Shropshire floral talent blooms on national stage

Victoria Upton, a Level 3 Floristry student at Coleg Cambria Yale in Wrexham, secured the prestigious honour at the 2025 FleurEx event, held at the East Midlands Conference Centre in Nottingham.

The awards recognise excellence across the floral industry and are judged by both experts and the public.

Victoria, from Dudleston Heath near Ellesmere, first discovered her passion for floristry in recent years, having previously completed a degree in Ceramics.

“A year ago, my technical skills were very limited, so to win this award feels unbelievable,” she said.

“I’m thrilled with the result and I am still pinching myself. Coleg Cambria has been incredible – the staff, facilities, and support have helped me turn a creative spark into a real business.”

Now in the final year of her qualification, Victoria has launched her own venture – Violet Hill Flower Company – which champions seasonal, locally-grown flowers and operates from her home-based studio and cutting patch.

“My journey into floristry began through the simple, rewarding act of growing flowers,” said Victoria.

“From the very beginning, it was the delicate, fragrant blooms that inspired me to create sustainable designs which celebrate the natural beauty of seasonal flowers.

“Coleg Cambria gave me the skills and confidence to make that dream a reality.”

She also thanked her “floristry family” at Cambria, including long-serving lecturer Amanda Ellis, who was a finalist in the Floristry Tutor of the Year category.

Amanda, who has taught at Cambria for more than 25 years, said: “This is an outstanding achievement. Victoria has worked extremely hard and shown incredible creativity and determination – we’re all so proud of her.”

Students at Cambria gain hands-on industry experience through Iâl Flowers, the college’s training florist shop at its Yale campus, helping prepare them for successful careers in the floral sector.