We are so excited to be creating meetings for florists around the country for 2024 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 4 meetings across the country with each location also running a heat for our new UK Florist of the Year competition. We will then run the Final of UK Florist of the Year at FleurEx in September 2024.
Hub meetings
We want to let you know early that these events will be taking place in 2024 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 starting with networking and lunch first 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.
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 2024 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 will then go onto represent the UK in The Florint World Cup Floral Art 2025 at the Hague in the Netherlands. This is a global stage competition.
Our UK Florist of the Year: Newcomer competition is aimed at replacing the WorldSkills UK competition which is no longer funded by the government for our profession. We believe a competition for new florists in the beginning of their career is vital for encouraging great skills and potential within our industry.
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.
Questions and Answers from the UKFJG. Please note these are the only Q&A available for this competition.
The Venues and Tickets
Glasgow 19th May
Location: Country Baskets Glasgow, 297 Blochairn Place, Glasgow, G21 2RL
Arriving: Parking is free on site. The nearest train station is Glasgow Central Station which will then require an approximate 12-15 minute taxi ride.
Time: Hub meetings from 12pm-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 software, and a marketing specific session which will allow you to come away with ideas and plans. It also includes round table talks on Costings, Websites and Wastage in our ‘Planning for Profit’ sessions.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create sustainable designs 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 Glasgow will be these fabulous local designers:
“We feel it’s so important to support industry events and especially these more regional meetings because being connected and sharing ideas is what’s best for our industry.”
Your Glasgow hub is proudly sponsored by Direct2florist
Sheffield 9th June
Location: The Mowbray, 118 Mowbray Street, Neepsend, Sheffield, S3 8EN.
Arriving: The Mowbray is a 5 minute drive from the Sheffield parkway directly off the M1, 5 minutes in a taxi from Sheffield train station. There is a bus stop directly behind The Mowbray and it is a 5 minute walk from the Shalesmoor Tram. If you’re in the car, choose from free street parking or a choice of car parks starting from £2.00 per day. Find out more here.
Time: Hub meetings from 12pm-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 software, and a marketing specific session which will allow you to come away with ideas and plans. It also includes round table talks on Costings, Websites and Wastage in our ‘Planning for Profit’ sessions.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create sustainable designs 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 Sheffield will be these fabulous local designers:
Bristol 30th June
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 12pm-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 software, and a marketing specific session which will allow you to come away with ideas and plans. It also includes round table talks on Costings, Websites and Wastage in our ‘Planning for Profit’ sessions.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create sustainable designs 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 Bristol will be these fabulous local designers:
London 14th July
Location: Tom Brown Wholesale, Unit 30, Chiltonian Industrial Estate, Manor Lane, London, SE12 0TX
Arriving: Free parking onsite or the nearest train station is Hither Green and is a five minute walk from the venue.
Time: Hub meetings from 12pm-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 software, and a marketing specific session which will allow you to come away with ideas and plans. It also includes round table talks on Costings, Websites and Wastage in our ‘Planning for Profit’ sessions.
- Live Demonstration: 2 designers will create sustainable designs 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: