A CARLISLE florist is celebrating six years of Oopsie Daisy Flowers this year – and says this year may have been her best yet.

Kim Mills, 31, run her floristry business from her home on Currock Park Avenue after working in the industry for some years.

She said: “I just wanted to do it for myself. I had always wanted to be a florist ever since I was at school so it just seemed like the next step to start my own business after I had worked in the different shops around town.”

Kim first discovered the trade while in Year 10 at school on a work experience placement.

At 18 she was due to start a course at university – but two weeks before decided on pursuing her career in floristry.

She has now been working in the industry for 12 years.

Speaking about starting a business at 25, Kim says she is ‘proud’ at the way she has tackled adversity in the world of business.

She said: “I am massively proud of myself for sticking with it because originally I did open a shop on Botchergate but all the orders were kind of coming over the phone and online and nobody was actually coming in the shop, so I gave the shop up and opened a studio at home.”

Kim has recently had a new studio custom-made and new signing for her van.

She said: “It just kind of feels like this year everything has sort of progressed to the next level.”

Kim thanked her parents, partner and family for all their help over the years in creating her business – especially on busy occasions such as Valentine’s Day and Mothers Day – and says she ‘couldn’t do’ what she does without their help.

Although some businesses have struggled through the past year with the coronavirus pandemic Oopsie Daisy has flourished.

Kim said: “I just feel massively grateful that I have so much support from my customers, especially over the past 18 months with the Covid situation and everything.

“Because I work from home and I work on my own, I was able to work all the way through, so when people couldn’t get out to the shops to buy birthday and anniversary gifts a lot of them were just sending flowers which did keep me busy, so I am just massively grateful for that because I know it’s been so hard on so many of the local businesses.”

Kim has diversified her business to create chocolate bouquets and fruit baskets that have helped to target men.

To find out more you can visit http://www.oopsiedaisyflowers.co.uk/