The BFA are so excited to be in continuing our HUB meetings for florists around the country for 2025 and we hope you’ll all come out to mingle, chat and connect with us so that we can continue to build a strong community together for the future.
We know your time is precious and that’s why we want to make these meetings fun, efficient and productive. We will run 5 meetings across the country with each location also running a heat for our UK Florist of the Year competition. We will then run the Final of UK Florist of the Year at FleurEx in October 2025.
Hub meetings
We want to let you know early that these events will be taking place in 2025 to give you plenty of time to plan and attend. Each event will have the same format and is on a Sunday. We will be networking and providing a light lunch before getting into some exciting and relevant activities, aimed at supporting business and elevating your knowledge. Both business info and fresh products will be there to boost your business savvy and fuel your creative fire.
This year we have some fabulous sponsors, who after the success of last year, were keen to join us in supporting UK Florists. We’d like to thank them on behalf of the BFA for supporting these meetings.
Our Main HUB Sponsor for 2025
Our Gold Sponsors
Our Silver Sponsors
UK Florist of the Year
This competition is aimed at florists who are looking to have creative fun and enhance their careers at the same time. At each of our Hub meetings we will run a heat. Competitors will be able to place their designs and then enjoy the Hub meeting with fellow florists as the judging commences.
UK Florist of the Year
Open to any florist with more than 5 years industry experience. The competitor will be asked to bring a ready made design from a specific schedule with them to be staged and judged on the day.
UK Florist of the Year: Newcomer
Open to any florist with less than 5 years industry experience. The competitor will be asked to bring a ready made design from a specific schedule with them to be staged and judged on the day.
Each heat will be judged by the UK Floristry Judges Guild, who are affiliated to the BFA and are comprised of trained professional florist judges. For each title and heat a, 1st, 2nd and 3rd place will be announced and certificates presented. All competitors will receive a participation certificate to keep as part of your professional journey. Once all heats are completed, the scores will be collated and the top scoring competitors in each category will be invited to compete at the final. Our live competition final will be at FleurEx 2025 where the competitors for both titles will be asked to create a range of designs from pre-made, to pre-planned and surprise tasks.
Our UK Florist of the Year 2025, will automatically be given a place in the final of the 2026 UK Florist of the Year
Our UK Florist of the Year: Newcomer competition is aimed at new florists in the beginning of their career. It is vital for encouraging great skills and potential within our industry. The winner will automatically be given a place in the final of the 2026 UK Florist of the Year: Newcomer
Note: There are no international competitions to progress to in 2026. The winners of the 2026 competition finals will progress to The Europa cup and Eurofleurs in 2027 to be held in Spain. Please see Terms and conditions below for details.
Everyone is welcome to book via the links but members will get a discount for both hub entry and competition entry. Please buy the relevant ticket for you whether you would like to just come to the hub meeting or compete and attend the meeting.
Competition tickets are inclusive of hub entry
ALL FLORISTS ARE WELCOME AND WE CAN’T WAIT TO MEET YOU OVER THE SUMMER!
Oasis® Floral Products are the proud sponsor of our competition from all the heats through to the Live finals at FleurEx. We’d like to thank them on behalf of the BFA for supporting the professional skills of florists in the UK.
The Venues and Tickets
London 27th April
Location: FlowerVision London Vine Nurseries, Spout Ln, Stanwell Moor, Staines TW19 6BN
Arriving: There is onsite parking. Heathrow airport is 7 minutes away by taxi and is also the nearest train station.
Time: Hub meetings from 12.30pm-4pm. Competitors registration and set up time is 11.15am-11.45am
What’s on:
- Networking opportunities
- A light lunch
- Industry specific news, ideas and activities. This includes a talk about AI, and a marketing session helping you to create compelling content for your business. It also includes round table talks on Controlling overheads, Engaging with sustainability, UpSkilling and the importance of understanding trends.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create products which will easily be recreated in a commercial setting.
- UK Florist of the Year competition heats to take part in and view
Your live Demo for London will be these fabulous local designers:
Morgan Douglas-Nuth is a highly successful UK based florist who has worked in retail for over 30 years, during which time he’s owned shops, a flower school in Royal Ascot and two
locations in London.
He’s since sold the thriving business and is focusing on assisting florists, growers & the floral
industry build a stronger, brighter future. He comes from a family of florists and is known for his international design and flair, which has earned him a position as one of the UK’s leading floral designers.
For over 20 years, Rebecca Ellis and Lily’s Flowers have been synonymous with exquisite wedding and event florals, creating unforgettable memories for countless clients. With a unique artistic background in theatre, TV, and film, Rebecca brings a fresh perspective to floral design. She is a true “mover and shaker” in the industry, and her dedication to crafting exceptional floral experiences remains unwavering.
