The ten super-talented florists who have got through to the semi-final of Interflora’s Florist of the Year competition have just been announced. They are:
Charlotte Davies from Hilary’s Floral Design, Abergavenny, Monmouthshire
Helen Pannitt from Helen James Flowers, Harrogate, Yorkshire
Rebecca Hough from Rebecca Hough Floral Design, Peterlee, Durham
Caroline Crabb from Fleurtations, Bodmin, Cornwall
Elizabeth Newcombe from The Botanical Company, Bramley, Surrey
Dean Sharpe from Dean Sharpe’s Floral Studio, Stafford, Staffordshire
Tracey Griffin from Sandra’s Florist, Southampton, Hampshire
Hannah Beckley – Level 4 student at Moreton Morrell College, Worcestershire
Victoria Clemson from Rotherhithe, London
Jill Winton from Plantology, Sheffield
These ten top-scoring competitors will now take part in a live semi-final on 24th April in the glorious surroundings of RHS Bridgewater in Manchester. The top five from the semi-final will then go forward to the live final of Florist of the Year on 3rd July, also at RHS Bridgewater.
The newly crowned Interflora Florist of the Year will represent the UK and Ireland in the Interflora World Cup in Manchester in September 2023.
Sarah Hills-Ingyon, Chair of the UK Floristry Judges Guild said “I would like to personally congratulate each and every entrant. Competing is not all about winning but is also about participating, gaining experience, and challenging oneself. Experience gained from entering the Interflora heats is invaluable and will help competitors further develop new skills and techniques”.
For the first time ever, the Florist of the Year competition was open to all florists in the UK and Ireland, not just Interflora members. And in another first, the winner of Florist of the Year will represent the UK and Ireland at the Interflora World Cup in 2023, to be held in the UK for the first time in the competition’s history.
Interflora has been running and promoting floristry competitions since the early 1970s, helping to champion the art and technical skill of floristry. Interflora is proud that their competitions have produced several World Cup winners over the years as well as many worthy finalists.
