As part of the Group Leisure & Travel 30th anniversary celebrations, GTOs could enter a prize draw for 30 tickets to the new Rutland Flower Show. The lucky winner reports back.
Howard Hemmings was the grateful winner of tickets for his group to visit the Rutland Flower Show in August. It was the first ever Rutland Flower Show and the group had a memorable day out.
Howard is involved with the running of two groups: Friends of Shakespeare Line (FoSL) and the Hall Green and District Amateur Gardeners Society (HGGS), and he took members from both, totalling 41 people on their day out.
He told us: “30 tickets to the Rutland Flower Show, what a super prize to win. The tickets were soon snapped up by members of two groups I’m involved in.”
Howard and his groups won their day out at the Rutland Flower Show from one of five competitions which were part of the 30th anniversary edition of Group Leisure & Travel Magazine in March.
Take a look back at the last 30 years of GLT and the impact it has had on readers and the GLT team by clicking here.
The gardening enthusiasts hired a coach from Johnsons Coaches of Henley in Arden, a company used by the gardening society for the last 25 years.
They enjoyed the variety of garden and plant shopping opportunities, floral competitions and arts and crafts on offer, and also took time to listen to celebrity guests speakers, including Adam Frost from BBC Gardener’s World, who was also a guest speaker at the recent Group Leisure & Travel Show.
They also enjoyed a fly past from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight along with live music on the bandstand, a fairground and various demonstrations.
Howard added: “Bearing in mind, it was the first ever Rutland Flower Show, it was an excellent well-organised event with abundant garden and plant shopping opportunities with bargains to be snapped up and there was a wonderful arts and craft tent.
“There was a huge variety of items which could be bought, from plants to a huge gorilla. All of the group enjoyed the visit and gave a huge vote of thanks to Group Leisure and Travel.”
Rutland Flower Show 2026
Following a successful first year which saw more than 23,000 attendees across two days, the Rutland Flower Show will return from 14th - 16th August 2026 at the Rutland Showground to showcase Rutland and the surrounding area’s horticulture.
Visitors can expect floral competitions and horticultural displays, garden and plant shopping, arts and crafts, refreshments and more.
For more information about the Rutland Flower Show visit www.rutlandflowershow.co.uk.