Bristol 11th May
Location: FlowerVision Bristol, Unit 6&7 Merchants Trade Park, Tamar Road, St Philips, Bristol, BS2 0TX
Arriving: Free parking on site or the nearest train station is Bristol Temple Meads is an approximate 7-minute taxi ride.Pre booking may be necessary or 10-minute walk.
Time: Hub meetings from 12.30pm-4pm. Competitors registration and set up time is 11.15am-11.45am
What’s on:
- Networking opportunities
- A light lunch
- Industry specific news, ideas and activities. This includes a talk about AI, and a marketing session helping you to create compelling content for your business.. It also includes round table talks on Controlling overheads, Engaging with sustainability, UpSkilling and the importance of understanding trends.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create products which will easily be recreated in a commercial setting.
- UK Florist of the Year competition heats to take part in and and view
Your live Demo for Bristol will be these fabulous local designers:
Tracy has a distinctive sculptural style and spent a summer working as a sculptors assistant to develop those skills. She served a traditional apprenticeship while working in florist shops and achieved my National Diploma in Professional Floristry. After completing her apprenticeship she went on to run a beautiful florist shop for 20 years.
Tracy now combines her career as a florist, designer and stylist with her role as sundries buyer, florist representative and trainer for Flowervision Bristol. This is an exciting and varied role, communicating with all levels of the industry.
She has created layouts and designs for large scale exhibition/trade stands and retail outlets. Spent many hours talking to the flower, plant, garden and home ware industries about their wish list, their challenges and triumphs to have a clear understanding of how best to serve them. Tracy has also worked as photographic stylist and has appeared on television demonstrating floristry.
​Tracy is all about trends, inspiration and design, offering design skills, inspiration, support and project management.
Emily Elvin is a certified Master Florist with 20 years’ experience across many aspects of the floral industry. She is the creative force behind Persephone Violet a successful high street florist operating in Malmesbury, Wiltshire for the past 11 years. With a number of prestigious awards earned, most notably three RHS Chelsea flower show medals she enjoys competing as well as teaching and demonstrating her passion for flowers alongside her business commitments.
Emily says ‘This profession has woven the fabric of many love stories, losses and joyous moments into my life and is a passion as much as it is a job. We design for many different reasons and occasions which keeps this job fresh and interesting. I am so very lucky to have been immersed in a world of flowers so early on in my life and to have had many amazing opportunities in this wonderful industry so far. I can’t wait to demonstrate in front of my industry peers at Flowervision in May.’
Sheffield 18th May
Location: The Victoria 1 Rowland Street, Neepsend, Sheffield, S3 8DE
Arriving: There is on-street parking bays controlled by Sheffield City Council. There are street parking bays available on Mowbray Street, Burton Road, Harvest Lane, Neepsend Lane and throughout Kelham Island and Neepsend. ALL TRAVEL INFO HERE
Time: Hub meetings from 12.30pm-4pm. Competitors registration and set up time is 11.15am-11.45am
What’s on:
- Networking opportunities
- A light lunch
- Industry specific news, ideas and activities. This includes a talk about AI, and a marketing session helping you to create compelling content for your business. It also includes round table talks on Controlling overheads, Engaging with sustainability, UpSkilling and the importance of understanding trends.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create products which will easily be recreated in a commercial setting.
- UK Florist of the Year competition heats to take part in and and view
Your live Demo for Sheffield will be these fabulous local designers:
April is the owner and creative director at Monica F Hewitt Florists Ltd based in Hillsborough, Sheffield. The store opened in 1971 and April joined the business in 2009, aged 15, on a work placement; this is where she found her true calling in life – floristry. After working her way up, she bought the business in 2019 and has gone on to expand the business with a second store, Monica’s at Fox Valley, in Stocksbridge. April has since graduated with a Masters in floristry, the highest qualification in the industry. As the owner of two stores April wears many hats. You’ll often find her in either of the stores, setting up events, taking wedding consultations, or creating the weird and wonderful. She’s always up for a challenge and will get stuck in to anything that comes her way as her favourite part of the job is figuring out the logistics of her next floral creation!
Anja Norris was born in the lakeside town of Konstanz, perched on Germany’s southern border with Switzerland. She studied art at Jugendkunstschule Bodenseekreis, before gaining an apprenticeship under local master florist, Christel Guse. Anja moved to the UK to pursue a corporate career. This lasted fifteen years before the urge to get back to her roots became overwhelming. Anja has kept her love of floral design close-by her entire life, and now, with her creative director husband Chris, she is bringing that passion back to life with Derbyshire-based floral design studio Norris Floristry. Anja works off the idea that you should see something different in a floral arrangement each time you look at it. Her work tells stories, inviting you to explore every detail.
