Four Oaks Trade Show has announced a fantastic conference line-up for this September’s special 50th-anniversary event. Sessions will be free-to-attend & offer the opportunity to join the debate on the big issues facing the sector, as well as gain practical information on important day-to-day matters faced by nurseries, garden centres, landscape, garden design businesses & horticultural workers across the sector.
The free-to-attend program will be delivered in House E within the new Educate, Collaborate & Innovate zone adding to the appeal of the industry’s main event’s this year. A prestigious, exciting combination of exhibitor stands and speakers has been confirmed, including Clare Matterson CBE new Director General at RHS chairing a session titled ‘Planting for a Sustainable future’ with Ruth Willmott of Ruth Willmott Associates fresh from Gold medal success at Chelsea and nurserymen Stefano Sogni Zelari Piante, John Huibers Tamar Nurseries.
Dave Denny of the HTA, Tammy Woodhouse GCA, Vicky Nuttall of GIMA and Steve Harper representing the Responsible Sourcing Scheme (RSS) will update visitors on their organisation’s initiatives and debate Sustainability in Horticulture, chaired by Matt Appleby of HortWeek. YPHA will chair a session on the challenge of ‘Encouraging more young people into horticulture’ with Boyd Douglas-Davies of British Garden Centres Group/HTA, Susan Nicholas CIH, Sarah Want MorePeople.
Practical sessions include those from Fargro, ICL, APHA/Defra, Plant Healthy Scheme and a Q&A on matters affecting horticultural workers with Sally Drury of HortWeek and Helen Waddington, Head of Casework at Perennial. Questions and comments will be requested ahead of time via social media and of course are welcomed during the sessions themselves. Organisers have themed the content across the days, faced with the difficult task of fitting in so many key subjects across a relatively short show period. Visitors are encouraged to visit both days where this is possible, but if not they can find information on all sessions and on general matters from each organisation’s stand in the zone. No booking is required.
The new product display area and a special 50th anniversary memory wall will also be in the new zone.
A full schedule of the event can be found on their website www.fouroaks-tradeshow.com.