Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes 2023 by Eljays44

Wednesday 22 November 2023

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THESE AWARDS RECOGNISE AND CELEBRATE THE BUSINESS SUCCESSES OF ORGANISATIONS THAT ARE LEADING THE UK’S LANDSCAPING INDUSTRY. BRINGING TOGETHER THE WHOLE INDUSTRY AT THE PRESTIGIOUS AWARDS CEREMONY WHICH IS HELD IN APRIL AT OLD BILLINGSGATE, LONDON.

THE PRO LANDSCAPER 30 UNDER 30: THE NEXT GENERATION INITIATIVE HAS BEEN RUNNING SINCE 2015, AND HAS SEEN 270 WINNERS OF THIS PRESTIGIOUS AWARD. IT HAS HELPED TO PROPEL THEM INTO THE LANDSCAPING LIMELIGHT, WITH MOST OF THE WINNERS GOING ON TO BIGGER AND BETTER THINGS SINCE COLLECTING THEIR AWARD.

THE PRO LANDSCAPER PROJECT AWARDS APPRECIATE THE COMPLEXITIES OF DESIGNING AND BUILDING A SPACE ON A RELATIVELY TIGHT BUDGET. IN FACT, IT’S OFTEN HARD TO GET THE ‘WOW FACTOR’ WITHIN THESE RESTRICTIONS.

THE MOST INFLUENTIAL AWARD IS PRO LANDSCAPER’S WAY OF SHOWCASING THE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SHAPING THE LANDSCAPING SECTOR, WHETHER THAT’S THROUGH THE QUALITY OF THEIR WORK, THEIR AMBASSADORIAL WORK ON BEHALF OF THE INDUSTRY, OR BY BEING AN INSPIRATION TO THE REST OF THE MARKET.

THESE AWARDS ARE ON A MISSION TO SHOWCASE THE MOST IMPORTANT INNOVATION AND INITIATIVES ACROSS THE UK LANDSCAPING SECTOR, FROM DESIGN, TO CONSTRUCTION, TO PRODUCT SUPPLY AND MANUFACTURING. WE ARE LOOKING FOR GREAT STORIES OF ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT REDUCTION, WORKING TOWARDS A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FOR THE PLANET.

HIDDEN BEHIND THE FRONTLINE OF EVERY SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ARE STARS THAT KEEP COMPANIES AND THE INDUSTRY GOING. THEY ARE SO CRITICAL, AND YOU OFTEN HEAR THEM REFERRED TO AS THE “GLUE” THAT HOLDS EVERYTHING TOGETHER. OUR “UNSUNG HEROES” AWARDS WERE LAUNCHED EARLIER THIS YEAR TO RECOGNISE THESE INDIVIDUALS WHO OFTEN SLIP UNDER THE RADAR.

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WELCOME H

idden behind the frontline of every successful business are stars that keep companies and the industry going. They are so critical, and you often hear them referred to as the “glue” that holds everything together. Our Unsung Heroes Awards were launched earlier this year to recognise these individuals who often slip under the radar. We invited readers to nominate who they believe deserved to be recognised and were unsurprisingly inundated with hundreds of nominations from office administrators to marketing to operatives on the ground to small business owners. There were some amazing stories of dedication and examples of how critical the entrants were in underpinning the successes of the businesses they worked for. These nominees were shortlisted to the Top 15, who are featured in this brochure, and you can read about why they were nominated. A massive well done to all of them; being nominated and making this shortlist is a great

achievement and really demonstrates just how valuable they are to their businesses. We gave our audience the opportunity to make the final decision on who deserved to be the crowned Pro Landscaper’s Unsung Hero, and with over 1,000 votes cast, we can now reveal who that is. A big thank you to Landscapeplus for supporting this initiative and helping us recognise those within this brochure who are, I suppose, no longer “unsung heroes”.

DAVID GRIFFITHS, DIVISIONAL DIRECTOR

Eljays44 Ltd 3 Churchill Court, 112 The Street, Rustington, West Sussex, BN16 3DA Tel: 01903 777 570 www.eljays44.com

A NOTE FROM OUR PARTNER

“T

he Landscapeplus team is proud to be partnering the very first Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards that will shine a light on so many amazing individuals who work tirelessly to make our industry a pleasure to be a part of. As a company, we are passionate about developing the industry and the Unsung Heroes Awards is the perfect match alongside our training days and design support.” Sam Cox, Landscapeplus

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Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023

UNSUNG HERO OF THE YEAR

Frankie Patman, marketing manager, Maylim rather than doing any promotion or shouting from the rooftops about the company,” says Patman, who offered to do this for Maylim – and continues to do so singlehandedly. “Seven years later, we have a boardroom full of awards, which I like think is a little bit to do with me.”

