- Steve Bivan left the RAF last year after 30 years service
- He has now taken over Flowerwise Florist in Epsom Downs, Surrey
- Steve served in Afghanistan, as well as being in RAF communications in Holland, Germany, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland during the Troubles
- He admits he knew nothing about flowers when he started the venture
- 'I wanted a challenge. It's been a very steep learning curve.'
By Katy Winter
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It’s a real life case of Guns N' Roses for a flight sergeant who quit the RAF in order to follow his dream of running a flower shop.
Dispelling the myth of military men being ultra-macho, Steve Bevan hung up his uniform last month after 30 years to taken over Flowerwise Florist in Epsom Downs, Surrey.
Steve, who speaks Arabic and Pashto - a language spoken both in Afghanistan and Pakistan - used to fly in a high-tech Nimrod over Afghanistan listening in on the radio communications of Al Qaeda and the Taliban.
Steve Bevan, pictured in Flowerwise Florist in Epsom Downs, which he now runs, having left the RAF last year
In his 30 years in the RAF Steve served in Afghanistan, Holland, Germany, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland during the Troubles
In 2006, a Nimrod blew up over the country killing the crew of 12, the single greatest loss of British servicemen since the Falklands.
When the plane was finally taken out of service in 2011 Steve decided to go into the flower business instead of training in America on the replacement aircraft.
Steve said: ‘I made a decision that after 30 years I just wanted a change.
’I also wanted a small business as a challenge which is what I'm trying to do. We live in Kingswood and there was no florist before.’
He said he has learned a lot about flowers in a year, twelve months ago he didn't know a hydrangea from a rose.
He said: ‘It's been a very steep learning curve, but I know most of the flowers now.
Steve holds a picture of the Nimrod, which he flew above Afghanistan in order to listen in on the Taliban, and in his right hand one of the floral displays made in his new shop
‘My favourite flower is a lisianthus. I just like the colours of them, the purples and blues.’
Steve employs three staff at the shop in Fir Tree Road and said the business was going well with new clients such as Epsom College and the shop even delivered a Christmas wreath for actor Michael Caine's house in Leatherhead.
He said: ‘Christmas was busy because I started selling Christmas trees this year.’
Steve, from Chester, joined the RAF in 1983. He said: 'I was 17 and just walked in the job centre one day and there was a job there for a communications officer.'
Before taking to the air, Steve had been in RAF communications in Holland, Germany, Gibraltar and Northern Ireland during the Troubles.
Steve, who has notched-up more than 2,000 hours in the air, also spent time as a maritime warfare specialist as part of a squadron based in Scotland.
He moved to Kingswood five years ago after meeting his wife who lived there.
Steve, pictured outside Flowerwise, left, said that after 30 years in the RAF he wanted a change and to take on the challenge of running his own business, and took over the store despite not knowing anything about flowers
The RAF Nimrod which Steve used to fly in a over Afghanistan listening in on the radio communications of AL-Qaeda and the Taliban
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