In This Issue
Kaemingk to open UK showroom
Spring Fair to be replaced by "Spring Fair @Home" on the Spring Fair website
Retail Equipment Limited acquire Greenkey Garden & Home
British Garden Centres open their 58th centre at Thatcham
Core gardening keeps sales ahead of last year
Garden centres in England and Scotland can stay open - now is the time to review Covid-19 safety
Industry committed to better collaboration on peat use
33% up – growing preparations for next year
HTA 'Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign wins national award
More plants sold in October already than last year
Hard landscaping sales to rise, according to GCA report
Indoor planting for a harmonious, calming aesthetic
Westland rolls out innovative new hosepipe technology
Darlac introduces new tools for 2021
Frank P Matthews growing ‘Orchards for Schools’
How retailers can capture a new generation of poinsettia customers this festive season
Internet garden market set to achieve 25% growth
Get your own copy of GTN Xtra
Pots continue to dominate garden product sales
Dobbies raises funds for Stroke Association
Christmas sales continues to grow
Plant Healthy E-learning modules launched
AIPH approves Euroflora 2021 in Genova
Garden Connect renews EFSA website
OHAS Grower Standard Version 4 launches
The best of last week's
Monty Don makes headlines slamming garden centres
HTA calls on Welsh government to review ‘non-essential retail’ ruling on garden centres
October gardening hits record levels
Dobbies launches new format store in Scotland’s capital
Steve Harper joins Southern Trident
Fordingbridge looks to expand polytunnel arm of business
Garden Centre Photo Tours
Haskins Snowhill re-opens after £15m re-vamp
Bestsellers Top 50 charts every week
Buy your subscription to the GTN Bestsellers printed weekly newsletter
All the latest news from the world of pet products
Start-up firm Sniffe & Likkit shakes up petcare category
Armitage Pet Care sold to US firm
Pet start-ups set to grow after securing investment
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HTA 'Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign wins national award

The HTA has been recognised by public relations and media professionals for its successful ‘Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign in the Spring to reopen garden centres from lockdown, by winning the prestigious PR Week Awards ‘best coronavirus crisis management’ award.

 

The industry’s ‘Keep Britain Blooming’ campaign generated national media coverage to highlight the crisis facing the industry as well as the nation’s wellbeing, while putting pressure on the UK Government and the devolved administrations to commit to reopening garden centres during the first phase of easing lockdown restrictions.

 

The HTA, supported by PR consultants the BIG Partnership, created a compelling narrative, using data, case studies and a wide range of spokespeople to highlight the impacts lockdown was having, increasing the profile of the UK ornamental horticulture industry. This resulted in coverage on BBC, Sky, leader articles in The Times, Telegraph as well as multiple regional and local media. Over 70 MPs, AMs, MSPs publicly backed the campaign.

 

Watch the PR Week Awards announcement below, the HTA win starts at 08:16.

 

 

The PR Week judges praised the campaign saying:

  • “It was measurable and strategic, with a real purpose at the heart.”
  • “Everyone saw this campaign! The stark reality of wasted plants and flowers hit the front pages and appealed to our hearts and minds. The use of case studies and famous people like Alan Titchmarsh kept story in the Tier 1 press and helped the key objective of the campaign - namely to open the centres.”
  • “This is an excellent campaign which reached not only its media KPIs but also persuaded the Government to change the lockdown rules as a priority for HTA - I'm still seeing great coverage of gardens and businesses which shows how impactful it was.”

Commenting on the award, James Clark, Director of Policy and Communications at the HTA said: “This award is great recognition of the huge work and effort put in by the whole industry to make this campaign so successful and realise £250m back in to the industry at such a crucial time of the year. Members answered our call to action, lobbying politicians, acting as spokespeople, sharing their stories, helping to show what the real impacts of lockdown was having on their businesses and their families. It’s a great example of how the industry pulled together in a time of crisis to illustrate why the industry matters to this country.

 

However, we need to continue to guard against going back to a March-style national lockdown where garden centres are closed for weeks and months on end. We are lobbying governments across the UK to ensure our members’ voices are heard and the economic and wellbeing benefits of the ornamental horticulture industry are recognised by policymakers.”

 

Boyd J Douglas-Davies, HTA President added: “The HTA team worked tirelessly during lockdown with and for the membership on this campaign. The success it achieved in getting centres open early was the ultimate reward and for the campaign to be recognised nationally is the cherry on the cake. I’d like to shake hands with each and everyone of the team but for now a socially distanced high five will have to do!!” 

 

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