As garden retailing continues to thrive, with double digit year-on-year growth, the future for our industry continues to look bright. One place where this optimism will shine through will be the forthcoming Glee exhibition (10th – 12th September, NEC Birmingham), where 550 plus suppliers will join with 7,000 UK and international key decision makers, buyers and trend setters, to showcase the future of gardening. 

 

Matthew Mein, Glee’s Event Director, said: “The market is reporting a strong start to the 2019 season, with sales up 37% year-on-year. A combination of good weather, and consumers retreating to their homes in a time of economic uncertainty, has paid dividends for our industry. As such we move into the 2019 event with a sense of excitement regarding the future development and growth of our sector. From an engaged audience, the potential of the ‘millennial pound’, new tech hitting the market, and a wealth of existing ranges continuing to hit the mark, Glee 2019 will be a thriving hub for the garden retail market, offering unrivalled value for both suppliers and visitors.”

 

Three daredevil souls from the garden retail industry have just days to overcome their fears before taking to the skies for an adrenaline-fuelled wing walk in aid of the Greenfingers Charity.

 

The wingwalk, which had been due to take place earlier this month, was postponed after a technical glitch grounded the plane. With a new venue and aircraft secured, the trio plan to get airborne on Saturday 29th June in a bid to raise £15,000 for the charity.

 

The delay led to a nerve-wracking wait for GIMA director Vicky Nuttall, SBM LifeScience’s Lowri Walker and Evergreen Garden Care’s Mark Portman – but all three have vowed to take to the skies and raise vital funds for Greenfingers, the charity that builds magical gardens at children’s hospices across the UK. More than £7,560 has already been pledged by 126 supporters, and the wing walkers have appealed to the industry to back their stunt and smash through the £15,000 fundraising target.

 

Taking care of the daredevils on 29th June will be expert pilots at AeroSuperBatics, the team behind the Breitling Wingwalkers, a much-loved display act at UK airshows. On arrival at RFC Rendcomb Airfield in the Cotswolds, Vicky, Lowri and Mark will be briefed before being strapped to the top wing of a Boeing Stearman biplane, built in the 1940s and used by American forces to train pilots during World War Two.