Master Florists Julie Collins and Tina Parkes of award-winning British Floral Academy of Art, launches a special festive fundraising campaign to help save England’s most threatened species from extinction.  The internationally renowned duo who offer professional floristry training and flower-arranging courses suitable from beginners to masters, have created an online professional Christmas floristry course to help you dress your home in style in aid of ‘The Back from the Brink’ project.

Back from the Brink is one of the most ambitious conservation projects ever undertaken.  It is backed by a grant of £4.6m from The National Lottery, helping to save 20 species from extinction and benefit 200 more through 19 projects focused on endangered and decreasing population of wildlife and their habitats, including animal, plant, and fungi across England from the tip of Cornwall to Northumberland.

Tina Parkes – Co-owner British Academy of Floral Art said: “Julie and I are passionate about giving back to the community and each year raise funds for a worthy cause and are very excited to be supporting Back from the Brink for 2020.  In these challenging times, wanted to make this as affordable as possible for people to donate and make a real difference to our precious wildlife and their habitats across England.  Together we can help save these endangered species for future generations.”

The on-line course of four individual festive films by Master Florists Tina and Julie show you how to create a perfect festive setting with step-by-step tips, is on special offer via the British Academy of Floral Art’s website until Christmas Eve for a donation of just £20 in aid of Back from the Brink, making it an affordable Christmas gift whilst helping save England’s treasured wildlife from decline.

Julie Collins – Co-owner and Master Florist said: “By donating just £20 towards the saving of our amazing environmental and wildlife, on the brink of extinction, you will be the proud owner of four individual films full of great festive floral tips and helping to raise much-needed funds to save our British wildlife and their habitats across England.  Together we can help protect these endangered species.”

The Back from the Brink project is the first nationwide coordinated effort to bring a wide range of leading charities and conservation bodies together to save threatened species and has received a National Lottery grant.  It is the first time ever that so many conservation organisations have come together with one focus in mind – to bring back from the brink of extinction some of England’s most threatened species of animal, plant, and fungi.

Back from the Brink projects include conservation work such as the Buglife-led Ancients of the Future project, looking at challenges facing ancient trees and the wildlife that relies on them, working with landowners and managers across England including Cornwall.  The Plantlife-led Colour in the Margins project is working save rare arable flowers in farmland habitats across England, including Cornwall, Devon & Somerset.

The Narrow-headed ant, one of the rarest ants in the UK is only found in Scotland and Devon with the only Devon-based reserve being at Chudleigh Knighton.  Other projects in Devon include the ‘Lesser Butterfly Orchid’ which has seen serious decline in the last 50 years and the Grey Long-eared Bat which is amongst the UK’s rarest mammals. In 2017 the Bat Conservation Trust worked with landowners in South Devon to discover how to retain and enhance the precious habitats the bats need.

James Harding-Morris – Communications & Engagement Manager – Back from the Brink said: “We are delighted to be the chosen beneficiary for the British Academy of Floral Art Christmas floristry course campaign. Back from the Brink is not a charity in its own right, but we do try to raise additional money to cover extra work on our projects, and these donations are processed by Butterfly Conservation on behalf of the partnership.”

He adds: “It is a ground-breaking collaboration of conservation experts, as we recognise that no one organisation holds all the knowledge and answers to saving nature. Our partners are Natural England, Amphibian and Reptile Conservation, Bat Conservation Trust, Buglife, Bumblebee Conservation Trust, Butterfly Conservation, Plantlife and the RSPB. Together we will save some of England’s most endangered species from extinction such as the Narrow-headed Ant, Chequered Skipper and Prostrate Perennial Knawel, amongst many, who will have a more secure future thanks to our work and the support of the British public.’

The special offer of a £20 donation for floristry course in aid of Back from the Brink is available via the British Academy of Floral Art’s website until Christmas Eve 2020.

Visit: https://academyoffloralart.com/shop/uncategorised/on-line-professional-christmas-floristry-course/

Back from the Brink: https://naturebftb.co.uk/

Read all about it: 

The Exeter Daily 

Devon 24/7

Western Morning News

Pippa Quelch interview on BBC Radio Devon on Monday 7th December with Julie Collins and Tina Parkes

Express & Echo

North Devon Journal

Herald Express