Looking back on 2025, it has been another successful year for the Challis Trust. Once again, we were able to hold all our events in good weather, despite dire weather forecasts in the preceding days. We seem to be blessed – long may it continue! Our last event this year, Spooky Saturday, was very enjoyable, attracting lots of families, many in imaginative costumes, though somewhat bizarre in a few cases! All the activities proved popular, especially pumpkin-carving, face-painting and the Spooky trail, with refreshments provided by M C Teas and Andy’s Soup Kitchen. A big thank you to all the helpers and volunteers for their time and commitment. Our calendar of events for 2026 will be published in the Feb-March issue of Sawston Scene.
The Trust has been busy preparing and staging exhibitions in the Challis House and The Reeve Building. The current exhibition in the Reeve Building, celebrating Mary Challis’ centenary year, has attracted more than 400 visitors since opening in mid-July. This will remain in place until it’s replaced by another exhibition. If you wish to see the ‘Mary@100’ exhibition during normal garden opening times and there are no stewards on duty, please ask one of the volunteers to open the building for you.
Our next exhibition ‘Pictures of Sawston’ will be held in the House from Tuesday 9th December. There is quite a collection of paintings of Sawston in the Challis archives, well worth a look for both long-term residents and newcomers to appreciate the buildings and street views. Do look out for posters and announcements nearer the time.
A new exhibition ‘Sawston High Street Through Time’ is planned for 2026 in the Challis House, documenting developments and changes in the centre of the village up to the present time. We will announce when this is ready to open, probably after Easter. We hope this will appeal to all Sawston residents.
Visitors and passers-by have enjoyed the striking poppy display at the front of the Challis House. It was very pleasing to see groups of children from nurseries and primary schools lining up in front of the front garden for photos! The Trust is very pleased to collaborate with the local Royal British Legion to put up this display each year, conveniently placed so close to the village Memorial Cross. It was very gratifying, as ever, to see the large gathering for the Remembrance Day service.
The Garden is well used by Sawston villagers and increasingly by residents from local villages and from further afield, as the Trust gets more well-known. We are also pleased to welcome visits from Sawston schools. The Bellbird school has attended several sessions in the Challis House to learn more about life during Victorian and Edwardian times. Class yr. 5 from Icknield Primary visited in November, the first visit from this school, which we hope becomes a regular feature. In addition, we welcomed the first ever group of SVC students when their Garden Club visited in July. There are plenty of opportunities and resources here for both primary and secondary students. We encourage schools to collaborate with us to make more use of our facilities.
The weather this year created challenges in the garden. The very dry spring followed by hot summer spells impeded plant growth, leading to early losses and delayed development. We spent considerable time watering; we are very fortunate to have a borehole on site! Milder wetter conditions in the autumn brought on a flush of growth and prolonged the flowering season well into November. Autumn colours were especially good, especially acers, birches, persian ironwood and ginkgo trees. There is still plenty of colour to enjoy in the herbaceous perennial beds where dahlias, asters, penstemons and gauras are flowering well.
Moving into December, the garden team will be busy with winter tasks – collecting leaves, weeding, taking cuttings, pruning shrubs, trimming hedges, applying garden compost and mulching with leaf mould. There seems to be a much heavier leaf fall this year, we’ve had to create more space to contain it all. We add compost accelerant to aid decomposition and turn the piles once or twice over 12 months, to be ready to apply as a mulch the following year. This is a key part of recycling organic matter in the garden. Hard but essential work and well worth the effort.
There are already early signs of spring: Mahonia and Viburnum farreri in flower, and snowdrops and crocuses starting to show above the ground. Will we have an early spring? In preparation for next year, we have transplanted shade-tolerant foxgloves and cyclamens under trees to brighten up some patches. We also plan to renovate the bee border, where marjoram has become the dominant species, with a greater variety of flowering plants, providing nectar and pollen for a wide range of pollinating insects from early spring to late autumn.
Despite the inclement weather, there was a glut of fruit this year. Apples, plums, damsons and gages were exceptionally good. The bumper apple crop allowed us to produce over 100 bottles of juice. If you enjoy our produce, there are still good stocks of apple juice and honey available, and many plants for sale, including house plants, succulents and cacti. Not to mention also, our lovely tea towels and cards designed by local artists, possible Xmas presents for family or friends? On that note, the Trustees wish everyone – visitors, supporters and volunteers alike – a very happy Christmas and very best wishes for the New Year.
Mike Redshaw