Bellingen Plant Fair cancelled due to Covid-19 restrictions Coffs Coast Coffs Coast News by News Of The Area - Modern Media - August 26, 2020 Colin Broadfoot attended his first Plant Fair over thirty years ago. The BELLINGEN Environment Centre and the Plant Fair team have been forced to cancel the thirtieth Spring Plant Fair, due to covid-19 restrictions. Advertise with News of The Area today. It’s worth it for your business. Message us. Phone us – (02) 4981 8882. Email us – media@newsofthearea.com.au The fair, due to be held on Saturday 14 September, has been a much-loved event by the community in Bellingen and further afield. The decision to cancel the 2020 Spring Plant Fair was made to ensure the safety of local growers and the thousands of fair visitors. The team determined that the mitigation and control measures required to deliver a safe fair would be too difficult to execute effectively, while retaining the spirit and ambience of the event. Mrs Catherine Jones, founding member of the plant fair team, told News of The Area the decision was a difficult and disappointing one to make. “We are particularly concerned for our Growers, many of whom have supported the Plant Fair since the beginning. “We put on two Fairs each year, one in the Autumn and of course the Spring Fair, meaning our hard working and dedicated volunteers have actually put on sixty Plant Fairs in total,” said Mrs Jones. Mrs Jones said the community could still support local growers by buying online. “If you would like to buy plants or trees, our Plant Fair team still wants to help the Growers and Buyers and are posting contact details of your favourite stalls on Facebook, though this is an informal process and does not involve the plant fair team,” she said. “Press ‘like’ on our page and contact any of the Growers to order and collect your plants, everyone can call or email the suppliers directly but please do not order through comments on Facebook.” Mrs Jones said the Bellingen Growers Market could offer replacement stallholder opportunities to local growers. ”The Bellingen Growers Market that’s held at the Bellingen Showground every Saturday morning have kindly offered to make details available very soon to enable Growers to take up limited stall spaces at the Saturday market over Spring and Summer.” The details will be made available through the Bellingen Growers Market Facebook page. The team believes the longstanding event will return in 2021. “We will really look forward to seeing you all on Saturday 14th March 2021 for the next Autumn Bellingen Plant Fair.” said team member Clayton Colmer. For any enquiries please contact Mrs Caroline Joseph on 0409996423. By Natalie GILL Bellingen Plant Fair in full swing.
