Former Flower Box owner Lesley Kidd joins Cafe on Corporation team

Lesley Kidd owned and ran The Flower Box for three decades, before deciding it was time for a change.

She is now part of the Cafe on Corporation team, imparting her floristry knowledge to NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) participants.

After getting into floristry at the age of 15, Ms Kidd soon realised she had found her passion.

And while blessed to have run a successful business for 30 years, and to have worked alongside her family, she is looking forward to sharing her passion with others.

"When I was running the business, the flower part was my absolute favourite part," Ms Kidd said.

"Obviously there's a lot to running a business, but the creative side was my favourite.

"This opportunity came up to still do what I love, and to not only be able to teach, but to be able to upskill people with a disability and to create opportunity that they would never have had before."

Cafe on Corporation provides hospitality employment opportunities for people living with a disability, and project manager Carol Smith is thrilled to add another facet to the business.

"It's a fantastic initiative, we're so stoked," she said.

"You don't get a florist of 30 years in the community to come alongside these guys, so it's just such an opportunity for anybody who wants to be involved."

Ms Smith said it's a great to offer a NDIS members a different, creative employment opportunity, as well as continue a long-standing community service.

Two of the new staff learning to ropes of floristry are Livy Curtis and Brianna Wheeler.

Both are thoroughly enjoying learning how to sort and care for flowers, and they love knowing what occasion they're making the bouquets for.

Florist and support worker Lesley Kidd said they have picked things up very quickly.

"We did a workshop and they were all really enthusiastic, they all had big smiles and they were all very keen to get their hands on the flowers and have a go at it," she said.

"They're receiving it well and the girls who are working are picking stuff up and learning very quickly and bringing out their creative side."

The ladies have been working hard to remember the names of the different flowers, as well as what types and colours work together.

For Ms Kidd, it's a great opportunity to continue working in the area that she loves and encourage others into the industry as well.

"I feel quite honoured to be able to pass on what I know to people who are just gracious to learn," she said.

Livy Curtis, one of the NDIS members working in Cafe Florist, said she loves putting the flowers together and creating cute cards to go with the posies.

"My favourite flowers are the pink carnations," she said.

"And I like to make the homemade cards for people for their birthdays or if they're not very well."

The team at Cafe on Corporation and Cafe Florist encourage locals to get around the new business and either pre-order or pop in and grab some ready-made posies.

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