In its 30th year of awarding scholarships to students studying horticulture in the UK or Ireland, the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation bursaries are always sought after, but a record breaking number of applications made the task of selecting this year’s Colegrave Seabrook Foundation scholarships a particularly difficult one.

Colegrave Seabrook Foundation Trustee, Neil Gow said, “With approaching 100 applications to sift through, choosing the scholarship winners was even more difficult than normal this year. There was a high proportion of very good candidates to choose from and we had to be sure that we were selecting the best of the best. In the end, it was those students who clearly showed their passion for horticulture and were able to demonstrate that they were going to make a career in the industry, that won through.”

Chair of the trustee board, Jeff Colegrave, added, “What is so gratifying about receiving such a high number of applications is that this really shows that the work we, and others, are doing to raise the profile of horticulture as the modern, worthwhile and skilled career choice it is, is beginning to bear fruit. More and more young people and career changers are seeing the benefits of training in horticulture and realising what a huge range of different career paths are available to them as a result of gaining a qualification in horticulture. The successful applicants are from colleges and universities the length and breadth of the UK and range from apprentices to Masters students. We are so grateful to our sponsors and the industry as a whole for their continued support, which means that we can continue to help students and our work of trying to raise the profile of horticulture as a career for at least the next 30 years.”

The final scholarships awards, for the 2024 season were made to:

BPOA/Peter Seabrook Scholarship: Jacob Payne, Cirencester College

John Gibson Environmental Scholarship: Robyn Caple, Lackham College

Brian Crosby Scholarship:  Isabelle Cantillon, Edge Hill University

Smart Garden Products Scholarship: Jessica Johnson, Suffolk New College; Gracie Burandt, Nottingham Trent University; Ross Dyke, Pershore College; Richard Murray, CAFRE; Alice Cook, The Eden Project.

Blue Diamond Scholarship: Hannah Branch, Pershore College; Fay Hunter, CAFRE; Sally Witheford, Pershore College; Danielle Miller, The Eden Project; Lily Draper, RHS Harlow Carr; Ella Miles, Bicton College; Daniel Cairns, University of Newcastle

Congratulations to all the students who have been awarded scholarships this year.

Further information about the Colegrave Seabrook Foundation and the scholarships that are offered through them can be found on their website Home - Colegrave Seabrook Foundation or by contacting Nicci Gow, the administrator for the Foundation on info@colegraveseabrookfoundation.org.uk