To mark International Women’s Day 2025 (March 8th) we're highlighting some of the incredible women who keep this market thriving! With each passing year, there is a greater number of women working here, and we asked a small cross-section of those who work in the flower market for their thoughts on their jobs and the market environment. If you’re inspired, come and join them, there are jobs available for all ages and skill levels across the market

Sophie Baptiste – @porters_covent_garden

“The Flower Market is a great place to work and although it’s still a very male environment I love working here. It’s the place where I have a real laugh each day and we enjoy a lot of banter where you can’t take yourself too seriously. Having said that, there’s a lot of chivalry here and you do get looked after as a woman on the team – everyone helps you out if you need it. We’ve seen a lot more women join the Market over the last few years, and I’d say it’s the perfect workplace if you’ve already got flower knowledge and want a break from floristry.”

Mo Sato-Rain – @rfrenchsons

“I’ve been pleased to see more and more women working in the Market over the past few years. I’d say that the vast majority of our customers are female and some of them – not all - will feel more confident speaking to a woman. Everyone has such great knowledge, regardless of their gender, and it’s a friendly place to work and visit. We now have lots of different cultures and genders here, which is a great thing to see.”

Amy Manley – @rfrenchsons

“I’ve been here at the Flower Market for two and a half years now - it’s a fantastic place to work. From a female point of view there’s a perception that the Market is still very male orientated but, to be honest, I don’t really notice the difference between the sexes. Everyone’s really helpful and supportive and all the blokes are real gentlemen, making me feel welcome from day one. We’re seeing more women joining the Flower Market since I started in 2022, and it’s great to see. There’s always a good atmosphere and I love the variety of people who I interact with – customers really value our knowledge and the fact there’s always something special for them, alongside great quality.”

Flora Partner – @emfdlondon

“This is my first week working here at New Covent Garden Market and it’s been great so far. I Previously worked for Paul Thomas Flowers, based in nearby Queenstown Road, so I was visiting the Flower Market every day to procure our flowers and I know all the traders very well.

“The majority of florists are women but most of the sellers on the wholesale floor are men – we’re seeing that change slowly but I’d still like to see more of a mixture. There are lots of women working here now – some amazing florists – who were previously retail based and have made the move to working in a wholesale market as a career choice. They’ve chosen to work in the wholesale side of the industry as it’s a great place to get your ‘fix’ of flowers and the perfect environment for young people to break into the industry. It’s a very rewarding career for anyone, regardless of their gender.

“What’s inspiring to me are the female business owners based here at NCGM. It’s great to see women running a business and I’ve chosen to work for a female boss who’s also an amazing florist. It’s wonderful to now be part of the Market family.”

#NCGM50 #IWD2025 #IAccelerateAction