The power of the flower has been underlined at a major event in Warwickshire.
More than 120 business people – part of the Coventry and Warwickshire Champions scheme – heard how Leamington and Coventry could soon play host to major floral events designed to attract visitors to the area.
Plans for the events come hot on the heels of Leamington’s success at RHS Chelsea Flower Show when its garden exhibit, largely funded by local companies and organised by BID Leamington, took a silver medal.
The project won national exposure for Warwickshire and it is planned that key elements of the exhibit will be permanently located in one of Leamington town centre’s gardens, and provide a catalyst for floral events in the future.
Stephanie Kerr, of BID Leamington, told the Coventry and Warwickshire Champions meeting held at the Riverside Conference Centre in Stratford, that further floral celebrations could be a big draw to the town.
“We have been really blown away by the reaction to our success at Chelsea,” she said. “That has come not only from the businesses in Coventry and Warwickshire which helped in so many ways to allow us to compete at what is a truly worldwide event, but also from far further afield from people who visited the garden or saw it in the media.
“It has certainly brought home to us the interest in all things floral and horticultural and we believe that with our wonderful gardens and parks, we have the perfect setting for an event which could grow to be nationally recognised.”
The meeting also heard that the new Fargo Village in Coventry is planning to hold a floristry competition at Easter next year.
A specially shot film of award-winning, London-based floral designer Simon Lycett, who grew up in Warwick and is renowned for his work on high profile royal and celebrity events, was also shown.
Sarah Perry, place manager for the Coventry and Warwickshire Champions, said: “Coventry and Warwickshire already hosts several highly-successful events, but we are very well placed geographically and have some great venues so we have potential for more.
“I think the Leamington success at Chelsea underlined not only what can be done if there is a large communal effort, but also that gardening and floristry has a massive following and that is something which this area could exploit.”
The success of the area’s aerospace industry was also outlined to the meeting by Jason Aldridge of Arrowsmith Engineering, who is also a member of the Coventry and Warwickshire Aerospace Forum – a collection of 13 companies who undertake work in the global aerospace market.
Perry added: “We were delighted to have attracted so many businesses to the session, which really underlined the diversity of what Coventry and Warwickshire has to offer.”
The scheme unites businesses, organisations and individuals across the area in a powerful network to help develop and promote Coventry and Warwickshire. Champions are pro-active advocates for the area who want to help influence how the area is perceived and play an active role in raising its profile.