From an adult-size 99 ice cream to an entire set of funeral flowers made completely out of vegetables – Central England Co-op Florists reveal some of their amazing creations for the first time

Posted by rob smyth | Published: 07/08/2019

Central England Co-op today reveals some of the amazing creations it has made to help families say goodbye to their loved ones with unique and personal floral tributes.

Following a survey of expert florists based at shops across the country, findings showed that people are now forgoing traditional flower arrangements and are instead honouring the passing of a relative or friend with a bespoke tribute that sums up their life.

Data collected has revealed that florists are being inundated with a wide range of requests to personalise funeral flowers to ensure they truly reflect the person they are for.

Examples from the past 12 months include:

• An adult-size ice cream cone – complete with chocolate flake and sauce
• A 3D replica of a loved one’s precious dog and a massive dog bone
• An E-type jaguar, Triumph motorcycle and a former milkman’s milk float
• A life-size paintbrush
• A replica of a James Bond Omega watch
• Full-size pool table including balls and cues
• A wreath and entire set of funeral flowers made completely out of vegetables
• Replica football club badges, poppies and several gigantic cups of tea and biscuits.

This demand for bespoke floral tributes comes at a time when people are having a greater say on planning and personalising their own unique funeral.

This shift towards personalisation has also coincided with a notable rise in people opting to buy pre-paid funeral plans to ensure that funeral costs do not fall on their family, or to fill out a free funeral wishes form to ensure they get the tailored send-off that they want.

Sue Carty, one of the many talented florists that works for Central England Co-op, said: “These examples are just some of the hundreds that we are asked to make to honour the lives of loved ones all year round.

“We pride ourselves on always trying to accommodate what people want – no matter what it is – and now more than ever people want something bespoke, something that truly reflects the person they are saying goodbye to.

 “People often come in with a set idea or photo and then it is up to me and my team to see if we can make that happen.

 “We love these challenges as it means we are able to indulge our creative side and come up with solutions.

“We really enjoy what we do and love to be able to come up with something wonderful to help honour the life of a loved one.”

Central England Co-op has florists in Birmingham, Droitwich, Kettering, Stafford, Leicester and support centres in Burton and Chesterfield.

As well as providing tributes to loved ones, they also specialise in weddings, christenings, birthdays and a wide variety of other special occasions.

People can find out more about our Floral offering by visiting www.centralengland.coop/florists

Notes to editors

About Central England Co-operative

Central England Co-operative is one of the largest independent retail co-operative societies in the UK. 

It is a modern, forward-looking organisation employing over 8,000 staff, with the Society’s principal areas of activity being food, funeral services, and property.

The company’s funeral business consists of over 120 funeral homes across 16 counties, nine florists, masonry production and administration, Bretby Crematorium and Terry Smiths coffin factory.

Central England Co-operative has more than 430 trading outlets across 16 counties including; West Midlands, Warwickshire, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Rutland, Nottinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Lincolnshire, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, Suffolk, Norfolk, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire. 

The Society has an ambitious food store and funeral home development programme for 2019.

Central England Co-operative is proud of its reputation for ethical business practices and corporate responsibility.  It is a member of Business in the Community, the membership organisation that stands for responsible business, and has also won many business awards for excellence.  The Society supports a number of charities including Dementia UK and invests a percentage of its trading profit into local communities.

Becoming a member of Central England Co-operative offers a whole host of benefits ranging from collecting points every time you spend in store to earn a share of the profits, access to members activities and community initiatives including the Community Dividend Fund, which hands out grants of up to £5,000 to charities and good causes across the Society’s trading estate.

Find out how to become a Central England Co-operative member by calling 0800 0501 601, emailing members@centralengland.coop or visiting https://www.members.coop

For more information visit www.centralengland.coop, follow Central England Co-operative on Twitter: @mycoopfood, @mycooplife and on Facebook: facebook.com/centralenglandcooperative

Rob Smyth and James Brindle at Central England Co-operative on 01543 414140

Email – publicrelations@centralengland.coop