Blooming great
A Perthshire flower arranger has told the PA she thinks her craft has great benefits for mental health.
Margaret Scott is the area secretary for the Scottish Association of Flower Arrangement Societies (SAFAS) and has enjoyed being a club member for 30 years.
She said: “Membership of a flower club is an excellent way to meet new friends and to stretch your own abilities.
“You don’t have to do flowers but it is fun as well as therapeutic and like every other hobby, the more you put in the more you get out.
“Our motto is ‘Fun and Friendship through Flowers’.
“The pandemic has made us more aware of social media and its benefits of keeping in touch with our members.
“Many have taken on Zoom meetings and it all helps to ease the difficult times of lockdown and not being able to meet up with friends.
“SAFAS is affiliated to NAFAS, the national body, and we have 76 flower clubs all over Scotland from Orkney to the borders.
“We have flower clubs in Pitlochry, Auchterarder, Kinross and Crieff as well as two in Perth and a junior club - Flower Power - also in Perth.
“Clubs normally meet once a month from September to May and watch a demonstrator, with some clubs organising workshops or speakers.
“During the pandemic we have had a virtual photographic completion and a Fun Flower Show on our Facebook page, Friends of SAFAS.
“We are just starting another virtual competition, Christmas Wreaths and A Candle of Hope, which will run until December 10, open to members of a flower club.
“We have commissioned a demonstration by a national demonstrator, David Ryland from Cumbria, which will start on December 13 on Facebook and YouTube and this is free for all our members and friends.
“In relation to mental health, my daughter Alison Mitchell attended a Christmas wreathmaking workshop at Blair Atholl run by Emma Harvey at Coach House Flowers along with a friend, both of them are young mums.
“Neither are members of a flower club, one is a nurse and the other a farrier. Nor had they tried anything like this before - but both said how much they had enjoyed their morning, producing something beautiful and having a fun time amongst friends. They found it very therapeutic.”
See www.safas.org.uk or Facebook Friends of SAFAS.