We have never entered an award before but thought we would give it a try. The Blue Patch Sustainable Business awards were started in 2016 as a way to recognise high quality design and genuine, innovative, sustainable approaches to ethical business. www.community.bluepatch.org
Sustainability and social impact are at the heart of our social enterprise. We are making it our mission to change the way that customers think about buying their flowers, whilst providing genuine, high quality, supported work experience for adults with learning differences and autism.
So these awards seemed to be right up our street!
We were up against some other great organisations in the ‘Social Impact Award’. This category was ’For socially minded businesses aiming to make a difference to their local communities and the environment’. The other finalists were:
Centre for Alternative Technology (www.cat.org.uk)
Jarr Market (www.jarrmarket.co.uk)
NEMI Teas (www.nemiteas.com)
NEMI Teas were the winners in this category, doing some fantastic work empowering refugees.
Being selected as a finalist was a great boost to us. The judges could see how we are committed and dedicated to sustainability in both flower production and floral design, whilst following environmentally sound growing practices and supporting our community.
Flowers have become an essential item over the lockdown, they are an affordable luxury that can bring good cheer, hope and solace through these difficult times.
We want our customers to appreciate the seasonal flowers that are available in the UK. We want them to realise that they have a choice to buy flowers that are not treated with an arsenal of chemicals or flown hundreds of miles round the world to get here. We also want to continue to give adults with learning differences and autism a chance to be a part of our wonderful growing journey.
