Entries are now being accepted for the GIMA Awards 2008 – the ‘Oscars’ of the garden industry.
The awards have been running for over 20 years and this time round includes a number of new categories and the reconfiguration of others to emphasis the importance of product groups to the industry and the growing variety of GIMA members.
The awards themselves once again take place in the Hilton Metropole Hotel, Birmingham, on Thursday, July 17.
The 2008 judging panel has already been selected and includes: Steve Guy (head of horticulture at B&Q), Douglas Fishbourne (seasonal buyer at Tesco), Helen Billiald (garden writer and product tester for Garden News), Martin Davies (Chairman of the GCA and md at Raglan Garden Centre) and Mike Wyatt (editor of Garden Trade News).
Entries must be received at the GIMA office, 225 Bristol Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, B5 7UB by Friday, June 20. They can be posted, faxed (0121 446 5215) or emailed (info@gima.org.uk).
The categories are:
A - New Products of the Year Awards which includes Garden Care (A1), Equipment and Sundries (A2), Tools and Implements (A3), Outdoor Leisure (A4), Garden Machinery (A5), Growing Products (A6), Garden Landscaping (A7), Christmas Products, Foods and Confectionary (A8), Wild Bird Care, Aquatic and Pet Care Products (A9), Environmental Commendation (A10) and the GIMA Sword of Excellence.
B - Marketing Awards, which includes Best Supplier's Information Website (B1), Best Point of Sale Material (B2), Best Consumer Product Packaging (B3), Best Consumer Marketing (B4), GIMA Sword of Excellence.
Special Achievement Awards, which includes Export Achievement Award and Supplier of the Year Award.