Download the Apple Affair 2011 show handout here to see what happened.

The glorious, sunny, record breaking hot weather at the weekend brought apple fans out in their droves! The cooling effects of Apple Bobbing proving popular for children and adults alike!

Visitor numbers were at their highest ever, giving the event real atmosphere and buzz. Just over 6,200 visitors came, and enjoy the weekend, which featured the display of over 100 varieties of apples and pears growing in the Victorian walled kitchen garden plus other appley related antics! The apple-doctors were also on stand-by to discuss any apple growing or identification needs.

The annual house opening was extremely popular with everyone having the opportunity to take a peek inside the glorious flint-faced mansion and be guided around the State Rooms which were dressed with a slightly surreal theme with some unusual twists and a few surprises! An exhibition showing the work of two artists: Marco Sanges (photographer) and Timur D’Vatz (painter) was curated to support this.

The ‘Big Draw 2011’ which took place in the classroom in the Walled Gardens was all the rage. There were 4 age groups under 7s, 8-13, 14 -17, and over 18s. The winners are:

Under 7s

Group 8 - 13

Group 14 - 17

Over 18s

Rosemary Moon (left), writer, chef and creator of an online cookery website, MoonBites, demonstrated her favourite apple recipes.

West Dean Primary School were once again running a wonderful array of fun activities: face painting, splat the rat and the ever impossible apple bobbing. West Dean Primary school Head Teacher Gillian Moss said, “All the community at West Dean CE Primary have been involved in this, our biggest fundraiser of the year, and we are thrilled with the result of our energies and efforts. Everyone has been involved in some way, shape or form: some baked and cooked, some chopped and cleaned, some put up tents and transported equipment, some shopped, some served, some ran stalls, some counted money, some organised others and some did a bit of everything! We have sold more jam and chutney, more hot, cold, savoury and sweet food, more tea, coffee and chilled mulled apple juice than most schools twice our size could produce for any fundraising event.

“The grand total will be around £7,400 once our costs are taken into consideration and this is a huge amount for a small village school, but represents a whole weekend of hard work and months of preparation behind the scenes. Whole families past and present, including grandparents, aunts and uncles, and big siblings have been involved, and we have worked together as a wonderfully supportive and tireless team.

“I am very proud and privileged to be the Head teacher of this wonderful school and both amazed by, and grateful for, the support of the whole community. We are all particularly grateful for the PTA committee who have led us to even better things this year, following a damp year in 2010: our stalls looked professional and attractive and many visitors commented on the team spirit and the lovely manners of the children involved too.

“Our thanks go to everyone at the College and Gardens for hosting this super event and to all the visitors who turned out to support us on this beautiful October weekend in the sun. Our energies will now go to raising the final monies towards our outdoor classroom and other PTA projects to enrich the learning opportunities for the children of West Dean and the surrounding area.”

Next year’s Apple Affair is taking place on the 29 – 30 September, see you there.

Gift Aid

West Dean Gardens is part of The Edward James Foundation, a registered educational charity. Consequently, if you are a UK taxpayer, and you are willing to pay 10% on top of the normal admission charge, the Foundation is able to treat the whole payment as a charitable donation and reclaim 25p in every £1 from the Government. This will further benefit the work of the Gardens and the Foundation. Click on the following link for more info on West Dean's Gift Aid.

As a thank you for your donation we will provide you with vouchers to spend in the Visitor Centre Shop or Restaurant which, if you were planning to use either of these, will actually reduce the cost of your visit. Click on the following link to download a Gift Aid Declaration Form to complete before your visit.

Registered Charity No: 1126084