A long-serving Ham&High photographer has been recognised for his service to a horticultural society at the group’s centenary annual general meeting (AGM).

Ham & High: Marjorie Harris, Dr Chris Page and Yvonne Oliver cut the centenary cake. Picture: Nigel Sutton.Marjorie Harris, Dr Chris Page and Yvonne Oliver cut the centenary cake. Picture: Nigel Sutton. (Image: © Nigel Sutton email pictures@nigelsuttonphotography.com)

Hampstead Garden Suburb Horticultural Society held its meeting and prize-giving at the Free Church Hall in Northway, the Suburb, on Tuesday last week.

To mark the special AGM, the society started by presenting two dedicated servants over the years with special medals.

Ham&High photographer Nigel Sutton received a medal for his 40 years of service covering the society’s various annual events, as did Hilda Williams for putting out the tables and chairs for the society’s meetings at Fellowship House, in Willifield Way, the Suburb, for many years.

Mr Sutton said: “It’s a great honour and I shall have to take up gardening.

“A very famous past editor once said to me, ‘If you can’t get a story out of a flower show, you can’t get a story out of anything’. Just getting to know the people helps, I think.”

After the medals ceremony, society press officer Marjorie Harris, chairman Dr Chris Page and vice-chairman Yvonne Oliver cut a special anniversary cake.

The society was originally founded in 1909, but no meetings were held for five years during the Second World War, which meant Tuesday’s AGM was the society’s 100th.

Mrs Harris said: “Hilda has been putting up the tables and chairs for 30 years and has always been willing to help. She is now retiring at the age of 94.

“Nigel is appreciated by the society because local publicity is the bread and butter of any local society because that’s the way we attract people to our events and get new members.

“We have been going for 105 years – we are the oldest society in the Suburb – and the Ham&High is very important to our existence. Nigel is part of that – we don’t even have to ask him anymore, he just comes.

“He’s been part of our history and it was time he was honoured.”

The society also presented cups, prizes and medals to flower show winners and the winner of the Suburb in Bloom competition.