the weather warnings, but this has spurred us on to grow the festival even more - adding in more entertainment, creating reasons to make a whole day of it.
"We have been searching the county for new producers, makers and growers and look forward to welcoming you to the festival on April 26.”
eat:Nailsea food and drink street festival
FAVOURITE THINGS: Nailsea town centre foodie fest had a truly international flavour with stalls selling New York bagels, Jamaican patties and Turkish street food - and judging by the queues all doing brisk business. The smells/scents were incredible. Alcohol and non-alcohol beverages were on sale too along with luxury chocolate and ice-cream treats. The village green offered lots of fun for all with jugglers and circus skill challenges. Many people took their pets to the family-friendly event. Organisers Bev and Sarah Milner Simonds pictured on the festival jeep are looking forward to coming back in December when the focus will be on community. The festival is backed by Nailsea Town Council and Praxis Retail, which manages the Crown Glass Shopping Centre. Bev said: "We've loved getting to know Nailsea over the past six years, and this year, thanks to the support of the town council, we're excited to expand to two festivals annually. Although we were disappointed to cancel last year's winter event due to weather warnings, it has inspired us to grow the festival even more - adding entertainment and giving people even more reasons to make a full day of it." All photos in slideshow(s) with addition food collage by Tracy Bramhall and facepaint girls by Wendy Derrick, thanks
Nailsea United FC community fun day
Saturday, May 10
IN AN ENGLISH COUNTRY GARDEN: How does your garden grow? Julia Miners took these photos of clematis, rock and Kiftsgate roses, Anthriscus and AquilegIa all thriving in her West End garden despite the recent drought. How are the plants in your garden/allotment doing? Thanks Julia for sharing and all the other gardeners who added their flower fotos to our Nailsea People Facebook page. These are now part of the slideshow. The date for the summer flower show at Nailsea School is Saturday, August 2 and schedules are out already. Go to https://nailseahorticulturalsociety.co.uk/whats-on/summer-flower-show/ for more information. And on Saturdays and Sundays from May 17 until June 29, Shirley’s beautiful garden at 3 Mizzymead Rise is open to the public to raise money for Cancer Research UK
Farmers' market day in May
early morning Saturday, May 17
WATCH THE BIRDIES: Our lovely Nailsea doctor Jon Rees went on a visit to Skomer the internationally important seabird island a mile off the beautiful Pembrokeshire coast. He said of his fabulous puffin eating fish photo: "Possibly my favourite image from Skomer." If you fancy a print go to drjonreesphotography.com to order. Closer to home Julia Miners took this photo of a jay visiting her West End country garden and Phil Williams was out on the banks of the River Severn when he took his bird photo of a long-tailed tit. Thanks everyone for sharing
Friends of Nailsea Tithe Barn annual coach trip went to the Roman villa at Chedworth in the Cotswolds on Tuesday, June 10. The weather stayed dry and after enjoying a conducted tour of the National Trust property they made a stop in Northleach to see the church on route home. Three cheers to Barbara Calvert who organised the outing. Wonder where they will go next year? View the day out in our slideshow above...
Travel trip with Friends
Nailsea’s older residents danced their way into summer at the town’s first-ever Age Without Limits Day, on Thursday, June 12, at the historic Tithe Barn.
Designed as a joyful celebration of music, movement, and community, the event welcomed more than 100 people over two lively sessions—proving that age is no barrier to fun.
Open exclusively to those aged 50 and over, the day featured free line dancing in the morning and barn dancing in the afternoon, with a complimentary lunch served between sessions.
Participants were able to book either slot and enjoyed the full experience—including free transport, tasty food, and a warm community atmosphere.
Line dancing was led by Katy Mills who runs line dancing classes in Backwell. Katy is hoping to start a class in Nailsea soon.
A highlight of the afternoon was the barn dancing, expertly led by David Francis, trustee of the Tithe Barn Trust, who kindly volunteered his services as the event caller.
The day was the result of a collaboration between the Patient Participation Group (PPG) of Tyntesfield Medical Group and Hayley Orchard, community wellbeing officer at Nailsea Town Council.
It was funded by the national Age Without Limits campaign, which seeks to challenge ageism and promote positive attitudes toward ageing.
Hayley said: “This event was about more than just dancing. It was about building connections, having fun, and showing that life after 50 is full of energy and possibility.
“The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive—we’re already being asked when the next one will be!”
The venue was provided free of charge by Nailsea Town Council with additional support from local volunteers and council staff.
To learn more about the Age Without Limits campaign, visit: https://www.agewithoutlimits.org/
We can dance
Nailsea farmers' market
early morning setting up Saturday, June 21, 2025
High Street midday on Saturday, June 21, 2025
MARKET DAY We walked through from the Station Road car park which had plenty of spaces and learn even the market traders had to pay to park. Early doors at Nailsea MicroPub was doing great al fresco business and as the summer air cooled the High Street and into Crown Glass Place shopping centre is filled with people shopping and going to eat out - see business man Rick Hand sat on edge of village green! Nailsea & Backwell Rotary manned their bookstall, singer Dennis DeMille entertained outside Coates House and The Conscious Fish Shop served delicious treats for queuing customers. The road was closed to traffic all day and the damaged planter which has been removed not to be replaced (North Somerset Council plead costs) allowed pedestrians to stroll in a traffic-free thoroughfare. Nailsea town councillors Rod Lees (newly elected chairman) and Ben Kushner sat at a table outside No65 to answer electorates questions - it was the blocked footbath between The Perrings and Backwell Lake plus car parking for disabled drivers top of their query list. Nailsea Labour Party stall welcomed North Somerset MP Sadik Al-Hassan (our feature about Sadik is HERE) on a meet and greet mission. 1st Nailsea Scouts were promoting the carnival just a fortnight away and selling programmes. And the food, drink, flowers, fruit & veg stalls along with jewellery, woodwork and textile artisans all did brisk business. We saw Nailsea Availables, Nailsea & District Community Transport and Willow Chiropractic offering support to people. The next market is 9am-10am on Saturday, July 19. Wiktoria (pronounced Victoria) Wiczling the new Polish-born market manager now living in Bath expressed her disappoint the stallholders had to pay to park as she took photos of the empty car park space
