Following on from the Simple ideas I mentioned in my letter I received this today. I think it is a lovely idea. I will be doing it – have already found a Green Ring to fix up and put in the window.

If you like take a picture and perhaps send to your club if the club has a Facebook page. Kate Kear is the Area Chairman for Three Counties & South Wales.

“Hello Everyone

I do hope you are keeping safe during these unprecedented times.

This week on my daily walks I noticed a variety of rainbow pictures, some homemade by children, some printed, but I noticed them all.  In folklore the rainbow has always been, amongst other things, a symbol of hope, the calm after the storm.  This got me to thinking about how as an Association we could, short term, use our homes and skills to send out messages. I do believe in the dripping tap theory, so many simple little words and actions collectively make a difference.  There is a limit to how we can help in this situation but we can be seen to support.

I am hoping as many people as possible make or find a ring and add a green ribbon to it and put it for the duration on front doors or prominent windows. The ring symbolises unending and everlasting love , the cycle of life and hope. Green is for renewal, balance and progress .

Please send this to all your clubs and put it on the various media facilities to spread the word. Thank you so much for your help in passing this on. Pass the idea to family and friends, neighbours and more.

Thank you so much. Katherine Kear”

I Will be putting this in the window as a sign of Hope and Love

During the last few weeks, having been plunged into uncertainty, we have all been focusing on keeping our membership safe and well as our priority. We are aware of members concerns about the future of the Association. It’s true, these are testing times for us all, but we want to reassure you that the Association has the resources to come through this crisis and we will be there throughout to support our Areas, Clubs and Members.

Here for You

As your NAFAS Board of Directors, we have held our first Virtual Board meeting via an online conference facility.

The meeting was very constructive and positive, where we looked at how, as a oard, we can support you.

Step one – each of the Board Directors will be in touch with 3 Areas and so will be contacting your Area Chairman to help and support them through this uncertain period. To hear your issues, then work on how we can help you.

The other communication tool which has been dysfunctional for some time is the NAFAS website, As this is our main form of communication we have decided to proceed with the design of a new site that we hope will bring flowers and floral design back into all our lives. Our grateful thanks go out to those Areas who have made contributions to this project.

We were inspired to see on Wednesday evening an online demonstration by John Paul, a member of Londonderry Flower Club in the NIGFAS Area. Members of the club were joined by many of us from around the world. What an excellent initiative. We are certain that knowing how creative you all are, as we settle into isolation you will come up with many innovative ideas. The strength of our Association is the creativity of the membership.

Ideas

So, start letting us know your ideas so that we can circulate, enable peer support, and as one big NAFAS Team we can work together.

 Concern

We are obviously concerned about our Demonstrators, Speakers and Teachers whose work has been severely affected by the call from the Government to isolate ourselves. We hope that the recent information regarding the ‘self-employed’ will help to support those who earn a living from our industry. We will keep abreast of all Government initiatives to support you.

Communication

In this period, when we cannot physically meet, all forms of communication are even more important than normal. By reinforcing this national process, we want to encourage you to do whatever you can to keep in touch, remember for many you might be a lifeline.

We are certain that, with the kindness and generosity of spirit in this world, in drastically changing times, we can make a floral mark on our communities to show that flowers and nature lift our spirits and become the medicine we all need.

We ask clubs and Areas to keep your Facebook and website pages up  to date with comments about your club and flower arranging pictures, maybe from your clubs past events.

Chrissie Harten’s latest video, “Alternative Mechanics – Using Chicken Wire” is available on the NAFAS website.

Finally, let us draw your attention to Let Hope Bloom. Launched by the  flowercouncil.co.uk this project fits well together with our own ethos of  bringing people and flowers together.

Keep safe

From the Directors of NAFAS,

Dr Christina Curtis, Craig Bullock, Ellie Meaking, Peter Mathers,

Ann Harding, Pam Ferguson and Kathy Lee 

NAFAS Coronavirus ( COVID 19 ) Statement Update

NAFAS – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Statement (updated 9th April 2020)
Over the last few weeks, since our last statement, there has been much change to the COVID-19 guidelines set by the Government, the World Health Organisation and the UK NHS. 
The health and safety of our members, staff and visitors is our priority. 
We, as your National Association’s President, National Officers, CEO, Directors and staff have continued to work on your behalf to provide support for the whole membership. There are two ways that we have enabled our continued support and communication:
1) Our Head Office staff are working from home following the Government Guidelines, so you are still able to communicate with Head Office in the normal way by phone and email.  
2) We, your Board of Directors are now holding weekly Virtual Board meetings, every Friday at 11am thereby increasing the frequency of these meetings, so that we can lead the way forwards and respond to the everchanging circumstances.
After each Board meeting, we are releasing the Minutes from the previous week to the Area Chairmen, to aid swift communication of decisions, guidance and help.
In addition to those meetings, through technology, interim discussions and decision making is taking place. We are constantly investigating how we can aid communication to and from your clubs and Areas to NAFAS, and indeed between your Areas, encouraging peer support. We acknowledge that the website is not functioning at an appropriate level, so we have prioritised the design and build of a new website, about which we will keep you informed.
Recently we have postponed or cancelled NAFAS events for the foreseeable future. This decision has not been taken lightly, but bearing in mind that, even if we were to come out of this period of lockdown, many will initially, quite rightly, be very reticent at coming together in large numbers. We are also not clear of timescales and whether there might be a second wave of infections leading to another lockdown. As you will appreciate, it’s difficult to offer advice about future meetings while the Government lockdown remains in place. Once this has been lifted, we will be able to start making plans again and rescheduling our meetings.”
Please note, all decisions made are the responsibility of the Club or Area. There may be local considerations to be aware of too, for example, a member of a club may contract the virus. Please contact Head Office should you have any concerns or for full information and guidelines about Coronavirus (COVID-19) please visit the NHS website – www.nhs.uk  
It is the responsibility of the Club and Area Chairmen to fulfil their contractual obligations to a Demonstrator if a meeting is cancelled at short notice, especially if flowers have already been purchased. Please honour your responsibilities.  
In addition to communication, your Board really encourages you to be creative in the strange situation we find ourselves in. There are lots of ways online that we can show to the world our love of flowers to brighten outlooks and lift spirits. Technology is providing an important way of virtually meeting together to share this passion, so please go to the following Facebook Pages:
•NAFAS       •Friends of NAFAS       • Flower Arrangers       • Your Area  Your Club
 Also follow     •The Flower Arranger social media  
Don’t forget to view your own Area websites and Newsletters. 
Stop Press - *The Flower Arranger is out this week. Remember it does come out in digital form as well*
If there are any changes to the current recommendations from the Government or the World Health Organisation, we will review, react to and communicate their instructions promptly.   

Could you have a, winning garden? The RHS and BBC1's The One Show are joining forces to launch My Chelsea Garden, a competition encouraging gardeners across the nation to share images of their green spaces and growing efforts at home in search of the very best.

The charity and broadcaster are asking people to enter pictures of their garden in one of the following four categories:

Back Garden,

Front Garden,

Indoor Garden
(Houseplants, window sills, balconies, etc),

Kids' Corner Garden.

you can only enter one image in one of the categories. Pictures must be of people’s own indoor or outdoor gardens and must be taken between Friday 1 May and Monday 18 May 2020.

The best gardens will be shortlisted by a team of researchers and horticultural experts and selected to go before a panel of judges based on their suitability and the information supplied by the nominee. A winner from each of the four categories will be selected and will win four tickets to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2021 and a special RHS Award commending their garden.

Entries open at 7pm on Friday 1st May and close at midnight on Monday 18th May. The winners will be revealed on The One Show and across RHS social platforms and their website on Friday 22nd May

https://www.bbc.co.uk/…/SyXWtjtkKSvBRw9lT…/my-chelsea-garden

 

Rings of Hope & Appreciation

 

Flower Arrangers all over the country are creating door rings to show their appreciation of the NHS staff and essential workers during this emergency. They are decorating them in green and blue, with ribbons, flowers and foliage.

 

The ring symbolises unending and everlasting love, the cycle of life and hope. Green is for renewal, balance and progress, and blue for the NHS.

 

Gloucester based NAFAS member and Master Florist Katherine Kear, whose idea this was, thanks all who have already decorated their doors and encourages the public to find creative ways to take part in this gesture of thanks.

 

Step by step ideas, suitable for beginners and children, can be found on the NAFAS Facebook page @NafasFlowers and also Katherine Kear’s Facebook page @KatherineKearFlowers. A ‘How to’ video is available on the nafasflowers YouTube 

Judge for Floral Art Competition for NIGFAS Day 7th March 2020 is Rita Braithwaite

Rita Braithwaite is a National Judge from Northumberland and Durham NAFAS

Unfortunately Pat Hutchinson is unable to attend