Share your memories of GIMA Awards to mark event's 40th birthday
As the annual GIMA Awards gets set to celebrate its 40th anniversary in July 2020, the organisation is calling upon the industry to help paint a picture of the GIMA Awards of yesteryear.
With 40 glittering events to call upon, GIMA is hoping to hear your stories, anecdotes, memories and, they hope, photos from the award evenings or of your products dating back as far back as 1980.
GIMA Director, Vicky Nuttall said: “To celebrate 40 years of the GIMA Awards we are hoping to create a special report, celebrating previous winners and also providing insight into how garden retailing has evolved over the last four decades. We, of course, need help from the industry to achieve this so we’re inviting anyone who remembers a previous GIMA Award to get in touch. We’re hoping, in particular, that pictures will assist us in creating a nostalgic timeline, showcasing how products have helped to shape the history of gardening in the UK. We’re excited to hear what you might have to share with us!”
If you have any stories to share, were a previous winner or judge, or have any literature or photos from the event please get in touch via this link,
When I became the founding editor of Garden Trade News in September 1979 my first ever lead story was the formation of GIMA. It was at an HTA agm that Michael Oliver (Bord na Mona) and grass care specialist Malcolm Pettit announced that member companies of the HTA Manufacturers' Group had voted to become a self governing Garden Industries Manufacturers' Association, affiliated to the HTA. The following year the GIMA Awards were launched, judges to include myself representing the trade press and the Garden Centre Association director David Nichol, roles which we occupied for several subsequent years. GTN awarded an annual trophy for best POS material in the form of an engraved metal facsimile of a GTN front page highlighting the winning company. I wonder how many are still displayed on boardroom walls? GIMA provided me with many news stories during my 14 years with GTN, not least the infamous 'stockade' at GLEE, and I counted many of its members as valued friends.
Now in my 80s and disabled, I still feel grateful that I was in a small way part of the GIMA success story.
Brian Gibbons.
KIMBERLEY HORNBY
Hello Brian, How lovely to hear from you and your memories of GIMA and the Awards. I'm pleased to say that we are still going strong and GTN continue to be a great support to us and our members. Your memories will be very useful to us, and if you do have any other interesting stories please do drop us an email at info@gima.org.uk. I'm particularly interested in hearing about the 'stockade' at Glee. Many thanks, Vicky
Now in my 80s and disabled, I still feel grateful that I was in a small way part of the GIMA success story.
Brian Gibbons.