Leading garden centre group, Haskins, is celebrating after taking home several prestigious awards at this week’s Garden Centre Association Conference.

The Garden Centre Association represents nearly 200 garden centres nationwide, helping members to achieve high standards in customer service, plant quality and reliability. The awards and inspections help drive members' standards across all areas of business including customer service, merchandising, plant quality and marketing.

• Two Haskins centres, Roundstone and Snowhill, were recognised in the top 10 ‘Centres of Excellence’ – Roundstone ranked fifth and Snowhill ninth in the list
• All four Haskins centres were recognised in the top 15 ‘Centres of Excellence’ – Ferndown ranked 11th and West End ranked 14th
• Haskins was awarded the ‘Worrall Cup’ for best marketing campaign for its ‘Big Reindeer Giveaway’
• Haskins scooped first, second and third prize for ‘Best Garden Products Retailer’ category
• Warren Haskins, chairman of the group, was made an honorary member of the Garden Centre Association

Lisa Looker, brand director at Haskins Garden Centres, commented: “We’re thrilled to be recognised across multiple categories for all four of our centres. The awards are testament to the hard work of the teams at each centre. We’re particularly pleased to have been awarded two centres of excellence, with both Roundstone and Snowhill in the top 10 centres, and all four of our centres included in the top 15!”

Taking home the Worral Cup for best marketing initiative, Lisa added: “It was a wonderful surprise to take home the marketing award for our reindeer campaign. During the run up to Christmas we teamed up with a selection of charities and organisations and provided them with a donation of cuddly toy reindeers.

“It was hoped that the reindeers would really make a difference to children who found themselves in the unfortunate position of spending Christmas in hospital. We enjoyed giving back to the community and helping spread festive cheer to those in need.

“We were very pleased that our blogger festive afternoon tea, held in December at our Ferndown centre, also made the final three for the Worral Cup.”

The awards were marked through the Garden Centre Association audit process, across a whole number of scoring categories. These include first impressions, facilities, customer services, inspiring displays, great food, product presentation and innovation, social and environmental ethos, and many more.

The Garden Centre Association Conference awards were presented at a ceremony at Luton Hoo Hotel on Tuesday January 22.

Haskins has centres in Ferndown in Dorset, West End in Southampton and Roundstone and Snowhill in West Sussex.

For more information visit www.haskins.co.uk