The Garden Festivals Company
Unit 12 Bartons Close
Southport
PR9 8NF
Phone : 01704 212 734 (2 Lines)
Press Releases:
| Diary Dates |
29/01/08 Ref: NWGF/PR.049.2 - Diary Dates
2008 Diary Dates . . . 2008 Diary Dates . . . 2008 Diary Dates
*New venue* 10th North Wales Garden & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 24 - 26, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket. *New venue*
*New venue* 7th North Wales Town & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, August 23 - 25, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket. *New venue*
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For further information please contact:
Kelvin Pye The Garden Festivals Company 12 Bartons Close Southport PR9 8NF
Tel: 01704 212734 Email: kelvin@garden-festivals.co.uk Website: www.garden-festivals.co.uk
OR Laurie Pott Anglian Public Relations The Red House The Street Fornham St Martin Suffolk IP31 1SW
Tel: 01284 768784 Email: lauriepott@waitrose.com
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| Dogs |
April 23, 2008 Ref: NWGF/PR.053 - Dogs
Paws for thought . . . and bring your dog to the North Wales Garden & Country Fair
The North Wales Garden & Country Fair – celebrating its tenth anniversary this year with a move to a new home at Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conw, on May Bank Holiday (Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 24 – 26) has to be one of the most ‘dog friendly’ events in Wales . . . so don’t leave them at home, bring them along !.
There's plenty of fun for all the family – including the family dog - with a bigger than ever Fun Dog Show on the Monday.
The show is being organised by Jenny Tavener of the Wirral Flyball Demonstration Team. And this year there will be a total of nine classes:
• Best Puppy • Best Pair of Dogs • Best Six Legs . . . dog and owner ! • Best Waggiest Tale • Best Bitch (between 1 & 10) • Best Dog (between 1 & 10) • Best Veteran Bitch (over 10) • Best Veteran Dog (over 10 • Best Champion of Show
Entry is just 50p per class with rosettes and prize money paid from the entries.
"We’ve been to many of the North Wales Fairs in the past . . . but never to Kinmel. So we are really looking forward to it," said Jenny, "We have always got a wonderful reception from the audience when we have done our dog agility and Flyball demonstrations. We know it is a very 'dog friendly' event and we thought it would be nice to do something fun that both the audience and their pets can participate in."
The Flyball Canine Competitions where teams of dogs race against other – shuttle-fashion – to retrieve balls from a ‘trap’ have proved an increasingly popular and integral part of the South Wirral Shows over the years. They will be held on both Saturday and Sunday, together with the equal popular dog agility demonstrations.
While shows supremo Kelvin Pye added: "I'm a dog-owner myself and so I really appreciate how much it can mean to have a genuinely dog-friendly event. Obviously we'd like to encourage people to bring their pets along and have some fun."
That programme includes pig racing, ferret racing, the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary (Sat and Sun), carriage driving (Sun), live music, Morris Dancing (Sun), tug-of-war (Mon), sheepdog displays (Mon), traditional Punch & Judy on all three days and Chirpy the Clown on Saturday, helicopter rides and lots, lots more,
10th North Wales Garden & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 24 - 26, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket.
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Memo to News / Picture Editors: a selection of high-quality JPG pictures is available upon request. If required please call or email Anglian Public Relations on the numbers below.
For further information please contact:
Kelvin Pye The Garden Festivals Company 12 Bartons Close Southport PR9 8NF
Tel: 01704 212734 Email: kelvin@garden-festivals.co.uk Website: www.garden-festivals.co.uk
OR Laurie Pott Anglian Public Relations The Red House The Street Fornham St Martin Suffolk IP31 1SW
Tel: 01284 768784 Email: lauriepott@waitrose.com |
| Ponies |
Wednesday, April 30, 2008 Ref: NWGF/PR.054 - Ponies
Pony gymnastics – mane attraction - at the North Wales Garden & Country Fair
Pony gymnastics will be one of the ‘mane’ attractions at the North Wales Garden & Country Fair – celebrating its tenth anniversary this year with a move to a new home at Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy. over the May Bank Holiday (Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 24 – 26).
The display will be courtesy of the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary from the Wirral an animal rescue charity whose premises make them the show’s next-door-neighbours.
Pony gymnastics features vaulting performances are more likely to come from the youthful and enthusiastic riders than the elderly and more sedate ponies and horses themselves !
The sanctuary was founded almost 25 years ago and currently has around 20 animals on the premises . . . with many more ‘fostered’ in homes out in the local community. It survives on the hard work and dedication of its volunteer helpers, as Janis Coulson, one of the four-strong, fund raising team explains: “We are a relatively small, local charity and we rely totally on donations. I guess we have around ten adults involved on a regular basis and the same number of children.
“Because we are very much a local charity we normally tend to stay close to home. But events like the North Wales show gives us a chance to get out and meet a much wider audience, show them what we do and even do a little fund-raising. Our gymnastics team are all very young and relatively inexperienced . . . but are champing at the bit to show what they can do and for the first time will be demonstrating their gymnastic techniques with the horses cantering as well as trotting.
