British Cactus and Succulent Society Cambridge & District Branch 2010 Programme Join email list for latest information Some pictures from recent shows Note: New venue and meeting day since 2008

The British Cactus & Succulent Society (BCSS) has around 100 branches throughout the country. The Cambridge & District Branch meets on the second Wednesday of each month (except February) in the Memorial Hall, Woollards Lane, Great Shelford, Cambridge, CB22 5LZ.

Here is a map which should open in a new window. Use the controls on the map if you want more of an overview of how to get there.

The Cambridge Branch was formed in 1947, and usually attracts up to 40 people to its monthly meetings.

The meetings start at 7pm, but the first half-hour is just an opportunity to talk to others, stage show plants, and search the sales table for bargains, so you needn't arrive until 7.30pm. As a guide, the meetings sometimes go on until 10pm, but might finish earlier.

Everyone is welcome at the meetings (including non-members). Most meetings have a visiting speaker, often illustrated with slides, or sometimes with plants. Also there are:

• a monthly competitive show with about 14 classes. Awards are presented at the Annual General Meeting.
• a plant sales table, to which anyone may bring their spare plants for sale. The Branch takes a commission on sales - check how this works if you are thinking of bringing some plants.
• sales of pots and other sundries.
• coffee, tea, and biscuits, served during the interval in the talk.
• a library, from which members may borrow books.
• coach outings to nurseries.
• two shows each year. Pictures from recent shows

Do come to one of our meetings. Just come along, or if you want further information then email me, Clarke Brunt, or call our Secretary, David Bennett (01440 785643), or our Chairman, Doreen Oakman (01763 260819). If you want, you can join or request a membership leaflet online. Note that, like other branches, the Cambridge Branch has to be self-financing, and does not receive any money from your subscription to the British Cactus & Succulent Society. Entrance to our meetings costs £1, and you can also contribute to our fund-raising by buying a raffle ticket.

Join our email list to be kept up to date. Just fill in your details to receive occasional news by email about the branch activities.

2010 Meetings

Wednesday 13th January 2010	Annual General Meeting Although the main purpose of the meeting is to review the year 2009 and elect committee and officers for 2010, once the business is over we move to the more important matter of consuming lots of food and drink!
Friday 19th February	Annual Dinner, The Green Man, Shepreth.
Wednesday 10th March	Mike Stansbie - My Experiences with Mammillarias Possibly the most widespread and numerous genus of cacti.
Wednesday 14th April	Tony Roberts - Small Opuntiads Although you might not want to grow the larger 'Opuntia' type of cactus (unless you've got lots of space) there are some gems among the smaller ones.
Wednesday 12th May	David Minnion - Nevada Expect there to be far more than cacti in this American state.
Saturday 22nd May	Zone 6 Show - Berkhamsted Branch A show for all the branches in the area, known as Zone 6.
Sunday 6th June	Summer Show held at our usual meeting venue, Memorial Hall, Woollards Lane, Great Shelford, Cambridge, CB22 5LZ. Since using local garden centres is no longer practical, last year was our first Summer Show in the meeting venue in Great Shelford, and we are continuing again this year. A picture of one of the exhibits at a previous show - click for more pictures. The schedule and entry form will be available for download here when ready.
Wednesday 9th June	Paul Klaasen - What I saw last winter: Brazil, Cuba, and Mexico Adventures in a wide variety of cactus habitats.
Wednesday 14th July	Graham Charles - Bolivia One of the less-visited countries of South America, but rich in cacti.
Sunday 18th July	Zone 6 Open Day Northampton & Milton Keynes Branch. This year the members of Northampton & Milton Keynes Branch open their collections to visitors.
Friday 23rd to Sunday 25th July	National Convention Sign up to attend at 2010 BCSS Convention.
Wednesday 11th August	The Stapeliads (a digital presentation) No speaker as such, so perhaps a chance for the audience to compare their experiences in growing these succulents with those in the presentation.
Wednesday 8th September	Derek Tribble - Namibia 2007: Extreme plant-hunting Succulent plants of southern Africa.
Wednesday 13th October	Mini Autumn Show held at our usual meeting venue, Memorial Hall, Woollards Lane, Great Shelford, Cambridge, CB22 5LZ. Usual meeting time. The Autumn Show is a chance to exhibit and admire those plants with a later growing season, which aren't at their best in summer. But the usual cacti are still included as well. A picture of one of the trophies - click for more pictures. The schedule and entry form will be available for download here when ready.
Wednesday 10th November	Les Hewitt - Some of my favourite plants Les visits us from Dartford branch, with his own experiences in the cactus and succulent world.
Wednesday 8th December	Members' Slides A return to this after a few years' absence. Do bring slides, or of course digital pictures (projection equipment permitting). Not necessarily plants, but preferably with some connection to the hobby.

2011 Meetings

Other Cactus & Succulent Resources

• Clarke Brunt's Cactus and Succulent Page
• British Cactus & Succulent Society page.
• BCSS Zone 6 page for details of all the branches in Zone 6 of the BCSS.
• Tony Mace's Cactus and Succulent Mall, which includes a vast amount of information with links to many other sites.
• Richard Hodgkiss' Succulent Plant Page
• Ralph Martin's Cactus & Succulent Page including details of the BCSS Cardiff Branch, and a search engine for field collection numbers and collectors.
• Cactus Center Club based in Spain, and in Spanish, which after all is the language of many countries where cacti grow.