Moreton Morrell College floristry student named in the WorldSkills UK squad

Talented @MoretonColWCG floristry student from Evesham has been named in the @WorldSkillsUK #SquadUK after a blossoming performance at the national championships

Hannah Beckley, who attends Moreton Morrell College, part of WCG, wowed the judges at the WorldSkills UK event in Birmingham in November with her intricate arrangements that demonstrated an elite level of flair and creativity.

WorldSkills UK is a partnership between businesses, education and Governments that accelerates young people’s careers. The WorldSkills national championship provides squad selectors with the opportunity to observe the UK’s premier vocational skills talent and assemble a national training and development squad.

A final team will be selected to represent their country at the WorldSkills Europe event being held in Graz, Austria, later this year.

Hannah, along with fellow floristry student, Clara Agnew, from the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) in Antrim, will now undertake an intensive two-year programme that will see the pair receive training from some of the UK’s foremost floristry experts.

The training process, which will be fitted around their study and employment commitments, aims to bring them up to world class standard before the UK names its team to compete in the WorldSkills World Championships in Shanghai in 2021.

Hannah said: “I was really shocked when I found out I’d been named in the WorldSkills UK squad.

“It’s exciting but also quite overwhelming. WorldSkills is a really huge event – not only in the UK but across the whole world – and if I make it onto the final team then I’ll be competing among the most talented florists in Europe.

“I’m looking forward to starting the training and expanding my floristry skills, and hopefully getting picked to represent the UK at EuroSkills in September.”

Hannah’s WorldSkills UK squad selection proved that she is no shrinking violet, however, were it not for her timidness, she might not have ever got involved in floristry.

Hannah added: “When I was 15 I had to choose between two options for my work experience, a pet shop or a florist. Loads of people from school used to come into the pet shop so, because I was a little bit shy, I chose the florist so I wouldn’t see them!

“I spent a week working in the flower shop and absolutely loved it. After I’d finished, I looked into doing a college course and was really pleased to discover that Moreton Morrell College offer courses.”

Hannah entered the WorldSkills UK event as a wildcard, meaning she was unable to compete for a medal. However, aged 19 and in the flower of her youth, she fell within the under 23 cut-off for international competition and was eligible for selection for the UK squad.

Hannah’s path from budding student to elite level florist was overseen by Jane Benefield, Course Leader for Floristry, who commended her on her remarkable achievement.

Jane said: “All of us in the floristry team are absolutely thrilled for Hannah. Since joining Moreton Morrell College in 2017 she has fully immersed herself in the floristry programme.

“Hannah has a natural flair for floristry and is already showing signs of becoming an elite-level competitor.

“All of us at Moreton Morrell College are keeping our fingers crossed for Hannah when the final team for EuroSkills is named later this year.”