Beyond the Postcode: Liz Wood, The Watering Can Florist and HD8’s Florist to the Stars

Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life host Beyond the Postcode, a podcast about people who live or work in HD8. In this episode they interview Liz Wood of The Watering Can Florist in Emley, discussing her move to HD8 after making a fresh start with Mark, first living in Bird’s Edge, then Three Acres during the “Beast from the East,” and later settling in Emley, where they quickly bought their current home. Liz explains how The Watering Can began at a small unit (“the shaky shed”) at Yummy Yorkshire, then pivoted during COVID when the unit was taken back, shifting to doorstep deliveries of compost and plants and continuing flower work once supply returned. She shares how she got into floristry through her mother’s flower club, trained at Kirklees College, gained experience at The Posy Bowl in Huddersfield, worked at Gertz Florist in Lepton, and eventually bought the business. Liz also describes running her florist as a wine bar in the evenings using recycled and borrowed furnishings, offering live music and popular drinks including rhubarb and ginger liqueur with Prosecco, and notes customers often bought flowers after a pint. She recounts notable clients including a delivery of 100 white roses from Sir Elton John to Penistone's Paramount Theatre for a Billy Elliot opening, and work connected to Armitage Bridge recording studios, including getting a signed card from David Jason. Liz outlines her current work with weddings, farewell flowers and launching a monthly flower club The episode closes by teasing the next guest, Emley’s Matt Glennon, about his journey from professional footballer to hairdresser.

00:00 Welcome to Beyond the Postcode + Meet Liz Wood (Watering Can Florist)

00:35 A Fresh Start: Moving to HD8 and Finding Home

01:50 Birds Edge to Emley: The House Hunt That Felt Like Fate

04:45 How The Watering Can Florist Began (Yummy Yorkshire ‘Shaky Shed’)

06:06 COVID Hits: Pivoting to Plants, Doorstep Deliveries & Surviving Lockdown

09:09 Why Flowers? Family Roots, Training, and Buying Her First Shop

13:23 Next-Level Pivot: Turning a Florist into a Nighttime Wine Bar

15:01 Recycled furniture & building the hidden bar behind the florist

16:20 Beer pumps by day, flowers on the side: the hybrid shop idea

17:09 Live music & the rhubarb-and-ginger Prosecco craze

17:38 Big-name orders: Sir Elton John’s 100 white roses

19:29 TV studio connections & David Jason’s ‘Lovely Jubbly’ note

21:16 Where she’s at now: weddings, farewell flowers & launching the Flower Club

23:29 HD8 Top Tip: finding your style at Cocoa (and Dare Boutique)

25:48 Springtime playlist picks + podcast wrap and next-episode teaser

In this episode of Beyond the Postcode, hosts Caroline Verdon from Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life, interview Jem Green, the creative force behind Dipped in Gild. Jem shares her story of moving from Liverpool to Huddersfield, overcoming personal loss, and transitioning through various career paths. Jem's journey takes her from corporate life to founding her own business in Fenay Bridge, where she transforms everyday objects into luxury items. The episode touches on her creative processes, the influence of her family, her 'year of yes,' and the value of happiness and creative fulfillment. Tune in to hear about Jem’s inspiring journey and her top tips for living in HD8.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Postcode

00:20 Meet Jem Green: The Talent Behind Dipped in Gild

00:36 Journey from Liverpool to Huddersfield

01:09 Pursuing a Creative Career

01:25 The Impact of Family and Loss

02:01 Finding Home in Huddersfield

02:25 Career Challenges and Changes

03:26 Birth of Dipped in Gild

06:33 Navigating Redundancy and New Opportunities

08:12 Embracing Change and Creativity

13:07 The Gorilla in the Room

15:05 The Golden Norman

17:09 The Year of Yes

23:02 HD8 Top Tips

24:37 Musical Inspirations

26:05 Conclusion and Next Episode Teaser

In this episode of 'Beyond the Postcode,' hosts Caroline Verdon of Under The Mast and Erin Towey from HD8 Life interview Juliet Thomas, a mentor, life-after-cancer coach, writer, and founder of From Seed to Sky. Juliet shares her journey from a corporate career to a life intertwined with nature, driven by a move to Birdsedge and her passion for outdoor walks and community engagement. She discusses the challenges and inspirations stemming from her Hodgkin’s Lymphoma diagnosis during the pandemic, highlighting how nature and creativity played crucial roles in her recovery and personal growth. Juliet also recounts her unique upbringing in a nature-loving family, her ventures into creative writing and coaching, and her involvement in the local community through initiatives like creative writing sessions and accountability groups.

00:00 Introduction to Beyond the Postcode

00:22 Meet Juliette Thomas: Mentor and Nature Enthusiast

00:36 Settling in Birdsedge

01:34 The Love for Nature and Community

02:45 From Corporate Life to Creative Ventures

06:02 The Impact of Cancer and COVID-19

07:37 Nature as Therapy

12:15 Growing Up with a Love for Animals

15:42 HD8 Top Tips and Playlist

17:46 Conclusion and Next Episode Preview