Last weekend following a visit to my local cemetery, I posted this image and a rant bemoaning the floristry industry’s abuse of single-use plastic in funeral arrangements to my Instagram account. I’ve half-heartedly talked in the past about lobbying the Council to get them to ban poly ribbon and plastics at funeral services, but this time, buoyed by comments and support, I did. I emailed Councillor Sara Conway, the lead on cemeteries, with this photograph asking for the Council to ban the use of poly ribbon and use natural foliage instead and call for cemeteries to provide a recycling area where the plastic rails and trays could be placed following a funeral. She responded quickly to my email and forwarded my request to the Council; they take 5 days to reply, so fingers crossed they respond positively because I won’t take no for an answer. Several craftspeople have contacted me about stalls at next month’s market and North London Waste Authority who are keen to promote their recycling initiatives. I’m delighted that the market is generating such wide interest. Several floristry students have been in touch recently asking for work experience as it’s August, it’s a great time to have them here because it’s quiet. By and large, I’ve been lucky as they’ve worked hard and had interesting stories to share, but I was blown away by Julie, who I met for the first time this week. She told me about the severe abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-partner, who’s now imprisoned for his crime and how she’s found joy for life through floristry. Moments like this make you reflect on your own life and are truly humbling. I can’t wait for her to come back. Have a great week. Ursula