While show supremo Kelvin Pye added: "The Parkgate Pony Sanctuary does wonderful work and have been regulars at our Wirral show for some time. I am delighted to have them with us this year at Kinmel as part of our own bigger and better than ever programme of events."
That programme includes pig racing, ferret racing, fly-ball canine competitions (Sat and Sun) and an Open Dog Show (Mon), carriage driving (Sun), live music, Morris Dancing (Sun), tug-of-war (Mon), sheepdog displays (Mon), traditional Punch & Judy on all three days and Chirpy the Clown on Saturday, helicopter rides and lots, lots more,
10th North Wales Garden & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 24 - 26, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket.
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Memo to News / Picture Editors: a selection of high-quality JPG pictures – including the pony gymnastics - is available upon request. If required please call or email Anglian Public Relations on the numbers below.
For further information please contact:
Kelvin Pye The Garden Festivals Company 12 Bartons Close Southport PR9 8NF
Tel: 01704 212734 Email: kelvin@garden-festivals.co.uk Website: www.garden-festivals.co.uk
OR Laurie Pott Anglian Public Relations The Red House The Street Fornham St Martin Suffolk IP31 1SW
Tel: 01284 768784 Email: lauriepott@waitrose.com
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| Carriage Driving |
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Ref: NWGF/PR.055 - Carriage
Carriage Driving - license to thrill - at the North Wales Garden & Country Fair
Visitors to the North Wales Garden & Country Fair, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year with a move to a new home at Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy. over the May Bank Holiday (Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 24 – 26).will be able to enjoy the fun and excitement of Carriage Driving.
The sport is currently enjoying an upsurge in popularity and the two demonstrations - on Sunday only - are by members of the British Driving Society North East Wales.
The BDSNEW provides assistance and encouragement to anyone interest in the sport within the counties of Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham
"The first demonstration will be showing how to harness a pony and put it to a carriage, long-reining through cones, the different sorts of vehicles and their various uses,” explained Area Commissioner Janet Williams, “The second will be skillful, practical and fun; where ponies have to go through a set of cones and pass various obstacles to show their versatility and training.
“In between the public will have the opportunity to visit our stand, talk to drivers and meet the ponies. They will also be able to try out their own rein handling on the ‘horseless reining machine’.
“People of all ages can enjoy carriage driving and many come into it after their children have out-grown their own ponies, while those who don’t drive can still be involved through the maintenance of the carriages.
"Carriage Driving is pleasurable activity where everyone involved can have fun – even if you don’t actually own a horse or pony. Many people come along to groom for someone in return for a ride in a carriage.."
Show supremo Kelvin Pye added: "The North Wales has a long history of equine events. So I am delighted to be able to bring Carriage Driving to Kinmel for the first time and I am sure it will prove very popular with our visitors."
This year’s programme includes pig racing, ferret racing, fly-ball canine competitions (Sat and Sun) and an Open Dog Show (Mon), the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary (Sat and Sun), live music, Morris Dancing (Sun), tug-of-war (Mon), sheepdog displays (Mon), traditional Punch & Judy on all three days and Chirpy the Clown on Saturday, helicopter rides and lots, lots more,
10th North Wales Garden & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 24 - 26, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket.
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Memo to News / Picture Editors: a selection of high-res JPG pictures of the carriage driving is available upon request. Please call or email Anglian Public Relations on the numbers below.
For further information please contact:
Kelvin Pye The Garden Festivals Company 12 Bartons Close Southport PR9 8NF
Tel: 01704 212734 Email: kelvin@garden-festivals.co.uk Website: www.garden-festivals.co.uk
OR Laurie Pott Anglian Public Relations The Red House The Street Fornham St Martin Suffolk IP31 1SW Tel: 01284 768784 Email: lauriepott@waitrose.com |
| Falconry |
Wednesday, May 7, 2008 Ref: NWGCF/PR.052 – Falconry
Close encounters of the bird kind at the North Wales Garden & Country Fair
The North Wales Garden & Country Fair – celebrating its tenth anniversary this year with a move to a new home at Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy - is a golden opportunity to see the magnificent hawks, owls and falcons of the Pen Y Bryn Falconry Display.
Falconer John Islwyn Jones is based on a working farm at Corwen in Denbighshire, North Wales, and visitors can catch his aerial demonstration and static display on all three days of the May Bank Holiday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 24 - 26.
Highlight of the show – weather permitting – comes when John forms a human runway and brings a hawk in to land so close you can feel the wind from its wingtips on your face. Truly a close encounter of the bird kind.
“Our static exhibition consists of around ten different birds of prey, which gives people a chance to see and even handle them at close quarters,” said John, “In the arena we try and be both informative and entertaining. Spectators have a chance to see high-flying falcons being stooped to a lure and we encourage members of the public to join us in the arena to see the birds flying at ultra close quarters.
