About Us

Join this society Click Here

The Marden Fruit Show Society (MFSS) is a Registered Charity run by a voluntary committee who represent many different facets of the fruit industry. The aim of the Society is to promote the better growing, grading and marketing of fruit.

The Society organizes the National Fruit Show, which acts as a meeting place for the industry. The centerpiece of the show, held each November, is the largest competitive display of commercially grown top and soft fruit staged in the UK.

image
image

Heritage

1930s

6 March 1933

First official meeting/AGM.

View the Show announcement letter

19 & 20 October 1933

First Show on Thursday & Friday. Total attendance 1538.

View a congratulatory letter

19 March 1934

2nd AGM. Balance sheet showed a surplus of £83 2s 11d

24/25 October 1934

2nd Show on Wednesday & Thursday. Total attendance 2,208

23 September 1935

Show cancelled due to a reduced number of entries. This was attributed to bad weather earlier in the year and recent gale damage.

7/8 October 1936

1st show where judging takes place on Tuesday. Total attendance 1856

1938

Show abandoned due to severe frost damage

1939

Show cancelled due to outbreak of WWII

View the cancellation notice letter

1940s

14 May 1940

Emergency War Committee formed. Show postponed for the duration of the war

27/28 October 1948

After an absence of ten years, the fifth annual show. Attendance 2477

1950s

26 October 1952

1st public post show event with the fruit being re-staged at Selfridges, London, prior to this the fruit was always sold at auction

29 October 1953

Royal Visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother

1960s

13 March 1967

Change of name to The Marden Fruit Show Society. Previously The Marden & District Commercial Fruit Show

1970s

October 1972

First Bonanza Prize – A Berthaud 1500 Spraying Machine

1980s

October 1980

First Handbook

October 1984

Royal Visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

1990s

October 1992

Show moves to the Kent Showground at Detling

1999

Show relaunched as The National Fruit Show

2010s

October 2013

Show celebrates 80th Anniversary Event

October 2014

Show venue now the Maidstone Exhibition Hall featuring new Fruit Display and expanded exhibitor space

Meet the Team

Committe Members

Team Member

Catherine Paice

President
Team Member

Sarah Calcutt

Honorary Chair
Team Member

Sally Flangan

Chief Executive Officer
Team Member

Annette Bardsley

Vice-Chairman
Team Member

Chris Morris

Hon Treasurer
Team Member

Jonathan Blackman

Chairman of the Judges
Team Member

Samantha Smith

Education Officer
Team Member

Mary-Anne Langran

Competition Manager
Team Member

Rachel Heather

Administrative Assistant