Friday, 28 May is 65 Roses Day in Australia. The last Friday in May is the day designated to create awareness and raise funds for Cystic Fibrosis - the most common life-shortening disease affecting young Australians.
This year in Victoria, the flower industry will support the day by selling roses specially marked with the 65 Roses Day logo. Every bunch sold will generate $1.00 to support the work of Cystic Fibrosis Victoria.
A select group of participating florists will have window and point-of-sale displays promoting the cause. Roses of all colours that carry the 65 Roses Day logo on the external packaging will contribute to Cystic Fibrosis Victoria.
The promotion is the brainchild of Adrian Parsons who is a wholesaler and exporter/importer of fresh and dried flowers. His company, Wafex, will run a pilot program this year and, if successful, will roll it out nationally next year.
“This year we are striving to create awareness in the flower industry and with the community. We believe that florists will see this as an opportunity to support a very worthwhile cause,” said Mr Parsons.
The promotion also has the support of the National Australia Bank which will sell roses in the foyer of its Victorian head office, 800 Bourke Street.
The phrase ’65 Roses’ has a long-standing link with Cystic Fibrosis. It was created when a small child who was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis in the late 1950s, her younger brother was unable to pronounce the name of the disease and said that his sister had ’sixty five-roses’. Since then, the rose has been the emblem of Cystic Fibrosis and the last Friday in May is 65 Roses Day.
Some facts about Cystic Fibrosis:
