How the British Florist Association is Opening Its Doors to Everyone in Flowers
If you love playing with flowers or dream of becoming a professional designer one day there is an amazing association you should know about. The British Florist Association is a group that has been around for over one hundred years to help anyone who works with flowers succeed. It was started back in 1917 by people who grew flowers and people who sold them in markets. Today it has grown into a huge community that welcomes everyone from experts in the industry, educators in the industry, flower growers world wide, florists, flower arrangers, floral designers and people who enjoy flowers as a hobby even if they are retired.
Kay’s Flower School is now officially a member of British Florist Association as a Floristry Training School. This is a very big deal because it shows that the way we teach & train florists across the world meets the highest standards in the industry. For a long time some people thought there was only one way to learn floristry but the BFA knows that is not true and definitely not always the case.. The new board of the BFA are very forward thinking and realize that whether you are bench trained in a traditional shop, through an apprenteship program, through college courses or through a modern private school like ours you are infact a real florist.
One of the coolest things about this association is that it is now, not only for people who own flower shops. It is for students who are just starting on the pathway into floristry and also for the studio florists who work from their own home or freelance florists who work on a self employed basis..
The BFA even have a brand new community membership for florists who live outside of the United Kingdom and for people who have retired from the world of flowers but still want to stay connected to the industry. The also welcome flower arrangers who would like to become part of their community also. This means that no matter where you live or how much or little experience you have there is a place for you to fit in.
Being a member comes with some amazing perks that can help you grow. Members can avail of discounts on things like fuel for your van or insurance to keep your business safe. They also provide helpful templates for contracts and social media so you do not have to figure everything out by yourself. If you ever have a problem or a question you can reach out to their team and they will help point you in the right direction.
If you like showing off your skills you can even enter their competitions. They host an event called the Florist of the Year which is like the Oscars for people who work with flowers. There are categories for newcomers and for experts so everyone can have a chance to shine.
The British Florist Association also host an annual massive event called FleurEx where you can see incredible demonstrations and meet famous designers from all over the world, network with florists, meet wholesalers and learn of new trends, products flowers etc. Throughout the year there are smaller Hub events across the UK where again wholesalers are on hand, demonstrations and networking and also competition heats.
The flower industry is changed and is still changing and is becoming a much more inclusive and friendly industry. This association is leading the way for this by listening to what people actually need and making sure everyone feels supported. It is a wonderful time to be part of the floral world because we can all keep learning and making the world more beautiful together. Whether you are a student or a designer for twenty years this community is ready to welcome you into their family.