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 organises the National Fruit Show, which acts as a meeting place for the industry. The centrepiece of the show, held each November, is the largest competitive display of commercially grown top and soft fruit staged in the UK.
Get to know us
Meet the Team
The Marden Fruit Show Society and it's National Fruit Show, commercial fruit competition and education programme is run by a dedicated team with support from other trustees and general committee members.
Eileen Haffenden
MFSS Manager
Catherine Paice
President
Nigel Bardsley
Chair
Annette Bardsley
Vice-Chair and Chair of Competition
Claire Seymour
Chair of Trustees
Chris Morris
Treasurer
Jonathan Blackman
Chairman of the Judges
Mandy Hounsell
Education Officer
Timeline
Our Heritage
6 March 1933
First official meeting/AGM.
View the Show announcement letter
19 & 20 October 1933
First Show on Thursday and Friday. Total attendance 1,538.
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 1,856
1938
Show abandoned due to severe frost damage
1939
Show cancelled due to outbreak of WWII
View the cancellation notice letter
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
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
13 March 1967
Change of name to The Marden Fruit Show Society. Previously The Marden & District Commercial Fruit Show
October 1972
First Bonanza Prize – A Berthaud 1500 Spraying Machine
October 1980
First Handbook
October 1984
Royal Visit by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II
October 1992
Show moves to the Kent Showground at Detling
1999
Show relaunched as The National Fruit Show
October 2013
Marden Fruit Show Society celebrates 80th anniversary
October 2014
Show venue now the Maidstone Exhibition Hall featuring new Fruit Display and expanded exhibitor space
NOVEMBER 2023
Marden Fruit Show Society celebrates 90th anniversary
November 2024
Show transitions to a new one-day format
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