28.02.03
SOS...Save our scented Scilly Isles narcissi

"These people must be enabled to grow their flowers and send them to London - they cheer us up so much in these dark days"
(Winston Churchill, Spring 1943)

In 1945, Churchill reached out to help the beleaguered narcissi growers on the Isles of Scilly.

The season for Scilly Isles Narcissi runs from November to March - a time when tourism, the islands other key industry is in 'hibernation' and when Scented Narcissi cultivation provides seasonal employment for around 20 percent of the working population.

Today, the Scilly Isles Narcissi growers are launching a campaign to enable them to compete in a global market - appealing to the British public to help them survive, by choosing the 'true' spring flower over scentless, 'unseasonal' imports - and, by doing so, help an industry survive and save on millions of unnecessary 'flower miles'.

The campaign is an initiative of the Specific Project for Agriculture in Scilly, who with the help of a £297,468 investment from Objective One EAGGF, are running a three year project with a total cost of £900,000 to address the particular needs of Scillonian agriculture. A key aspect of the project's activity involves a marketing and brand enhancement campaign for the islands core horticultural export of scented narcissi.

Narcissi from the Scilly Isles are easy to find in florists, via mail order or in the supermarkets - just follow your nose - after all they are likely to be one of the few flowers that have a scent.

Editor's notes:

For further information contact:
Scilly Isles Narcissi Campaign office on 0207 935 5404

Jason Clark
Communications Manager
Objective One Partnership Office
Castle House
Pydar Street
Truro TR1 2UD
Tel: 01872 241379
Fax: 01872 241388

jason@dclark.co.uk

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