IT was a busy weekend at Bream Sports Club as it hosted, first, the village’s annual flower and vegetable show and then a charity book fair.

Local growers and crafters made it a bumper turn-out for the 158th show organised by the Bream Gardening Society on Saturday (August 19th).

The following day the marquee was filled with book-lovers for an event in aid of Packed With Love, a charity which provides practical help for children affected by domestic violence.

There was a high nimber of entries across the show and the quality was high.

The prestigious Royal Horticultural Society Banksian Medal for the highest number of points in the growing classes went to John Baker.

Trudi Breadman won four cups for her flowers and vegetables.

Flower arranger Ann Middleton also won four cups – including the BGS Summer Cup for the best exhibit across all sections.

Show president Mrs Diana Standing said she was delighted with the turn-out and the many new names on the cups.

She said: “This year has been a much better growing year but its not been without it challenges with a wet, cold Spring and then a drought.

“Then we had rain and wind but people have produced and we’ve kept going.

“We have a lot of new people entering and a lot of new winners instead of having the same people win which is always encouraging.”

Mrs Standing also thanked the sports club and Bream Rugby Club for their assistance.

She said: “The Sports Club is so supportive and the rugby club came and helped put up the tent so we have a good community spirit going here.”

There were plenty of books on gardening, cooking and crafts at the fair the following day.

In addition to picking up a bargain, booklovers could also chat with local authors.

Bream Community Library and the Dean Writers’ Circle also had stalls at the event.

The Writers’ Circle were also promoting the short story competition being organised by the Dean Scribblers and Forest Rotary.

The competition, which takes a turning point as its theme, is open to childrena and young people aged between seven and 18 and closes on September 10.

Among the authors at the event were Barry Faulkner and Hannah Kear who donned a pair of fairy wings when she read from her book The Witches and You to a group of children