A TEIGNBRIDGE flower club recently celebrated its 55th anniversary.

For more than 40 years, Newton Abbot Flower Club has met and conducted its business at the Courtenay Centre.

And the group’s most recent meeting was no different.

An extra special evening marked the group’s 55th anniversary, with honorary member Margaret, who attended the group’s first meeting in 1970, in attendance.

The group enjoyed a special cake made by secretary Helen, before hearing from demonstrator, Kinu Barsley, who had travelled from Swanage to share ‘Ikebana’ with the group.

Ikebana is a minimalist style from Japan that dates back hundreds of years.

Arrangements have space (Ma) between each flower; the tallest stem depicts heaven (Shin), the moon (Soe), and the earth (Tai).

‘This art is usually carried out in silence !’, said club president, Karen Jenks.

There are seven principles of Ikebana - silence, minimalism , shape and line, form, humanity, aesthetics, and structure.

And then it was time for members to have a go.

‘Absolutely fantastic results with a watchful eye from Kinu and her daughter’, said Karen.

‘We cannot thank Kinu enough for supporting our Emerald Anniversary’, Karen added.