Teddington Nub News aims to support our community promoting shops, businesses, charities, clubs and sports groups.

We aim to showcase some of these businesses, organisations and interesting individuals regularly in a feature called 'Up Close'.

Today we caught up with Jessica Sargent, a former sales and marketing clerk for UBM Media who is now the proud owner of Fenton Yard Flowers, hand delivering bouquets to the Teddington community in innovative ways since August 2020.

Read on for Jessica's story.

Fenton Yard Flowers

Whilst working in sales for media giant UBM, two life events would occur changing Jessica Sargent's life forever.

Jessica and her husband welcomed a baby girl into their world and shortly afterwards, the new mother was diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a form of blood cancer.

Both events forced Jessica into taking a step back from her fast-paced life and put everything into perspective.

Suddenly, it was the little pleasures in life that were becoming more significant such as counting the leaves on an Oak tree in Bushy Park, the taste of freshly backed pastry in a coffee shop or, flowers in a neighbour's garden.

After overcoming her cancer battle and Ellie getting ready for nursery, Jessica's mindset had changed when faced with the prospect of returning to work.

She was after something more creative, more rewarding, with more freedom, and something that would bring a smile to her face each day.

Jessica waved goodbye to the marketing industry after eight years and embarked on an online floristry course before working in a florist in Thames Ditton.

And soon enough, in August 2020, Fenton Yard Flowers was born.

Jessica hand delivers beautiful bouquets to her subscribed customers who order on a weekly, fortnight, monthly or one-off basis.

Working from her garden shed turned studio, Monday-Wednesday is made up of sales, marketing and planning. Assessing what needs to be ordered, working on promotion and continuing her networking within the community.

Thursday, sees the mother of one head off to Heathrow's flower market at 5am and return home to meticulously prepare each bouquet for delivery, which occurs on Friday through to Saturday.

Jessica and Fenton Yard Flowers are also regulars at the Teddington Traders Market.

Commenting on her day-to-day running Fenton Yard Flowers, Jessica told Nub News: "Honestly, I just absolutely love each and every aspect of my routine watching my business take shape throughout the week.

"The admin doesn't feel like effort because you know it's playing a crucial role in maintaining and reaching out to new customers, the creativity that goes into constructing each bouquet and the joy you bring to every client when you drop by their doorstep to deliver their orders.

"Everything comes together and I couldn't be happier doing what I do."

This month (July) also celebrates the one-year anniversary of Fenton Yard Flowers' communal scheme, Flower Fairies.

Charlie Mackery's book: The Boy, the mole, the fox and the Horse shares a series of heartfelt and profound conversations about the meaning of life, universal truths and friendship.

Mackery is well-known for leaving copies of his book for people to find on park benches and bus stops for people to explore their innermost feelings which the story conveys.

Both the book and Mackery's actions left a lasting impression on Jessica and gave her the inspiration to create Flower Fairies.

After each bouquet is made, Jessica often finds herself with small stems of foliage and blooms that would normally be thrown away.

Instead, Jessica uses these to make mini posies which she disperses throughout the community on park benches and bus stops across the community from Bushy Park, to Teddington and Hampton Hill High Street to Twickenham Green.

The Flower Fairies scheme brings joy to residents across Richmond borough.

Since the start of the scheme Jessica has been overwhelmed with the feedback she has received from people across the borough. How it has made them smile, made a hard day bearable or an unexpected birthday treat.

However, there was one story that has particularly stuck with her.

She added: "I remember recently someone getting in touch who was out for a stroll with her friend around Twickenham Green when they found one of the posies on a bench. She was having a tough time with the big C and finding the bouquet brought a real smile to her face and brightened up her day.

"Naturally that really resonated with me because it was during my time battling cancer that I really fell in love with flowers, it was special to receive such feedback."

Jessica's varied, and well-toned, textured bouquets are delivered to homes and businesses completely free of charge.

You can order your flowers via her website and keep up to date on weekly creations through Fenton Yard Flowers Facebook and Instagram.