Global Excellence Awards 2023| 37 Based in Grays, Thurrock, The Forest Faerie Floral Design weaves the magic of nature into peoples’ worlds, offering wild and natural floral displays for weddings, events, funerals, and gifts. The company’s enchanting creations transform flowers into more than mere arrangements, instead serving as an expression of the client’s unique journey. Every petal tells a tale, conveying messages of love, celebration, or remembrance. Floral Design Business of the Year - Essex Currently, Victoria believes that the world’s heightened focus on sustainability is driving significant change and evolution in the UK’s floristry industry. Florists are making different decisions in order to minimise their impact on the environment, and UK flower farms are becoming far more widespread, reducing the need to use imported flowers. However, being based in Essex, Victoria has found that the largest flower farms are more than 50 miles away, forcing her to rely on imported flowers more often than she would like to. As an alternative, she often sources blooms from Hoek Flowers, a wholesaler that prides itself on finding sustainably grown flowers and delivering them in collapsable, reuseable boxes that are collected with the next delivery. As a result of its exceptional services and unwavering focus on sustainability, The Forest Faerie Floral Design has been named Floral Design Business of the Year, Essex, in the LUX Global Excellence Awards 2023. In the years to come, Victoria plans to focus on continued learning in order to enhance her skills and abilities. As a member of a few different local floral societies for business owners, she is always in the know when it comes to upcoming techniques and flowers as well as business news and trends. Contact Details Contact: Victoria Handerek Company: The Forest Faerie Floral Design Email: [email protected] Web Address: theforestfaerieflorals.co.uk proud alumna of the prestigious Tallulah Rose Flower School in Cumbria, Victoria Handerek is a talented florist who is inspired by and drawn to the untamed beauty of nature. In 2023, she set out to establish The Forest Faerie Floral Design, a unique business that aims to capture the enchantment of floral magic. The company designs bespoke arrangements that illuminate life’s journey and celebrate the profound beauty in every bloom. If you have a rustic heart and a love for the mysterious, you’ve found your floral haven. At The Forest Faerie Floral Design, Victoria serves high-end clients who understand the beauty of flowers and appreciate where they come from. When creating a unique arrangement for them, she seamlessly incorporates the client’s preferences, vision, and desires, researching each bloom to assess its suitability for the design. In this, she works seasonally, which means that every display is truly unlike any other. Operating in a competitive industry, Victoria sets herself apart through her contemporary style, which focuses on the wild and natural nature of flowers. Rather than using large textures, which can often make designs appear flat and uninviting, she uses smaller textures that draw attention to the flowers. As a result, her designs are dynamic and full of movement. Importantly, The Forest Faerie Floral Design operates with a focus on sustainability. For this reason, Victoria uses biodegradable packaging and sources local blooms where possible. As well as this, she ensures that any hard goods like vases, arches, and centrepiece mechanics are not made from single use plastic, instead using materials like chicken wire, water tubes, metal frames, and flower frogs to hold the blooms in place. She also uses and re-uses her supplies multiple times, further minimising her impact on the environment. Another way in which The Forest Faerie Floral Design demonstrates its commitment to sustainability is by repurposing the flowers used to create displays for events. Victoria transforms them into bouquets that clients, guests, and organisers can take home and cherish. This ensures that the blooms are not wasted but instead used for the entirety of their life. A
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTUyMDQwMA==