Ideas & Initiatives
Welcome to our new Ideas & Initiatives page, on this page we will share ideas and initiatives that Areas and clubs have found successful. If you would like to contribute, please email your ideas and initiatives to info@nafas.org.uk
Topic = Club Ideas (June 2024)
‘Activating your Club’ – Lesley Sturdy MA, National Associate of Honour, Home Counties
“We need more active members not just for committee but also arranging, exhibiting and competing. To encourage members try the following:
Have a dabble club session:
- 4 or 5 tables with different ideas to try. They can be simple e.g. manipulating foliage, covering a small sphere, an aspidistra leaf coned and a few flowers inserted into an orchid tube. (Ideas carried out at Clophill Club, Home Counties Area) The club supplies all ingredients and members can move from table to table, which also gives a chance to socialise. This starts them off. This saves money on a demonstrator and gets people interacting.
- Try a simple class title and ask members to participate with members then placing a coin on the one they like. This means there is no formal judge and the money can be donated to club or charity.
- Have a session rather than a demonstrator with 3 or 4 classes for members to enter and these to be judged.
- Combine with 1 or 2 other clubs and have a show. Start small as in 1 and work up to 4. This way you could have more competitors. Showing can be fun and members would then meet like-minded people; hopefully then they will enter at Area and also National level where friends can be made across the country. It is great watching competitors and learning from others as well as having a go. It might also lead onto entering a WAFA Show – who knows!”
Topic = Club Ideas (May 2024)
‘Spicing up your Club’ – Alison Gillott, Past Area Chairmen of Surrey
Having listened to members ideas in Surrey and surrounding Areas, Alison has penned a document ‘Spicing up your Flower Club’. If you are interested in reading this please click here
Topic = Workshops (May 2024)
Castleford Flower Club, North East Area – Karen and Stuart Trewartha
The Fun with Flowers workshops were introduced over 10 years ago to raise funds for the flower club. Membership had fallen to below 20 and it was becoming more difficult to offer a varied programme. Closure looked imminent. We began with 9 members supporting this venture.
The premise was that for £10, the flowers, foliage and accessories were all provided along with step-by-step tuition. This was, and still is, a winning formula albeit the cost is now £17.50.
For beginners it reduces the worry of bringing the correct materials; for the more experienced it is a chance to play with lovely flowers. Following the success of the workshops, members of the public are now welcome. As a result, we have over 120 keen enthusiasts on the database.
The 3 workshops are held, normally at the weekends with 30 to 35 people attending each session, many of which are of the younger generation.
There are now over 50 club members. The club monthly meetings have a renewed vibrancy and members enjoy a varied programme of demonstrations, workshops, practice nights some with slightly unusual aspects.
The financial position is now stable and we continue to attract more new members as our success increases.
Castleford Flower Club Facebook page is active and updated every 4 days.
Topic = Club Ideas (May 2024)
Beverley Marshall, Rhyl Floral Art Society, Mercia & North Wales
I have arranged and presented several workshops in my local club and would be happy to share my ‘lessons learned’:-
- Plan well ahead, especially on the day to organise the mechanics and if necessary, soak foam (when this is required for numerous people it can take time).
- It is more manageable (we have around 20 attendees each workshop) if attendees bring their own flowers and foliage rather than having this provided.
- Provide members with a sheet to sign and any deposit required either a month or two before the event to ensure people are committed and you have a good idea of the numbers attending; this is also a helpful way of providing a list of anything they are to bring e.g. a reminder to bring floristry scissors and secateurs.
- We have a WhatsApp group for the committee and members, which is helpful for sending a reminder a few days before the event.
- Take photos at the event for interest and publicity
- Keep in mind that levels of confidence and ability will vary, so go at the speed of the slowest to encourage all to participate and provide constructive feedback.
To date, we have made a traditional front facing symmetrical design, a front facing parallel design, a basket, a wreath and most recently handbags.
