The RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year Competition

Have you got what it takes?

The Royal Horticultural Society is proud to announce the launch of ‘The RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year’ competition in association with the British Florist Association. This competition is to be held at the world’s most famous flower show in Chelsea, London and showcases the very best in professional retail floristry. The competition will take place within the floristry section at the 2009 RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

The two new categories for 2009 are:

• The RHS Young Chelsea Florist of the Year :
  
Open to anyone aged between 16 - 25 years of age.
• The RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year :
  
Open to anyone aged 26 and over.

Each category will be staged in two sessions. The First Session will be staged on Press Day (Monday 18 May) and on the first and second days of the show (Tuesday 19 May and Wednesday 20 May), and the Second Session will be staged on the third, fourth and fifth days (Thursday 21 May, Friday 22 May and Saturday 23 May).

In order to qualify

• Entry to the competition is open to any florist working in or owning a retail florist shop, or who is a student or tutor at an approved floristry school or recognised college

How to enter

• To enter you will need to submit a piece of floristry, following the relevant competition schedule, into one of the regional qualifying heats to be held at the BFA Hub Meetings. The highest scoring entries from each category will qualify for a place at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. For dates and more information on BFA Hub Meetings held in your area please visit: www.britishfloristassociation.org

Judging & Awards
The judging will be to RHS judging standards.  Medals can include ‘Bronze’, ‘Silver’, ‘Silver Gilt’, and ‘Gold’. The Best in Show will be presented with the ‘RHS Chelsea Florist of the Year’ & ‘RHS Young Chelsea Florist of the Year’ trophy.

The 2009 RHS Chelsea Flower Show will be open from Tuesday 19 May - Friday 22 May from 8am to 8pm and on Saturday 23 May from 8am to 5.30pm. Please check the Chelsea Exhibitor Manual, which will be sent to you upon confirmation and acceptance of space, for final confirmation of these times.

Please note all application forms will be issued to the winning competitors at the qualifying heats held at the BFA Hub meetings.  After the heat has taken place, the application form must be completed and returned to the RHS Shows Department by the date stated on the application form.  The Schedule & regulations for Chelsea Flower Show will be distributed individually to all confirmed competitors after the final hub meeting takes place in March 2009.

If you have any queries regarding any aspect of the competition please do not hesitate to contact
Sarah Owen, Chelsea Flower Show Deputy Show Manager at the RHS directly on 020 7821 3336
or by e-mail: sarahowen@rhs.org.uk