Friday 20th June 2025
In the weeks leading up to the Welwyn Festival Open Garden programme the volunteers had been working extra hard making final preparations so that the Fernery was at its best.
Then came the call from Welwyn Hatfield’s own Palace at The Campus in Welwyn Garden City that the King’s Representative in Hertfordshire, none other than the High Sheriff himself, with his wife, and local attendants in the shape of the Lady Mayoress of Welwyn Hatfield, and the Chief Executive, with an entourage of escapees from the Landscaping Department, wished to visit us in the afternoon of Friday 20th June – just 2 days before the Festival Open Day!
We were ready for them and, in the unfortunate absence of FODF Chair Sara, our President John welcomed all the visitors and introduced the key FODF people who were able to be present; Sarah, Jenny, Nina, Paul, Colin and Harry, who showed the visitors around the site and explained their speciality involvement. The High Sheriff was amazed to see from the Display Boards how much work has been undertaken from the day almost 10 years ago when recovery and restoration started, up to the present day when the Fernery attracts widespread interest and has become a village heritage asset.
Photo by the High Sheriff’s wife
Acknowledging that only a representative few were able to be present for his visit, the High Sheriff rightly bestowed praise upon on the heads of all the volunteers who work in the Fernery every Tuesday of the year, and the High Sheriff’s wife returned in a private capacity 2x days later when the Fernery was Open as part of the Welwyn Festival Open Garden programme.
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