This year we have once again seen an amazing number of votes at 21,934, over 100% more votes than last year!!, proving how passionate people are about our industry.
Congratulations to everyone who has taken part so far and especially to those who have made it to the finalist stage! The Winners will be announced at the Awards Dinner at:
Burleigh Court,
Off Ashby Road (A512),
Loughborough University (West Park),
Loughborough,
Leicestershire,
LE11 3GR
14th October 2023 as well as on our website and Social Media so watch this space!!
The BFA awards recognises the best in our industry and raises the profile of professional floristry within the public eye. Listed below are the finalists in alphabetical order.
To join us for the Awards Dinner simply grab a ticket below!
Tickets!THE FINALISTS ARE……………
INSTITUTE OF PROFESSIONAL FLORISTS STUDENT OF THE YEAR
Tutor nominated and Panel judged only
| Charlie Tribe, The Floristry School, Sheffield College |
| Katie Weekes, Moreton Morrell College, Warwickshire |
FLORISTRY TUTOR OF THE YEAR
| Allan Raby, East Durham College – East Durham |
| Fiona Davis, Reaseheath College – Cheshsire |
| Jade Loftus, Doncaster College – South Yorkshire |
| Jo Cullingworth, Doncaster College – South Yorkshire |
| Jo Richards, Academy of Floristry – Dorset |
| Melissa Pauley, Capel Manor College – Middlesex |
| Peter Walkey, Kingston Maurward College – Dorset |
| Sarah Hughes, Wigan and Leigh College – Lancashire |
| Shelley Jefferson, Capel Manor – Middlesex |
| Sherry Suett, CAFRE – County Antrim |
FLORISTRY TRAINING PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
| Academy of Floristry – Dorset |
| Bicton College – Devon |
| Capel Manor College – Middlesex |
| Doncaster College – South Yorkshire |
| Kingston Maurwood – Dorset |
GROWER OF THE YEAR
| Chickney Hall Flowers – Essex |
| Crossland Flower Nursery – West Sussex |
| Floral Media – Nottinghamshire |
| Marginpar – Aalsmeer |
FLORISTRY SERVICE PROVIDER OF THE YEAR
| Details Flowers Software |
| Florist Pro |
| Strelitzia Software |
| The Paper Studio |
SUNDRIES SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
| Floralbox Packaging – Galway |
| Flourish Trading- Mitcham |
| OASIS® Floral Products UK – Washington |
| Westflor UK Ltd – Enfield |
| Whittington’s -Leicester |
| Whittington’s – Waltham Cross |
NATIONAL FLOWER SENDER OF THE YEAR
Direct2Florist were the only national flower sender to complete the submission for the awards this year from the nominees. They have been scored and the public has voted on their submission.
| Direct2Florist |
FLOWER SUPPLIER OF THE YEAR
| Florismartdirect |
| Van der Plas Flowers and Plants |
LOCAL FLOWER WHOLESALER OF THE YEAR
| Flowervision, Chorley – Lancashire |
| J Van Vliet, Derby – Derbyshire |
| J Van Vliet, Northampton – Northamptonshire |
| The Flower Bank, Carlisle – Cumbria |
| Tom Brown Wholesale, Lee – London |
WEDDING/ EVENT FLORIST OF THE YEAR
| Cloud Hill Flowers, Chelmsford – Essex |
| Forget me not florist, Lymington – Hampshire |
| Karen Barnes Weddings and Events, Lincoln – Lincolnshire |
| Norris Floristry, Glossop – Derbyshire |
| Paula Rooney Ltd, Basingstoke – Hampshire |
| Perfect Petals UK, Evesham – Worcestershire |
RETAIL FLORIST OF THE YEAR
| Bromborough Flowers, Brombrough – Merseyside |
| Chelsea Flowers, Wilmslow – Cheshire |
| Flowers at no 10, Glasgow – Lanarkshire |
| Flowers by Karen, Kilmarnoch – Ayrshire |
| Fresh Ideas Florists, Chesterfield – Derbyshire |
| Hannah Burnett Florist Ltd, Plymouth – Devon |
| Jolies Fleurs, Thornbury – Bristol |
| Passion flowers, Dumfries – Dumfries & Galloway |
| The Rose Garden, Great Dunmow – Essex |
| Victoria Bloom, Crieff – Perth and Kinross |
Best of luck to you all! We can’t wait to celebrate with you on the night!
Your Awards Evening Hosts
Chris Price is a distinguished figure in the floristry industry, rooted in a rich heritage that spans over a century of trading. He hails from a long-established family-run floristry business in London that’s bloomed for over 100 years. Chris’s passion for the industry is unflinching, and it’s this that draws him out of bed each morning, ready to create, inspire, and lead.
He has been deeply embedded in the industry, serving as a regional representative, board director, and demonstrator for Interflora.
Chris’s skill and creativity have seen him demonstrate at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show on behalf of the Royal Horticultural Society. His prowess in the field is further evidenced by numerous demonstrations he has done for the NAFAS.
In 2011, Chris took his career to new heights by joining Eflorist, where his dedication and leadership have seen him rise to his current role as Head of Operations for the UK, Ireland, and Norway. His journey with the company has been marked by consistent growth and commendable achievements.
Chris is eagerly looking forward to sharing his experience and expertise with his fellow floristry enthusiasts. He is particularly excited about partnering with Nikki for the British Florist Association (BFA) awards.
Nikki Meader is holds our current BFA Chair position.
With many years worth of family connections to the floristry industry, she owns and runs West malling Flowers in West Malling.
After winning retail shop of the year twice, Nikki joined the BFA board as a new challenge and a way to give back to the industry, initially focusing on the position of Retail Director before becoming Vice-Chair, followed soon after by the Chair position.
The Industry Awards has always been a passion for Nikki, as it highlights all the sectors who are important to maintain a healthy business environment for floristry within the UK.
Nikki states “It’s important we all recognise each other and celebrate together in our success. The awards are about motivating our industry to connect with their customers and engage in a fun and advantageous way. The public voting heightens the floristry industry presence in the public awareness and gives an indication of customer satisfaction whilst the Judges use their industry expertise to look at their amazing businesses overall. It’s a joy to see the friendships and networking over the months and on the night!”
Nikki is proud to host with Chris Price and reveal the winners in October!
