After a break of 30 years, the Milford & Makeney Flower & Produce Show was reinstated in 2024 and judged a success (see here for report) and so returned in 2025 bigger and better – with (following many requests) additional baking, preserves and egg classes. Overall the number of classes was increased from 30 to 41 – see here for report. For this year the number of classes remained the same, but craft ones were introduced also. A report of the day follows.
The event took place on Saturday 12th September 2026 and, as in the previous two years, was held in Milford Social (Sunshine) club, and many thanks for the use of their lovely space.
Backed by Blooming Milford, a committee was set up and over a year a great deal of background planning and organisation was undertaken to ensure the day went as smoothly as possible. Much effort went into publicity, with posters, flyers, this webpage, and the 10ft x 3ft banner created last year. Many thanks to Sue Wood for marshalling this effort and setting up a robust booking system which worked really well on the day.
On the Thursday before the event the committee cleaned and set up the upstairs meeting room (which would house the baked goods, preserves, flowers, handicrafts and children’s categories). On the day they arrived at 9.00am to set up the main downstairs bar for the fruit and vegetable categories, and the prize cups on the stage. Many thanks to all the committee and all the other volunteers, especially those who’ve not helped out before who all ensured it went smoothly on the day.
Trophies
From 9.30 – 11.00am the entrants arrived and were registered and then went to display their wares. Unfortunately, following the 3 months of drought and endless heatwaves of the summer, entries into the vegetable and fruit categories were well down on the last 2 years, although squashes and grapes did very well – an 15kg pumpkin from Paul Reed won the biggest vegetable prize!
Fruit and vegetables
The other categories held up well in terms of entries (flowers, baked goods, preserves, eggs) and there were some lovely crafts on display in this new to 2026 category.
Flowers
Dahlia
Oxalis
Crafts
Produce
Preserves
One area which definitely bucked the trend was the children’s collage category. Following an after school workshop organised by Blooming Milford at Milford School a week before the show. The entries went up from 3 last year to 21 this.
Materials gathered in the school ready for the collage workshop
Overall, in 2024 there were 27 entrants and 100 entries; in 2025 37 entrants and 165 entries and in 2026 45 entrants (including 21 children <12) and 114 entries.
Collages
The judges then arrived at 11.00am. We had 5 judges, two for the fruit, vegetables & flowers (Jeff Bates, former East Midlands in Bloom chair and Ian Sandars, holder of 3 immaculate allotments on Bridge View) 2 for the baked goods and preserves (Hazel Williamson and Wendy Jones of Duffield Evening WI) and 1 for the children’s classes and the handicrafts (Janie Marshall). They deliberated for 90 minutes and the committee wrote out all the certificates for each class (first, second, third and highly commended). Rosettes were also given for each winner of first. As ever, the committee would like to give a heartfelt thanks to the judges.
Judging of fruit and vegetables
Judging of baked goods
Judging of crafts
At 1pm the general public were let in to admire displays. look at their results, partake in beverages from the bar or have a selection of of the homemade cakes and pies made from fruits from peoples gardens and allotments at the refreshment table (proceeds to the Greenspace). In addition this year there was a raffle for Blooming Milford’s funds, with the top prize being this Blooming Milford hamper of bulbs, seeds and gardening equipment, worth £50. There was also a £35 voucher kindly donated by Megan from Polished Nails and Educate in the Pattern House in Milford and a £25 gardening voucher and wine kindly donated by the Potty Plotter ladies.
Blooming Milford gardening hamper
Meanwhile the volunteers were totting up the numbers to decide who was the winner of each category. At 1.30pm the winners were presented with the prizes below by David Moreton, Chair of Blooming Milford, and Elaine and Julia of the “Potty Plotters” programme on BBC Radio Derby.
Prizes
- The New Inn Cup for Overall Best in Show – Paul Whitaker
- The Richard Beardsley Rose Bowl for Best Floral Display in show – Suzie Hill
- The Glow Worm Cup for the Best Vegetable in show – Paul Reed
- The Norman Taylor Memorial Cup for the best Fruit in show – Kim McKay
- The Riverside Garden Centre Makeney Cup for best Junior 8-11 – Hafwen Murray-Roberts
- The TLC Repton Cup for best Infant 5-7 – Frances Midgeley
- The Velo Bavarian Support Local Cup – The Egg Cup – Kim McKay
- Crystal Bowl for best baked goods – Rosemary Timms
- Crystal Bowl for best preserves – Rosemary Timms
- The Milford & Makeney Residents Association Cup for Crafts – Jean Brickman
- The Nicky Squires Trophy for Diversity – Paul Whitaker
Volunteers totting up points for the awards
Kim McKay receiving fruit cup
Paul Reed’s prize for vegetables
Suzie Hill with the Floral Award
Rosemary Timms being awarded with the baked goods and preserves prizes
Frances Midgley with the infants prize
Jean Brickman being presented with the Craft Cup
Paul Whitaker receives the best in show award
A little more information about one of the additional awards this year, the Nicky Squires Trophy for Diversity, for the person who has the highest number of points of those that have entered in the broadest number of categories.
The trophy is in honour of Nicky Squires, who tragically died suddenly last year. Nicky was a highly active member of Blooming Milford and local craft groups and could turn her hand to all the categories in the show today – she was an excellent gardener, cook and crafter. If the trophy had existed while she was still alive, she would have won it!
The Nicky Squires Award for Diversity
The trophy was made by Nicky’s husband Alan Squires, with the help of his son Oliver and Jane and Martin Harrison, and was presented this year by Alan.
Paul Whitaker being awarded the Nicky Squires Award for Diversity from Alan Squires
Overall, despite the scorching summer suppressing the number of entries, the show was judged a success. There were many visitors to the show who were not entrants and everyone commented on the lovely community atmosphere. Watch this space for details about next years event.
