A FLORIST in Launceston has reached the final hurdle in the running for a national award.

Donna Cornish of ‘Flowers by Donna’ is delighted to have reached the top ten of the British Florist Association (BFA) Industry Awards in the category for Retail Shop of the Year.

Donna, whose shop is situated on Westgate Street in Launceston, offers stunning flower arrangements as well as a number of items for the home.

Each year the BFA holds its Industry Awards for 15 different categories. Donna was made aware that she had been nominated in the category ‘Retail Shop of the Year’ in July.

She told the Post: “I found out in July that someone had nominated me — I have no idea who — and that I was one of 30 shops in the country which were up for the award. So between the 15th of July and the 15th of September, I had to ask people to vote.”

On Saturday, October 26, the winners of the award categories will be announced at a grand gala dinner.

Donna continued: “Little old country bumpkin me going to a big ceremony! I’m very pleased and overwhelmed as well. To have been nominated for this award coming from such a small market town is amazing.”

The awards are promoted on social media, encouraging people to nominate a florist they think is worthy of an award and recognition.

Donna said: “I don’t know who it was that nominated me — they say they might come forward after the awards. It could have been one of my peers, it could have been a customer.

“The response has been really nice, with people saying they’ll vote for me. But I still think that getting in the top ten is just amazing.”

If Donna comes away with the BFA award, it will only be adding to her achievements. For two years running, she has won the Muddy Stilettos award for Best Florist, the certificates of which are proudly hung on the wall in her shop.

The achievement will also be welcome as 2019 marks ten years of trading for Donna, who began the Flowers by Donna venture in August 2009.

Floristry was something that came naturally to Donna. Her gardening hobby with her nan allowed her to explore the range of colours and textures in the changing seasons as she grew up.

She said: “I used to garden with my nan when I was younger. Both my sets of grandparents did a lot of gardening, but one of my nans was especially keen on flowers, so I got a lot of practice then. I went on to do my work experience and then it went from there.”

Having spent a week’s work experience at a florist when she was 14, Donna was then given a Saturday job, cleaning buckets and conditioning flowers until she reached the end of her GCSEs, which then saw her embark onto floristry college, resulting in a Higher Diploma in Floristry.

Donna’s work ethic is something that shines through her work. After having her first baby on a Saturday, she was back at work the following week, bringing her newborn daughter into the shop with her in a Moses basket.

Three years later the same happened again, with daughter number two being born on a Friday and going back to work the following Monday morning.

Donna will find out if she has won Retail Shop of the Year at the end of October. But to take her mind off the anticipation of the event, she is hosting her annual Christmas shopping event today (Thursday, October 17). People who walk past her shop regularly will have seen the window brimming with festive goods — from tree decorations to beautiful flower pots and more.

Donna added: “I would like to thank everyone who took time to vote for me and I really appreciate everyone’s support over the past ten years.”

To find out more about Flowers by Donna, visit flowersbydonnacornish.co.uk. For more information about the BFA awards and the finalists in each category, visit www.britishfloristassociation.org/for-the-industry/industry-news/industry-awards-2019-finalists/