Northern Ireland 8th June
Location: CAFRE 45 Tirgracy Rd, Antrim BT41 4PS
Arriving: Onsite free parking, building onsite TBC
Time: Hub meetings from 12.30pm-4pm. Competitors registration and set up time is 11.15am-11.45am
What’s on:
- Networking opportunities
- A light lunch
- Industry specific news, ideas and activities. This includes a talk about AI, and a marketing session helping you to create compelling content for your business. It also includes round table talks on Controlling overheads, Engaging with sustainability, UpSkilling and the importance of understanding trends.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create products which will easily be recreated in a commercial setting.
- UK Florist of the Year competition heats to take part in and and view
Your live Demo for NI will be these fabulous local designers:
Karen is an experienced Master Florist who began her floral journey at the
age of 13 in her Aunts’ shop. Having 12 years of retail floristry
experience, Karen opened Fleurtatious in 2007. With over 25 years if retail
experience Karen still invests in CPD and enjoys attending as many floral
events as possible including Fleurex, IFTF and GFG events.
Having pursued and completed City and Guilds professional qualifications,
from Level 2 at Dungannon College in Tyrone; Level 3 at Cafre College in
Antrim; and Level 4 and 5 at Moreton Morrell College Warwickshire, England.
Karen has achieved numerous national and international industry awards, and
recognitions for her floristry design skill, techniques and imagination.
This includes commendations at the WorldSkills competitions, and highly
coveted Silver medal at the Chelsea Flower Show in 2014 and Bronze medal in
2016.
The founder and creative designer behind Clara Agnew Floristry!
As a qualified florist with nearly a decade of experience, Clara specialises in creating exceptional floral designs that bring wedding days to life.
With around 10 years of experience in the floristry industry, Clara is passionate about delivering only the best for her clients.
After becoming a qualified florist in 2019, she had the privilege of training with master florists to hone her skills and fuel her passion for floristry competitions.
Since launching Clara Agnew Floristry in 2021, Clara has worked on many beautiful weddings, providing high-class service and bespoke floral designs that turn dreams into reality.
In addition to running the business, she is also a proud board member of the Institute of Flowers, where she helps shape the future of floristry across Ireland.
Scotland 22nd June
Location: Cardonald Parish Hall, Paisley Rd W, Glasgow G52 3PF
Arriving: On street parking, Nearest train station is Cardonald 20 mins walk from the station or 4 mins in a taxi which we would advise you prebook.
Time: Hub meetings from 12.30pm-4pm. Competitors registration and set up time is 11.15am-11.45am
What’s on:
- Networking opportunities
- A light lunch
- Industry specific news, ideas and activities. This includes a talk about AI, and a marketing session helping you to create compelling content for your business. It also includes round table talks on Controlling overheads, Engaging with sustainability, UpSkilling and the importance of understanding trends.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create products which will easily be recreated in a commercial setting.
- UK Florist of the Year competition heats to take part in and and view view
Your live Demo for Glasgow will be these fabulous local designers:
A second generation florist Denise inherited her love of flowers from Nana Anastasia who ran her own successful florist in Dublin City, surrounded by flowers her entire life she got her first Saturday job at the tender age of 12 and knew that this was the career path for her.
After leaving school she trained in a large chain of flower shops in Dublin.
Denise moved to Scotland and took a leap of faith by opening her own flower shop in Helensburgh and has been trading now for 25 years. Denise has seen so many changes in our industry over the years, she firmly believes in choosing your own style of floristry, staying in your own lane and being ok with competition as it will always keep you motivated and inspired.
Denise describes her love, obsession and passion for flowers as getting stronger as the years go by and she feels very privileged and lucky to do a job she genuinely loves and will never tire of.
Jillian’s florist life started as a 14 year Saturday girl – a career that now spans 43 years!
Jillian’s Perthshire based business Something Special Flowers, whom she runs with her Husband Stephen, celebrated its 25th birthday in February and has seen many changes over the years along with a consistent array of Business & Wedding Awards.
On a personal level, Jillian has won many awards & accolades over the years including three RHS Chelsea medals, a Silver, Silver-Gilt & the coveted RHS Chelsea Flower Show GOLD.
Floristry is a rewarding way of life with ever changing trends and challenges which keeps Jillian highly motivated as she continues to provide the very best in design and customer service. After being in the Industry for so many years, she still has the passion & want to learn and the desire to share her knowledge with others.