"These are real working birds and everything we do is based around the training they receive on the farm and the pest-control work they do for us. I’m really looking forward to coming to Kinmel Hall since I know it is both a very historic and attractive venue."
While show supremo Kelvin Pye added: " I am delighted to have the Pen Y Bryn Falconry Display back with us. John puts on a great show and his demonstrations will add to our bigger and better than ever programme of events this year."
That programme includes pig racing, ferret racing, fly-ball canine competitions (Sat and Sun) and an Open Dog Show (Mon), the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary (Sat and Sun), carriage driving (Sun), live music, Morris Dancing (Sun), tug-of-war (Mon), sheepdog displays (Mon), traditional Punch & Judy on all three days and Chirpy the Clown on Saturday, helicopter rides and lots, lots more,
10th North Wales Garden & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 24 - 26, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket.
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Memo to News / Picture Editors: a selection of high-quality JPG pictures, including John Islwyn Jones’ ‘runway’, is available upon request. If required please call or email Anglian Public Relations on the numbers below.
For further information please contact:
Kelvin Pye The Garden Festivals Company 12 Bartons Close Southport PR9 8NF
Tel: 01704 212734 Email: kelvin@garden-festivals.co.uk Website: www.garden-festivals.co.uk
OR Laurie Pott Anglian Public Relations The Red House The Street Fornham St Martin Suffolk IP31 1SW Tel: 01284 768784 Email: lauriepott@waitrose.com
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| Pig Racing |
Wednesday, May 14, 2008 Ref: NWGF/PR.056 – Pig Racing
Pig racing . . . what a crackling good idea !
The North Wales Garden & Country Fair, celebrating its tenth anniversary this year with a move to a new home at Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy. over the May Bank Holiday (Saturday, Sunday and Monday, May 24 – 26).) is set to be a crackling good show . . . by staging the first-ever Ham National pig-racing 'meating'.
Making its at the Country Fair, pig-racing is the brainchild of Joseph Fossett - a member of Britain's oldest circus family. He lives in Warwickshire with wife Rebecca, daughter Daisy, aged nine, and son Leo, seven, who are all part of the team.
"We have just starting our third season of pig-racing," explained Rebecca, "The first outing was at the actual Sedgefield Racecourse, which attracted a tremendous amount of publicity and ‘punters’.
"It is National Hunt, rather than 'flat', racing since the pigs go over fences. Pigs are very intelligent creatures and very greedy ! They know there is a meal waiting for them at the finishing line and really that is all it takes: they are a pleasure to work with. All the animals we use are really more part of the family than livestock, So their welfare and well-being are paramount to us.”
Three different breeds of young pigs are used: Gloucester Old Spots, Saddlebacks and Tamworths; although the last two are actually crossed with Iron Age Pigs - a mixture of domestic animals and wild boar, that makes them a little faster and lighter on their trotters.
The Fossetts have started with a new 'stable' - rather than sty - of piglets for the season. They come complete with ‘foxy’ little National Hunt jump jockeys on their back and names such as Red Ham, Desert Porkid, Spare Rib, Francis Bacon, Le Jambon and Crackling Rosy - "she's female, pink and rather fizzy !".
Show organiser Kelvin Pye added: "We have featured the Fossetts and their pig racing at other events and it has always proved great fun and extremely popular so we delighted to be bringing them to the Kinmel this year."
This year’s programme includes ferret racing, falconry, fly-ball canine competitions (Sat and Sun) and an Open Dog Show (Mon), the Parkgate Pony Sanctuary (Sat and Sun), live music, Morris Dancing (Sun), tug-of-war (Mon), sheepdog displays (Mon), traditional Punch & Judy on all three days and Chirpy the Clown on Saturday, helicopter rides and lots, lots more,
10th North Wales Garden & Country Fair - 10.00 - 17.30, Bank Holiday Saturday, Sunday & Monday, May 24 - 26, 2008, Kinmel Hall. St Georges, Conwy LL22 9BT. Tickets: £7.00 for adults, £5.50 for senior citizens - or just £5.00 for both if booked in advance via the Ticket Hotline on 01492 523410 - children (over three years) £1.50 or just £16 for a full Family Ticket.
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Memo to News / Picture Editors: a selection of high-quality JPG pictures, including the pig racing, are available upon request. If required please call or email Anglian Public Relations on the numbers below.
For further information please contact:
Kelvin Pye The Garden Festivals Company 12 Bartons Close Southport PR9 8NF Tel: 01704 212734 Email: kelvin@garden-festivals.co.uk Website: www.garden-festivals.co.uk
OR Laurie Pott Anglian Public Relations The Red House The Street Fornham St Martin Suffolk IP31 1SW Tel: 01284 768784 Email: lauriepott@waitrose.com |
To gain the latest information, please contact our PR Department
Mr Laurie Pott, Anglian Public Relations
by phoning 01284 768 784
or by emailing lauriepott@waitrose.com