The Garden Centre Association ( GCA ) Trust recently pick out Laura Matheson from St Peters Garden Centre and Holly Byrne from Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend to hang this year ’s International Garden Centre Association ( IGCA ) Congress ( June 2022 ) .
Sue Allen , Trust Chairman , said : “ At last , the one-year IGCA Congress looks set to take place once again from August 28 for six days of amazing experience and the opportunity to make and renew external friendly relationship , as well as catch how Dutch garden centers stay on to stand out and pep up their sphere of retailing .
Laura Matheson , Buyer at St Peters Garden Centre with its Managing Director , Will Blake
“ Pre - Covid , each twelvemonth , through funding by the Dick Allen Scholarship Fund , we shop at two delegates from UK garden centers to attend to . In 2020 , we selected our delegates , but then the pandemic remove delay , and the Congress was canceled for two years , so we are very proud of that one of our original candidates , Laura , take in 2020 , is still able to practice this unique opportunity . Both Laura and Will Blake , the Managing Director at St Peters Garden Centre , are charmed that this long - check award can now be used . ”
Laura joined St Peters Garden Centre almost 17 year ago , start as a weekend checkout assistant at the age of 16 . She has now run her way up to the position of Buyer in the Home , Lifestyle , Gift , Christmas , and Clothing categories in the garden center .
She said : “ I feel very rosy to have been given this chance . The fortune to chaffer some of the most forrader - thinking garden centers and growers in Holland will be of enceinte note value to me . To be able to do this with multitude as passionate about this incredible industriousness as I am is something that will be an experience I will not forget . ”
Holly Byrne , Shop Manager at Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend with centre Manager Mat Hester
Will Blake , the Managing Director at St Peters Garden Centre , has been on four IGCA trips .
He say : “ What an amazing opportunity . Each one of the trips I attend was pack full of brilliant ideas , inspiration , and a sizeable amount of scholarship . Not to mention drop a week with a great bunch of similar - disposed garden center people . Laura ’s love , allegiance , and labor to push our garden center forward is second to none , so I jazz she will absolutely make the most of this amazing opportunity . ”
Applications for the other place at the Congress were invited earlier this year , and the 2nd delegate , Holly Byrne , was selected and will be joining Laura on tour of duty .
Holly , who join Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend eight years ago , starting as a weekend phallus of staff on the tills and progressed in the business while study accounting , said : “ I am so thankful to be given this opportunity to go to the IGCA in Holland , as it will be hugely good to be able to see how their garden centres arrange and product stemma . I ’m especially looking forward to seeing their marvelous range of houseplants . I ’m also looking frontward to meeting other retailers and growers from the industry to share idea and hopefully make some go connections with them , especially as my management experience has all been through a pandemic . ”
Tammy Woodhouse , Managing Director of Millbrook Garden Centre Gravesend , who is also the current Garden Centre Association Chairman , is delighted that Holly has been awarded a place on the trip .
She tell : “ We were very pleased when Holly select a life history with us , rather than becoming an accountant , and she has now been promoted to Shop Manager at Gravesend . After the last two old age of form through COVID and rising to all sorts of challenges that she probably never look for , it is fantastic that she has this chance .
“ I know she will delight meeting and larn from like - apt people from garden centers all over the world and will hail back with lot of ideas and exuberance to take Millbrook onwards in the future . ”
