The Garden Media Guild has confirmed the appointment of its officer roles, with Mike Palmer (@mike_thegardener) returning as Chair, supported by Alexandra Campbell (@the_middlesized_garden_blog), Stephanie Hafferty (@stephaniehafferty) and Lexi Gee (@lexi_floral-fanatic) as Vice-Chairs.
Following a period of change in the first half of the year, the confirmation of these roles marks an important milestone for the organisation that represents professional garden writers, authors, photographers, broadcasters, editors, social media communicators and influencers, lecturers and allied trades.
Like any organisation, the Garden Media Guild is consistently reviewing its processes and, under the renewed leadership of Mike Palmer and three strong vice-chairs, the Guild is now in a better position than ever to support its members. What’s more, with the confirmation of these four new officers and the wider Guild Committee – which itself has recently welcomed new members – the organisation is ready to move forward, supported by a revised framework and programme of processes to ensure the longevity of the Guild and to safeguard all those involved.
Talking about his reappointment, Mike Palmer said: “I am so pleased to be back in the role of GMG Chair. The Guild and what it stands for is extremely important to me, so I’m delighted to be able to help steer the ship again and work beside such passionate and driven Vice-Chairs.
“Within my role, I will continue to build on the work that the Guild has put in place to support members. More than this, I want to herald in a new chapter where we celebrate inclusion and diversity within the media landscape. I also hope to introduce more support and transparency for all our members, so that everyone feels they have a place to ask for help whenever it is needed. This was, in particular, a hugely important part of my decision to return to the role.”
Mike added: “I’d like to thank everyone for welcoming me back into the fold, and to also thank Alexandra, Stephanie and Lexi for stepping into the Vice-Chair positions. I truly believe that we have a team in place that is driven by the best interests of our members. The future is looking very bright!”
To further support the Chair and Vice-Chairs, it has also been confirmed that new job descriptions and scope of work frameworks will be put in place.
Working alongside Mike, Alexandra, Stephanie and Lexi will be the wider GMG Committee. These committee members work on a purely volunteer basis, donating their time and expertise to drive the direction of the Guild. New ‘joiners’ include Stephanie and Alexandra, plus Ruth Goudy (GMG’s newest Honorary Treasurer), Stephen Bennett and Kimberley Hornby. Together they will join existing committee members Geoff Hodge (GMG Honorary Secretary), Mike Howes (Vice President), Stephen Studd (PGPA Chair), Sue Bradley, Alison Levey and Ian Thwaites.
Find out more
The Garden Media Guild offers a wealth of member benefits, including garden tours, networking and relationship building, exclusive discounts and Zoom knowledge / awareness sessions.
An incredible awards programme supports the ‘gardening Oscars’, where each year the good and great from the world of garden media are celebrated at a prestigious ceremony at London’s famous Savoy ballroom.
To find out more about any of the member benefits available to Garden Media Guild members, please visit www.gardenmediaguild.co.uk
Members are also invited to reach out to the GMG Committee to share their feedback, thoughts and desires for the future of the Guild. Please direct all queries and ideas to admin@gardenmediaguild.co.uk
