Flower Show society loses £250,000
Saturday 24th January 2009, 2:10PM GMT.
A society which organises the world-famous Shrewsbury Flower Show suffered a loss of more than £250,000 last year, it emerged today.
Shropshire Horticultural Society said the loss was mainly due to the high level of donations it made to county good causes.
But it has warned that it will be “reviewing very carefully” its donation programme over the next 12 months to ensure more financial stability after the value of its investments fell by £749,000 during the year.
The figures were released in the society’s annual report and show the organisation incurred a net loss of £254,000 last year – while it donated £339,775 to county good causes.
In the report Ann Tudor, honorary treasurer, emphasised that the long-established organisation remained in a sound financial position, with assets of more than £5 million. And chairman Harry Wilson, whose term of office ends next month, has also spoken positively about the future of the flower show itself.
He said: “There is no doubt in my view that our two-day show offers exceptional value for money when considered against the entry cost and content of other local events.”
The society’s annual meeting will be held at the Shirehall in Shrewsbury on February 16.
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How sad the Shrewsbury Horticultural Society lost so much money, when doing ‘good works’.
It reminds me of my church, we are always giving to charities, now the roof has a serious leak, and we are short of money.
I know it not very christian of me, but people will have to start looking nearer home before giving so much to charity.
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I wasn’t aware that the Society made contributions to good causes, what a priceless commendation, particularly when those contributions have put them in the red. My grandad and great grandad were exhibitors at the Shrewsbury Flower Show and both won prizes in the 1930s/40s. The show is a tremendous assett to Shrewsbury and it’s committee and members have every reason to feel proud. Well done.
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Awful bad management that. Giving away more than you’ve got.
Are the council running it?
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typical, these people couldnt run a 100 m race, they should be ashamed, wasting all that public money like that, in the private sector we would not tolerate it
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oops
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it shows the folly of loony leftie do gooding and the need to get more profit orientated in the coming economic climate especially
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Tory Boy, you might want to check your facts before starting a rant. Public money ? Do you know where the SHS gets its funds ? Memberships, donations, sponsorship, The Flower Show, ….. Not much in the way of “public money”.
The private sector I work in wouldn’t tolerate people ranting without a factual base – your tenure would be pretty short lived.
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With assetts of more than £5M they can afford this loss but like they say it will be reviewed next year! The Flower Show is one of the shining lights in the Shropshire calendar.
If Tory Boy read the article he would have realised the Shrewsbury Horticultural Society is a volunteer Organisation not a Public one! many people like Harry Wilson give up their free time to help run.
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Er …
How CAN you “lose” money by making donations?
Surely … you can only “donate” money you have actually got?
And if you haven’t got it …
Where did it come from?
Or put another way … having found that you’ve got no money on you, and you wish to make a donation to someone on the street collecting for charity …
would you pop into the bank and borrow money (.i.e “lose” money by going into the red) to make a donation??
or,
would you accept that you didn’t have the money, and walk on by, no matter HOW much you would have liked to contribute??
Smacks of VERY bad management to me,
and…. on this occasion. tory boy is quite right, it wouldn’t be tolerated in the private sector !
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assuming that tory boy is a complete right wing looney chav, he may be excused from this story as he knows little and has that awkward complaint verbal diorrhea.
doubtless the towns excellent show will lend less this year to balance the books. here’s hoping they have perfect weather and record crowds in august
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askeric dotcom. Keep up at the back there. They made a lose on the year they didn’t say they hadn’t got any money they have just got 250k less than they had at the start of the year. And by the way the SHS is the private sector.
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Loss mainly due to donations but I think it’s appeal may be on the slide so attendances may start to fall too. This is because the Flower Show mostly appeals to the old people who want to sit around all day looking at a few flowers and watching a bunch of blokes standing up on motorbikes going round and round for what seems like an eternity in the ‘arena’ every afternoon.
One word – BORING!!
This ‘show’ hasn’t changed for decades, it was boring when I was young and it’s boring now. Why does this town think that no-one under 60 lives here? Well, all you blue rinse torys sitting up Porthill won’t be around forever. I can see the future now, abolish the boring flower show or at the very least re-vamp it so that we can include something for (yes, you guessed it) YOUNG PEOPLE. In addition, put more decent live music events on in the Quarry.
Hopefully, when this current generation of boring, short-sighted old people have departed, they will be replaced by a more up-to-date, vibrant, enthusiastic crowd. Oh hang on a minute, I forgot. If anyone’s found listening to live music in the town, SABC promptly closes the venue down (The Albert anyone?).
A BORING SHOW FOR BORING OLD PEOPLE IN A BORING OUT-OF-TOUCH TOWN. BORING!
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I haven’t got a “blue rinse” Frank,(see, I did pick it up) indeed, I don’t have any hair to rinse. Nobody forces you to go to the Flower Show, just like nobody forces us to go to those insane “music” (is that what they call it) events.
If you sat on my patio on show days when the fireworks go off, even you would agree it was anything but “boring”, but then, having read your contribution and compared it with that of an intellectual and culturally aware genius, The Albert seems right up your street and the limit of your musical taste and ability.
I bet if you were to do a bit of part time study and occasionally put a dahlia or a giant begonia in your button hole, your boring views on you seemingly, wasted life would alter dramatically. Who knows you may win the “any other variety” award for your prize dandelion at the next show but one.
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Frank – May i please ask the last time you visted the flower show? Yes – suprise suprise there are lots of flowers! Think the clue is in the name! However there are lots more attractions to it! A fairground for Children, Showjumping events and craft stalls. Not to mention the fireworks which i know attracts many of my friends to the show itself and to the surrounding areas – Oh and we’re all in our 20′s not quite the blue rinse brigade you describe!!
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its sad that the tory boy politicises and criticises such charitable good deeds, shame on you
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mmm, as a small buisiness owner myself i have learnt one invaluable lesson. Your out goings have to be less than your incomings – common sense.
This flower show has been around for years but that does not give it the right to say that it MUST carry on forever ( look at Woolworths ). However much you want things to remain the same, people, their interests and passions change with the times, so move with the flow. I bet if as much effort, advertising and floor space was put into a computer exhibition then i guess it would make more money.
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What a very well thought out and intelligent argument from from frank Zappa. What exactly does he expect to see at a ‘FLOWER’ show? The clue is in the name silly lad! The flower show isn’t for you, that’s fine but it does appeal to thousands of people accross the country. Will mr Zappa be expecting the V festival or Glastonbury to be including a tea dance tent, war time song stage or perhaps a biggest cucumber competition. As for the albert, that’s no loss anyway- awful little cramped venue for bands that just play for family and friends!
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For those of you that are bored, no one is forcing you to stay. Feel free to pack up and push off.
For those of you waving the “bad management, wouldn’t happen in the private sector” banner, have you read a newspaper recently ? How are the banks looking ? Motor industry ? Can you say Government bailout ?
Maybe SHS should apply for a slice of the handout pie.
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