Our Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) e-Learning platform was presented with a ‘Highly Commended’ at the recent Totara Awards (April 2024). GROW received the accolade in the ‘Best Extended Enterprise Solution’ category and was given a special mention during the awards ceremony too. ‘Extremely proud’ GROW’s Instructional Designer, Antony Snow says: “These awards recognise the…
Our March BoT figures show a ‘very strong month’ Our Barometer of Trade (BoT) figures for March 2024 have been revealed today (April 19, 2024) and are ‘very strong’ when compared with the same month last year. According to data submitted by our member garden centres, none of the categories recorded were down when likened…
We’re delighted to announce that Ben Harrison, who is Operations Director of Haskins Garden Centres, is our Chairman Elect for 2024/25. He will then become our Chairman at our annual conference in January 2026. Prestigious position Ben says: “I’m delighted to be taking on this prestigious position, having previously been the organisation’s Treasurer. I’m really…
Our members and their teams are being urged to put forward staff for this year’s GCA Trust Dick Allen Scholarship Award Scheme by Monday (March 25, 2024). The scheme is open to staff within GCA garden centres and the two recipients of the award will be invited to attend the International GCA (IGCA) Congress later…
As humans we tend to overestimate what we can do in a year and massively underestimate what we can do in ten years. Humans. Funny creatures aren’t we. If only we could better understand how the human animal works, I truly believe we could solve many of the biggest challenges in our world. As humans…
Our Barometer of Trade (BoT) report for February 2024 saw clothing romp ahead at +20.9% with catering just behind at +19.55% when compared with the same month last year. Just three of the categories recorded by us were down when likened to February 2023, according to the figures submitted by our member garden centres. Clothing…
Our Garden Retail Online Workshops (GROW) e-Learning platform has launched five new online compliance-based courses covering health and safety this month (March 2024). This batch is the second of three releases across this subject, which will see sixteen e-Learning courses in total on various food safety and health and safety topics added to GROW. Five…
Will Armitage spoke at the GCA conference in January on behalf of the GCA trust about funding two places on the IGCA Congress to Canada 25th – 31st August 2024. For more information about the congress please visit igca24.ca The places on offer are only for the Next Generation Study Tour for delegates aged 18 to…
Hard landscaping topped the sales table in our Barometer of Trade (BoT) report for January 2024 with hardy plants, seeds and bulbs also doing well. Figures recorded by our member garden centres last month show a good start to the new year with just three of the logged categories down on 2023. Encouraging Our CEO…
We’re urging members to get their 2024 Rising Stars nominations in by March 1 to help showcase and develop our industry’s most talented individuals this year. Our Westland Horticulture sponsored programme offers those who participate the chance to be mentored by experts in the horticultural industry. What makes a Rising Star? GCA Inspector and Rising…