The countdown to the 2026 GIMA Awards is well underway, with this year’s judging panel now officially confirmed ahead of what promises to be another fiercely contested awards programme.

Returning to Warwick Racecourse, entries will be assembled on 30^th June ahead of judging taking place on 1^st July, when leading retailers, buyers, editors and industry experts will come together to assess the very best new products, marketing initiatives and supplier achievements from across the garden retail sector.

And, if the first wave of entries is anything to go by, the judges are set for another challenging task, with the calibre of submissions remaining exceptionally high year after year. From product innovation and sustainability through to retail impact and marketing excellence, the GIMA Awards continue to represent a benchmark for achievement across the gardening industry.

This year’s judging panel brings together a broad spectrum of expertise from across retail, ecommerce, media and horticulture, including:

• Heidi Towse – Horticultural Content Manager at Blue Diamond Garden Centres and Trustee of Greenfingers Charity
• Nigel Long – Managing Director at Longacres Garden Centres
• Liz Brennan – Head of Gardening at Dobbies Garden Centres
• Selina Hammond – Senior Buyer at Perrywood Garden Centres
• Mark Bickerdike – Founder of Bickerdikes Garden Centre
• Roz Bridges – Ecommerce marketplace specialist with experience spanning Amazon, eBay and Argos Marketplace
• Steve Collinge – Managing Director of Insight Retail Group and Executive Editor of Insight DIY
• Matthew Ball – Range negotiator at Stax Trade Centres
• Veronica Lorraine – Gardening Editor and Associate Head of Features at The Sun
• Trevor Pfeiffer – Editor of leading trade magazine, Garden Trade News

Collectively, the panel represents decades of experience across buying, retail strategy, product development, sustainability, media and consumer engagement, ensuring entries are assessed from every possible commercial and creative angle.

Following the judging process, the winners will be unveiled at a glittering awards ceremony on Thursday 12^th November at the Celtic Manor Resort, bringing together the industry to celebrate the people, products and businesses shaping the future of garden retail. 

Those planning ahead can currently take advantage of the Early Bird offer, with a 5% discount available on Gala Dinner bookings made and paid for by 29^th May.

Still time to put your products and brands in the spotlight

There is still time for suppliers, manufacturers and brands to submit their entries for this year’s awards programme. Whether you’ve launched game-changing products, delivered standout marketing campaigns or driven innovation behind the scenes, the GIMA Awards remain the ultimate opportunity to benchmark your business against the very best in the industry.

The deadline for Product Awards, Best POS, Marketing Awards, Associate of the Year and Supplier of the Year entries is Friday 29^th May, whilst the deadline for the Export Achievement Award is Friday 14^th August.

To enter, secure your place at the awards ceremony and explore all award categories, visit GIMA Awards 2026

Learn more about GIMA

For further information about GIMA and the benefits membership brings visit www.gima.org.uk or contact the GIMA office on 01959 564947 or email info@gima.org.uk