Our Chairman Will Armitage marked
the end of his first year in office at the our annual conference today (January
26, 2015) with much to rejoice.
Mr Armitage told delegates in his
address at the start of the event at the De Vere Carden Park in Chester how
pleased he was with the GCA’s on-going progress.
He continued: “It is not until you
take on the mantle of GCA Chairman that you actually appreciate how interesting
and rewarding the role is.
“Last year I made a pledge that,
with the help of the executive committee we would improve the value of our
memberships, citing our area meetings, stronger links with other industry
organisations and our training programme GROW as our main focus. I would like
to think I have gone some way in achieving these goals.
“Since making those three pledges
to you, I have travelled thousands of miles and been to almost every regional
meeting so far this year, many of which have seen record attendance.
“It has filled me with pride to see
how well supported the association is and I cannot stress enough to all our
members how important it is to visit fellow members to talk about the issues of
the day and share your ideas.
“It can only help to improve what
we are all already doing so well and in turn improve and strengthen our
industry, adding even more value to our membership and it must be working
because it is a pleasure to welcome some new members to the association.
Pacific Nurseries, Thetford Garden Centre and Thirsk Garden Centres have all
joined as full members. Millbrook Staplehurst and Creative Gardens Galgorm
Castle became new subsidiary members.
“We also have some new Associate
Members, joining us Ellis Whittam, Ovation, Karcher, Paroh, Pacific Lifestyle,
G J Handy and Hug Rugs. I would like to extend a warm welcome to all of them.
“I would like to take this
opportunity to thank the members of
the Executive Committee that are stepping down this year for all the support
and the time they have contributed to our association.
“Philippa McKean (Midlands Area
Chairman), Tim Mason (South Thames Area Chairman) and Mike Lind (Wales &
West Area Chairman) leave the committee with our best wishes and gratitude for
their hard work. I look forward to welcoming Will Blake, Jolyon Martin and
Peter Self who will join the committee in 2015 as their respective
replacements.”
In the future, Mr Armitage said the
organisation had lots to look forward to.
“Back in 2011 we held a strategy
meeting to plan the next five years, as with many things once you set a goal
and a timescale things tend to happen quicker than you might expect, as a
result the five year plan has arrived in three years, so we will now begin a
review of the association’s strategy again in March this year and plan for the
next five.
“The nearly normal weather pattern
and some consumer confidence creeping back has afforded the GCA and its members
some reasonably better sales in 2014, especially when compared with some high
street and large DIY retailers.
“It is however always worth remembering
that the rise in sales this year is still behind the curve we enjoyed in the
noughties and the new issues that the new world of retail will bring will
continue to offer us our challenges for the future, but as GCA members these
issues are of course, always better shared.”
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