About Us
Carol Yeo - Area Chairman - Nov 2022
When you join a flower club a whole world of opportunities opens up for you. You will be joining a worldwide fellowship speaking the language of flowers. Our objectives are to represent the interests of NAFAS within Devon & Cornwall and to advance public education in the art of flower arranging and related subjects.
Unfortunately our world has needed to be rearranged in 2020. Covid19 has imposed severe restrictions on our activities, including usual meetings, demonstrations and social events. Our strength will be the ability to survive these conditions and re-emerge as a vibrant and healthy organisation with new plans to grow stronger than ever. This will be achieved through the strength of our members!
The Area Chairman's Badge
Barbara Hagenback was a most charming and caring lady. In her early days she had a career in the theatre, starting as a scene painter. She then auditioned for the chorus line but was cast as the 'Fairy Queen' in pantomime and married the boss, Walter Neville.
Two years after his death, she met and married Dr Charles Hagenback and settled in Bath. There she met Constance Spry at a cocktail party and they struck up a friendship. Barbara subsequently attended Constance's school in St John's Wood, London and from then on there was no stopping her.
On her husbands retirement they moved to Cornwall. It was during her year as Chairman of the Area that she realised that there was not a 'badge of office'. On her eventual appointment as President of the Area she decided to rectify this. She owned a most beautiful brooch, which was family heirloom that was thought to originally have been a 'mourning brooch'. This she had adapted and inscribed with the NAFAS emblem and presented to the Area.
To this day our Area Chairman wears this badge of office with pride. It will always remind us of a kind, dedicated, colourful and most gracious lady who also had a tremendous sense of humour
(Taken from the Spring 2005 edition of the Focus magazine)
Devon & Cornwall Area of NAFAS is made up of 36 Flower Clubs and 3 Designer Clubs. Each club meets regularly for flower arranging demonstrations, talks and workshops, together with social events, exhibitions, competitions in flower arranging and the opportunity to visit stately homes, gardens, flower shows and horticultural events. Above all you can be assured of a very warm welcome.
Originally Devon & Cornwall were part of the South West Area of NAFAS but in1964 they became an Area in their own right so becoming the 17th Area of NAFAS.
Founder Chairman was Mrs Helen Caterer (Exeter) and the first President was Mrs Iris Webb (Dartmouth). At that time approximately 22 clubs were affiliated to the Area, over the years, however, the numbers of clubs has fluctuated, and there are now 46 Flower Clubs and 3 Designer Clubs including Creative Leisure Group, Club on the Exe and Links.
To celebrate the NAFAS Silver Jubilee in 1984 Devon & Cornwall Area instigated its own Area Award of Honour to be presented to members for their outstanding contribution to the Area. The Area has hosted some very successful National Assemblies and has recently revived residential courses which are always well attended. Many of our members have served on National Committees and held various National Offices, the late Cynthia Willcocks was a past National Chairman, Mrs Sheila Hadlow-Mount has also served as National Chairman.
Benefits of Belonging to NAFAS (PDF)
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