The draw for the 10 lucky candidates for the 2024-25 LOFA Sales Academy took place at Gates Garden Centre on Friday 10 May. 

Under a beautiful blue sky GTN's Trevor Pfeiffer drew the names out of the bag to allow 10 individuals from LOFA member brands to take part in the academy delivered by Metamorphose. The Sales Training and Personal Coaching program initiated by LOFA earlier this year to nurture sales talent within our industry is now officially underway. 

The 10 candidates are: 

• Ben Depla – Ascalon Design Ltd
• Bradon Lewis – Bramblecrest
• Charlie Butt – Norfolk Leisure Lifestyle Ltd
• Clement Harris – Gardeco Ltd
• Harry Willis - 4 Seasons Outdoor UK
• Luke Badland – Rotospa
• Mateusz Kamanski – Maze Outdoor
• Poppy Mcgibbon – Beefeater Europe
• Zac Windsor – Supremo Leisure
• Zac Morris  - Firestorm Heaters 

These candidates will be enrolled in the training academy commencing on June 24th at the Metamorphose office in Cheltenham. The program comprises of three modules: Foundation Skills, Buyer Behaviour and Inspirational Presentations, and Business Negotiation. The candidate with the highest overall score throughout the program will be honoured at SOLEX 2025, along with the announcement of the next 10 candidates chosen for 2025-26 Academy. 

This is a fantastic initiative for LOFA and a wonderful opportunity for those new to our industry who can benefit from this tailored training. 

LOFA Chairman Steve Millington said: "This is fantastic for our industry as it will empower a whole new generation of salespeople, equipping them with the necessary skills to excel in their roles within today’s marketplace. It is also a valuable additional benefit for LOFA members."

www.lofa.co.uk