Merseyside florist selling national flower of Ukraine to raise money for country’s children

A Merseyside florist is selling sunflowers, the national flower of Ukraine, to raise money for the war-torn country.

Laurie Spencer, who has run Flower Style by Laurie in Formby for over ten years, decided to use flowers as a way of connecting people who want to help Ukraine.

He told LiverpoolWorld: “All of us want to do something to try and help, I thought it was a way of encouraging people who maybe can’t donate substantial amounts of money or who just want to donate a little to Ukraine.

“We’ve been doing this for a week now and local people are delighted, they are getting some gorgeous flowers and also helping the people of Ukraine in the process.

“A lady came in the other day and took three for each of her friends she was meeting for lunch and she also has a connection to Ukraine through family.

“I realised that the sunflower was the national flower of Ukraine and thought that it is such a bold, bright and beautiful flower it would work perfectly. It might have been harder for me as a florist if it was a snowdrop or something tiny.

“In Ukraine, I believe the sunflower represents love and hope and the people of Ukraine need all the love in the world at the moment and we are hoping this war ends.

“The money raised will be going towards Unicef’s work to support Ukrainian children.”

Laurie and his team, which include florists Mathew Parkinson and Mark Bibby-Brook, have also been adding blue delphinium flowers to the bouquets which are tied with blue and yellow ribbon to represent the Ukrainian flag.

The Formby florist is no stranger to working with charities and supplies flowers annually to golf resort and spa Formby Hall for a charity ball fundraiser.

The ball raises funds for the Rainbow Hub in Mawdesley, near Ormskirk, a charity providing therapeutic services for children and young people with disabilities as a result of a neurological condition or brain injury.

The sunflowers will be available at Flower Style by Laurie until the end of the week.