The Garden Centre Association (GCA) Trust
has announced this month (March, 2016) its first successful candidate to join
the Study Tour Group at the International Garden Centre Association (IGCA)
Congress.
Mark Scott from Gordale Garden Centre has
won the Dick Allen Award funding for a UK garden centre employee to attend the
event in Switzerland in August 2016.
Sue Allen, Trust Chairman said: “The Study Tour is aimed at younger family
members of family-run garden centres and the staff of centres from 19
countries.
“During the six-day annual Congress, the
delegates work together analysing the retailers they visit and discussing a
huge range of issues common to all of them, from improving profit, reducing
staff turnover, dealing with stress to any other points anyone wishes to raise.
Valuable contacts and firm friendships are made.
“Seven excellent applications were
considered by the Trustees, who found it very hard to select only one lucky
recipient for the award.
“Interestingly, all of those applicants
work for garden centres that already understand and appreciate the value of the
IGCA Congress. It is hoped that in future years far more centres will support
this initiative and realise the benefits for their staff and themselves.
“Mark is absolutely delighted with the
opportunity to attend and we’re all really looking forward to hearing about the
event when he returns.”
The object of the Trust is to advance
among the general public and, in particular among horticultural students,
education in horticulture, and particularly garden centres, by the provision
and administration of scholarships and bursaries, including prizes to foster
such education.
In his application, Mark said: “I am
hungry for more. More ideas, more inspiration, more opportunities to expand my
knowledge, to indulge my passion for garden centre retailing and to strive
towards excellence.”
The Trust aims to assist horticultural
students to study, research into and gain experience of horticulture and
landscaping.
Sue added: “We have every confidence that
Mark’s trip will provide the inspiration and greater knowledge he is looking
for, in fact all of that and more.”
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