Bloomin marvellous - Sutton Coldfield care home resident granted wish to revisit floristry career

A Sutton Coldfield care home orchid-strated a very special afternoon for a resident and former florist. 

Care UK’s Mercia Grange, on Lichfield Road, organised a special flower arranging workshop for resident Janet Hunt, 86.

Janet’s lifelong love for florals began in her teens, inspired by her mum’s interest in flower arranging. Following in her footsteps, Janet became a professional florist and dedicated her life to sharing her passion with others. She taught flower arranging at her local church and even launched her own local flower club. 

During the workshop, Janet rose to the occasion and taught her fellow residents how to arrange a vase of flowers, using her very own professional floristry scissors.

The activity was organised in partnership with London-based Freddie’s Flowers, who supplied a selection of flowers and vases, enabling the residents to create three bouquets. 

Speaking about her experience, Janet said: “There was a good mixture of flowers, and I was very pleased with what I did at the end. Everyone caught on well.”

Michael McNelis, Home Manager at Mercia Grange, said “Janet was truly in her element guiding some of the residents with their bouquet arranging, and it was lovely to see her light up during the workshop.  

“Moving into a care home doesn’t mean you should give up on your lifelong hobbies. That’s why it was important for us to create an experience where Janet could revisit her passion for flower arranging and share her skills with others, just like she used to do; she was a very patient teacher to us all! 

“The day wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Freddie’s Flowers, so I’d like to say a big thank you to them on behalf of us all at Mercia Grange.”

Mercia Grange is a state-of-the-art care home that provides full-time residential, nursing and dementia care, as well as short-term respite care. The three-storey home, which features 67 en suite bedrooms, has been designed to enable residents to live active and fulfilling lives, while also promoting independence. It incorporates plenty of space for leisure activities and hobbies, and includes its own cinema, hair and beauty salon and very popular Sadlers Café.