As the gardening season gets underway in earnest, the team at GIMA are looking ahead to November when the winners of the 2024 GIMA Awards will be announced. But first, the judges need to deliberate. Here, GIMA reveals who will be making the tough decisions this year.

Once again, GIMA has secured an impressive line-up of judges, with representatives from both independent and multiple garden centres being joined by online goliaths, trade editors and a high-profile personality from social media and across the industry. Confirmed judges are Blue Diamond’s Alan Roper, Sharon McNair from Tongs/ Yorkshire Garden Centres, Josh Novell of Polhill Garden Centres, Helen Lloyd from Stratford Garden Centres, Haskin’s Andy Harriss, Scott Provan from Klondyke, plus Garden Trade News’ Trevor Pfeiffer, Michael Perry aka Mr Plant Geek, and Jade Galloway-Harrison from award sponsors, eBay.

This year judges will convene at the Warwick Racecourse on 9th and 10th July to consider the many award entries that are coming in from all corners of the garden retail sector. The main event, the awards themselves, will take place on Thursday 7th November at the five-star Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, South Wales.

Of course, judges need things to judge! The deadline for entry into the GIMA Awards – Friday 31st May - is fast approaching and those who want to be up for consideration are encouraged to submit their entries now.

This year there will be 17 categories up for grabs, including all the normal product categories plus the all-new Best Point of Sales, Best Online or Social Campaign and Best Multi-Channel Marketing Campaign. As always, the highly coveted HTA sponsored Sustainability Award (including a Sustainability Champion for each product category), the Gardenex Export Achievement Award, plus the GCA sponsored Supplier of the Year will all return, alongside the GIMA Sword of Excellence.

To enter this year’s GIMA Awards, please visit www.gima.org.uk/events/gima-awards-2024-product-marketing-entry-form/  Entry fees for GIMA members are £60 + VAT per entry, while non-members can enter at £120 + VAT per entry.

Calling all early birds. If you book and pay for your tickets for the GIMA Awards Gala Dinner by 31st May 2024, you’ll be eligible for a 5% discount on bookings. Interested parties are urged to book now to avoid missing out on this exclusive offer.