Judy Ward Email and Phone Number

www.bloomingchic.co.ukBlooming Chic is a design studio where we make bespoke flowers for weddings and installations. We also run workshops throughout the year as well as workshops to suit you. We offer personal consultations at our studio workshop or online to discuss your requirements and to help make suitable suggestions for your venue. Www.bloomingchic.co.uk

I provided pastoral support and guidance for students aged 16 - 19 on their journey through further education. I gave help and advice on career paths and plans, as well as supported the student with their applications to university and into apprenticeships by writing references to support applications.I ran the camera club for the enrichment program at the college for two years, and was also an exams moderator for GCSE Photography and Graphic design for Edexcel.

I taught AS and A2 level Photography along with the Photographic content of a BTEC in Art and Design. I was also course leader for GCSE Photography where I designed and wrote the course.

As Service Co-ordinator my role was organising the workload for a team of 12 service and commissioning engineers based in Exeter, Portsmouth and Oxford.

For 3 years I worked at this City Centre Florist where I created floral arrangements to cover a myriad of occasions from funeral flowers to Weddings. I also looked after a number of regular contracts for floral arrangements that included Powderham Castle as well as a number of large Hotels from the Southgate in Exeter to the Langstone Cliff Hotel in Dawlish, these contracts were carried out in situ. We also provided the flowers for functions to each of these Hotels. We also carried out plant supply and maintenance to a large variety of businesses in and around Exeter including many of the car dealership showrooms. Chelsea flowers contributed each year to the annual Flower festival held at St Stephens Bow in the middle of the city centre which was a real draw for both locals and tourists.Sadly Chelsea flowers closed due to the redevelopment of the Princesshay area of Exeter.2001 - current I have worked as a freelance florist where I have been responsible for the entire wedding event, which have included the church flowers, the reception table arrangements to the hand held bouquets for Brides and their Bridesmaids and the button holes and corsages for the guests. This even includes the flowers for my own wedding reception!

This was a 22 bedroom, 50 seater restaurant and public bar, 3 star AA recommended Hotel with 1 Rosette for cuisine. My responsibilities, apart from front of house management and Restaurant manager, included accounts payable, stock orders,personnel and in-house florist for functions and conferences. The staff numbered 16 at it’s busiest. My main responsibility, which coincides with my passion, was to make our guests welcome and comfortable with everything they could wish for for an enjoyable stay or meal.

Prior to working at Chelsea flowers I have worked in a number of other florists. My first training was at the Lynwood Floral Centre in Teddington. I attended Norwood Horticultural College for a short course in floristry. At this florist I learned how to market and look after the flowers. We also supplied many of the bouquets and arrangements for Thames television. My very first attempt at a buttonhole was under pressure while a member of the Morecambe and Wise production team paced the floor as I worked saying that my two buttonholes were for Eric Morecambe and Hannah Gordon!After this Florist I worked at Petals Florist, also in Teddington, this florist introduced me to teleflorist whereas I had dealt with interflora at the previous shop. Here I was often left to manage the shop and I worked on and off at this florist for two years, in the latter year on an on call basis as I had moved from the area.I have also worked for a family company called Fletchers of Wokingham, I worked for the florist side of the business, I was assistant to the head florist and acted as head florist on alternate weekends.

My first job after leaving college. I was a junior learning different departments of the department store and attending Kingston College for one day a week to do a course in Retail, accounts and retail law.I did 3 months in each of these departments, Menswear, Ladies wear, Childrens Wear and Lingerie.This was a fabulous training as the ethic of the store was that personal service and customer care was the first priority and knowing your stock a very close second. This was an excellent training that I have taken on into all my jobs ever since.In 1981 - 1982 I went back to work at Dickins and Jones as a Sales Assistant in the Fabrics and Haberdashery Department. Here I learned to make clothes as well as advice customers on fabric materials and what to do with them as well as how to use patterns effectively. During this time I, along with 6 of my colleagues, took part in a Fashion show where we modelled clothes we had made using patterns from our department and cloth from the department. The fashion show was also contributed to by the staff from the Regent street store and the local press covered the event.I only left as another opportunity came up for me to get back to working as a florist.