FOR the last 20 years gardening enthusiasts in the west of the county have been meeting on a regular basis to swap their expertise and tips of the trade.
But now Thurso Horticultural Society is facing an uncertain future unless new members can be found to join the organising committee.
The club is issuing a plea to green-fingered folk in the town to come forward and help carry on the popular group.
The current organising committee is standing down. Some of the members are over 80 years old and despite being willing to remain part of the group, feel they are no longer able to run its range of activities.
The society failed in its bid to organise a new committee when only half of its current 30 members turned up to its recent AGM in the Free Church Hall, and nobody stepped forward to take over the reins.
In a last-ditch appeal, the group is calling for new volunteers to come forward and help the popular society run for at least another 20 years.
Thurso Horticultural Society spokeswoman Alice Newman told the Caithness Courier it is disappointing that nobody is able to commit to volunteering after the current committee has done so much over the years to keep it going.
"Unfortunately, like many other groups which have folded, we found it a struggle to find willing volunteers to act in committee roles," she said.
"Sad to say it looks like it is all coming to an end and our members are coming to an age where they quite rightly want to start taking a back seat."
The group usually meets once a month on every second Monday at the Free Church Hall in Thurso, but it has been put on hold until at least September in the hope that a new committee can be formed.
It brings together enthusiastic gardeners and gives them the chance to talk about their experiences and opinions.
Talks are arranged throughout the year with expert horticulturists to discuss various aspects of gardening such as panting bulbs and seasonal flowers.
The society also used to arrange an annual bulb show, but was forced to cancel last year as the committee was unable to organise the event.
Mrs Newman believes that there a lot of people based in Thurso who take great pleasure in gardening and growing their own vegetables.
She said that it is important that the group finds new blood so it can continue to provide a platform for like-minded individuals.
"If we can get new people to come along, they can bring new ideas and give it a new lease of life," she said.
"All the current members want to keep the society going but due to being a certain age they do not feel up to it.
"We are basically looking for anyone under the age of 60 who enjoys gardening to fill the roles of chairman, vice-chairman, secretary and treasurer.
"We will take the summer to find willing volunteers and hopefully we can restart in September."
For more information about joining Thurso Horticultural Society contact Mrs newman on 01847 892 822.
