Family-run florist celebrates 40 years

A group of four women stood behind a wooden countertop - they're all smiling and looking into the camera. Left to right - Jean Molloy has short light brown hair and is wearing a brown and white striped shirt, a brown sleeveless cardigan; Catherine Thomas has short blonde/grey hair and is wearing a bright pink shirt and a black jumper; Natalie Drury has long brown hair and is wearing a dark green and blue striped long-sleeve top and a black gilet; Bea Prosser has long brown hair and is wearing a black top with gold buttons. They're all wearing navy blue aprons with the shop's logo on the front - which is a blue and green flower with 'John R Thomas' written next to it in green. They're indoors, inside the shop which has teal blue walls and wooden shelves with plant pots on.

Jean Molloy, Catherine Thomas, Natalie Drury, and Bea Prosser are the team behind John R Thomas Florist

Ellen Knight
BBC Radio Shropshire
James Hearle
BBC Radio Shropshire

A family-run florist is celebrating 40 years of trade this week - as well as being nominated for a national award.

John R Thomas Florist in Church Stretton was set up in 1985, and remains a central part of the Shropshire town's community.

The founder, John, died 11 years ago, but his wife, Catherine Thomas, and stepdaughter, Bea Prosser, have said they are "proud" to continue on with the family business.

"People absolutely adored my husband and we remember him very, very fondly", Mrs Thomas said.

As well as celebrating its 40th anniversary, the shop has been nominated for Retail Florist of the Year by the British Florist Association (BFA).

"We're very excited," Mrs Thomas said, adding that "it's never happened before".

"It would be a great honour to win and people in Church Stretton have been wishing us loads of luck," she said.

Mrs Thomas added the shop has built up multiple generations of loyal customers over the years by providing flowers for all occasions, from births to funerals.

A photograph of the couple on their wedding day - they're both smiling and looking off towards the right of the image. John, on the left, is wearing a dark suit with a light blue shirt and red tie, and has a white rose in his buttonhole. He's using a motorised wheelchair. Catherine, on the right, is wearing a white floral suit and is holding a bouquet of white roses. They're stood outside, with grass and a hedge behind them.Family

John Thomas, pictured here with his wife Catherine, died in 2014

Catherine pictured looking into the camera and smiling. She's has blonde and grey hair and is wearing a bright pink collared shirt, a navy knitted jumper, and a navy blue apron. She's stood in front of three rows of buckets of flowers - mainly roses - in colours including white, apricot, dark red, and yellow. The walls of the room are teal blue.

Catherine Thomas said everyone was "very excited" about the award nomination

John and Catherine Thomas even met through the shop, with Mrs Prosser adding her mum "used to come in for flowers every weekend because she liked him."

John had muscular dystrophy, which saw Catherine helping out more and more with the running of the shop.

"[When] he passed away she just got thrown in the deep end, and as any good woman does, cracked on," Mrs Prosser said.

Reflecting on what it's like working at the family business, Mrs Prosser said she "loves" her job.

"I love every single person I work with, and they're not all family but we all get on so well."

A single-storey red brick building with dark blue frames around the windows and door. The door is white, with a blue sign above it reading 'John R Thomas' in white lettering. On the four windows, the words 'florist', 'plants', 'pet supplies', and 'gifts & garden accessories' are printed. There are four window boxes outside with bright pink and yellow flowers, and two pot plants sit by the door. The sky is grey, overcast, and the wet pavement indicates it's recently been raining.

The shop has built up lots of loyal customers across its 40 years in the Shropshire town

The business prides itself on its welcoming, family atmosphere and loyal staff.

Natalie Drury, 25, has been working there for ten years - starting when she was still in school.

She said the shop is "something special" and that she "feels proud to go to work."

"It's not a big [chain] shop - there's only one John R Thomas."

Ms Drury pictured smiling and looking into the camera. She has long brown hair and is wearing a dark blue and green striped top, a black gilet, and a navy blue apron. She's stood in front of wooden shelves which have green houseplants on them. Beyond the shelves, the walls are painted teal blue.

Natalie Drury, 25, has been working at the shop since she was a teenager

Jean pictured looking into the camera and smiling. She has short light brown hair and is wearing a brown and white striped shirt with a brown sleeveless cardigan and a navy apron. On tables around her are orchids, roses and houseplants. The walls of the room are teal blue and there are four windows on the far wall.

Jean Molloy said she is looking forward to celebrating with their customers

Whilst the team keeps their fingers crossed for the award - they are also holding a party to mark 40 years.

Jean Molloy, Mrs Thomas's sister, reckons "it's going to be great fun".

"We'll have all our regulars here, it'll be lovely to see everybody, give them all a glass of fizz, some cake and we'll have a lovely day," she said.

Winning the BFA's Retail Florist of the Year would be "the icing on the cake for all of Catherine's hard work," Mrs Molloy added.

"John will be very proud."

Mrs Prosser pictured smiling and looking into the camera. She's holding a bouquet of flowers, in pinks, purples, and whites. Behind her are three more bouquets, one that's white and dark purple, one that's dark red and yellow, and one made up of white roses.

Mrs Prosser said her stepfather would have loved to celebrate the shop's anniversary

Marking the four decades without John, the shop's founder, is hard - but Mrs Prosser believes her stepdad would be proud of what they've all achieved.

"We'd love him to be here," she said, adding that "more than anything he loved a party - that's what he'd be gutted about the most".

"I know for a fact, he'd be absolutely gobsmacked."

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