The Colegrave Seabrook Foundation has announced the addition of two Trustees to its panel of industry experts.
Nicole Higginson, a director at New Leaf Plants Ltd, and Neville Stein, the well known nursery business consultant, join the board of Trustees who work through the Foundation to support students studying horticulture in the UK.
Nicky, who with husband David, set up the specialist clematis and climbing plant nursery based near Evesham, Worcestershire, has a BSc in Biochemistry from Birmingham University and has spent most of her working life teaching chemistry in high schools.
Nicky, who brings her experience and skills in education to the Foundation, in addition to her understanding of growing and business management commented: “I feel very strongly that we must encourage young people to consider horticulture as their first career choice and nurture them within our industry. I see the work that the newly renamed Colegrave Seabrook Foundation does as an integral part of that support.”
Neville Stein has operated as an independent horticultural business consultant for almost 30 years, primarily working in the ‘land based’ sector. He is recognised as an expert business consultant amongst SMEs and family enterprises and has worked with a wide range of organisations both in the UK and Ireland. In addition he spends his time educating the horticultural managers of the future, including assessing on the prestigious Master of Horticulture for the Royal Horticultural Society, The Kew Diploma and the Institute of Leadership and Management.
Neville said: “I am delighted to become a Trustee of the Foundation as it fits well with my ambition to inspire and encourage the next generation of horticulturists. My wide ranging experience in ornamental production horticulture and further education will help me bring even more value to the students supported by the work of the Foundation."
Nicky and Neville join Chair of Trustees Jeff Colegrave, Roger Seabrook who joined the board in May this year, Stuart Lowen of Ball Colegrave Horticulture, Tim Kerley, Nigel Wait, Adam Dunnett of Hillier Nurseries, Caroline Owen of Scotsdales Garden Centres and Neil Gow, all of whom volunteer their variety of skills from a diverse range of horticultural backgrounds. The focus of the Foundation is towards ornamental and production horticulture but includes scientific research and, increasingly, environmental matters.
The new scholarship season will launch in September this year and students, lecturers and employers linked to the horticultural industry, whether in ornamental production, research and other technical disciplines are encouraged to get in touch via the Foundation’s website.
Following the death of founding Trustee, Peter Seabrook earlier this year, the registered charity announced it’s renaming to the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation. This was done on the feature exhibit created at BBC Gardeners World Live in Birmingham in June, where the display, based upon Peter’s original design won a Platinum medal.
Peter had been an active participant in the Foundation’s activities ever since the Foundation was created in 1993, and never missed a trust meeting in all that time.
“As the industry’s leading charity supporting horticultural students, we were so fortunate to have had Peter as a trustee since the Foundation’s inception," said Jeff Colegrave, the current chair of Trustees.
“We are delighted to welcome these two new Trustees, who together with the appointment of Roger Seabrook in May, will further strengthen our board. With the support of our industry, nurseries and suppliers, working with colleges and universities, I believe we have a key role to play in supporting students who want to study horticulture in its broadest terms which is just so fundamental to all our futures.”