Love is always in the air at New Covent Garden Flower Market, but never more so than on February 14^th when the Valentine’s Day rush is complete, the red roses have all but gone and the Market community can reflect on a job well done while the left-it-to-the-last-minute romantics try to snap up what’s left for their significant others.

This year, for the 50^th time in Nine Elms, the market celebrated one of the biggest moments in its annual calendar by hosting the Riverside Radio Breakfast Show. Traders and florists including Bryan Porter, Damian Walloch, Graeme Diplock, Warren Bushaway and Richie Edwards, as well as CGMA Chair Wanda Goldwag OBE, veteran Market snapper Clive Boursnell and floral industry publisher Caroline Marshall Foster all spoke to the fun and energetic presenter Jason Rosam during his live broadcast from the market floor.

Wandsworth resident Jason set up Riverside Radio in 2013, as a community radio service providing local news and other content showcasing and celebrating greatness, diversity and the vibrant culture in the borough by exposing the talents and creativity of the people who live and work here.

The station has a volunteer force of over 200 local people from every walk of life, age and background who come together to create something special for local people.

The breakfast show was broadcast from the market during British Food Fortnight last year, and this time brilliantly brought the Valentine vibe to life; talking listeners through the ins and out of the day of romance in the market and the incredible array of flowers, plants and foliage on offer, while introducing them to some of the names and faces there on the day, as well as roaming around and talking to customers.

As well as the obvious stuff, a wide range of topics was covered, from job opportunities to Valentine’s anecdotes from the dim and distant past, and amazing florists and floristry to the allure of the market café. You name it, it was discussed during the three-hour romp through all things floral and wonderful.

NCGM press office Tommy Leighton said: “Riverside Radio’s output goes straight to the heart of South West London, connecting its diverse communities, celebrating its strengths, educating its people and encouraging debate. Its audience couldn’t be more relevant to us as a market, as it is the community we ourselves inhabit and have been part of since 1974.

“I love listening to people talk about this market,” he added. “Whoever is being interviewed, the pride and the passion are always there, but also the pragmatism and vision that will take learnings from all of the great achievements of the past and ensure that the market evolves in such a way that it remains successful well into the future. I’ve helped to host a lot of broadcasters in my time here – from around the world - and what always strikes me is how much they love the market environment and the people here too – we really do brush up pretty well on air and on screen!!”

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