Renowned florist Lavender Green Flowers is proud to have developed ‘Flower Freecycle’, a service that recycles flowers that come back from weddings and events to local charities and members of the community close to the studio in Windsor. In 2023, £14,118 has been raised to date for local charities.
Lavender Green Flowers provides floral installations for around 2000 events a year; weddings, corporate events, private events and sporting event hospitality. As a team of 40, they are fortunate to work in prestigious venues such as all Historic Royal Palaces, Museums, Galleries and 5 star hotels. The volume of flowers that are used across the events is vast, and whilst Lavender Green have always been mindful of their environmental impact, Managing Director Colin Gray recognised that more could be done and launched Flowers Freecycle in 2019. Today, 70% of Lavender Green Flowers events are entirely waste free.
The flowers and plants that are recycled are either sold by the charities and organisations to fundraise or used to enrich the lives of others. As much as possible is donated after each event, depending on the flower and conditions they have been in, and anything not donated is composted. Flowers donated last at least 4 more days, and plants can last much longer if nurtured.
Lavender Green Flowers work directly with growers in the UK and abroad to ensure they buy from sensible organisations, with sustainability and fair working conditions a top priority of theirs. Flower Freecycle is at no extra cost to clients and is entirely volunteer led. Over the next few years, Lavender Green Flowers will continue to define this module and share it with all in an effort to encourage a more sustainable industry.
Since launching Flower Freecycle in 2019, Lavender Green Flowers estimates that over £40,000 has been raised for local charities and organisations directly from their pre-loved flowers and plants.
Charities and organisations that have raised funds with Lavender Green Flowers donations in 2023 are as follows;
- The Babybank
- The Clewer Brownie Group/Clewer Scouts and Guides
- The Windsor Boys School Boatclub
- The Windsor Girls School Boatclub
- Windsor Food Share
- Altwood School
- Windsor Girls School
- Burchetts Green Infants School PTA
- SHOC
- George IV Day Centre
- Friends of Windsor Music
- Larchfield Primary School PTA
- Bisham Primary School PTA
Other Charities and Organisations that have received floral donations in 2023 are as follows;
- Age Concern
- Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice
- The DASH Charity
- Wexham Ambulance Station
- Thames Valley Police
- BUPA UK
- MacMillan
- Winton House Residential Care
- Ascot Day Centre
- Tree House Café
- Eco Action Hub
- A Ukrainian Support Group