inning the Grand Award at the National Landscape Awards in 2017 catapulted Maylim into the spotlight. It had been quietly expanding for two decades, undertaking major commercial landscaping projects; but it was this win that cemented its reputation within the industry, and it has since become an exemplar to many. Whilst there’s no denying that it was the skill of the hard landscaping on One Tower Bridge that made it an award winner, it’s Frankie Patman who ensured Maylim reached that point. Her award entry was written so well, in fact, that the British Association of Landscape Industries asked her to help it create a toolkit for aiding future entrants. One nominator says Patman has been “central to the success of Maylim”. So, it might come as a surprise to some that Patman was previously working in television. It was only after having been “mis-sold” a new job, quitting after two days, that Patman ended up at Maylim through a recruitment company. She started as an administrator, before taking on marketing and events, going on to establish Maylim as one of the most recognised brands within the built environment. “When I first started, they were focusing on growing the company with projects through their operations and building relationships

Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023

This is an understatement, of course. “One of the best things for me is showing off the company’s achievements and individual achievements as well. Some of the projects are award-winning, but there are also some projects that aren’t necessarily going to be able to be put forward for awards, so for me it’s vital to be able to celebrate the teams that are part of those smaller projects as well. At the end of the day, we’re all working towards the same goal.” Staff wellbeing is firmly on Patman’s agenda, despite it not necessarily being part of her job description. Her approach is subtle, like organising a five-a-side football league for the site teams and subcontractors to encourage not just physical exercise but also a strong company culture, an opportunity for socialising and a safe space to chat. For office staff, she set up Maylim Moves, with weekly exercise classes on rotation for those who’d like to get involved. Patman was also pivotal in mental health first aiders being introduced and in championing fundamental changes to Maylim’s maternity policy. She organises fundraising events for colleagues and is helping Maylim to develop a programme where it works with community groups and less advantaged children to inspire the next generation. “It’s about making positive change,” says Patman. If her success to date is anything to go by, she could be instrumental in drawing new recruits to the sector, and raising the profile of Maylim has been key to these opportunities. As a nominator says: “She should be recognised for her unfailing dedication, passion, and achievements.”

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2023 SHORTLIST Owen Baker Technical officer – policy and research, British Association of Landscape Industries

or Owen Baker, the role of technical officer at a landscaping trade association is seemingly the perfect fit. After completing a Landscape Management course at university, he’d carried out a range of roles – from working at a landscape architecture practice to the soft estate team for the Highways Agency to consultancies – before going for an interview with the British Association of Landscape Industries. “I’m quite lucky in that I’m interested in understanding how things work and what they mean for the wider industry, and I get to do that at BALI, so it ticks all the boxes,” says Baker, who joined the association in 2017. Since, he has “shown his passion for the industry through the work that he tirelessly

delivers” for members, says a nominator. He was also integral during the pandemic, continually writing and updating guidance and never complaining about his workload. “In the early days of Covid, we were getting calls from members all the time, and the guidance, in some cases, was changing one day to the next, so it was quite intense.” Fortunately, having worked on site himself, Baker was able to interpret the guidance for the landscaping industry. Baker has also been working with the membership and marketing teams to develop materials and opportunities for distance learning and works a lot with the BALI National Contractors Forum on areas such as health and safety. His role also involves lobbying to the government or feeding back on policy proposals – this is where he says BALI itself can sometimes be an unsung hero as it works behind the scenes to achieve the best outcome for the industry.

Taryn Baker Sales coordinator, Greenwood Plants

aryn Barker has been with Greenwood Plants for nearly 10 years and has become the “glue that holds the sales team together”. Regardless of the challenge, she is unfazed, being “an outstanding member of staff” who clients regularly praise for her speedy response to quotes, “unwavering client care and incredible efficiency” – “she is a star,” says one nominator. Having come into the industry by chance, Baker remains as the sales coordinator for Greenwood Plants eight years later. “I love it. It’s such an interesting industry, I feel myself continuously learning here, gaining more knowledge from colleagues and clients.” The combination of working among a really great team and having a range of clients that keep

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her on her toes too with all their weird and wonderful requests has been great, says Baker. The biggest challenge Baker has come across so far was overcoming Brexit and the complications with customs delays. “It definitely added a strain to our trade with Holland, which is why we made the decision to open headquarters there too!” Looking to the future of Greenwood, by the end of 2023, “we’re hoping to enhance our sustainability initiatives and be completely peat free”. Greenwood is also developing a recycling scheme where clients can return used crates, pallets, and pots back to Greenwood for 100% credit and is working on becoming water self-sufficient. “Not to mention the beehives, and our first harvest of honey! There’s a lot going on, but that’s probably why I’m still here eight years later – because Greenwood is constantly evolving and striving to improve.”

Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023

Dave Bradbury Planning and logistics manager, George Davies Turf

was going out of business that led to Bradbury being offered a role at George Davies Turf. Now, the company is on target to sell 1.4 million rolls a year, on top of other products it offers. “The business has scaled massively and the number of people in the business has quadrupled.” As George Davies Turf has grown and developed, so has Bradbury’s role. He was the “frontline responder” for sales calls and processing orders when he first joined, and it was Davies who was undertaking all the planning and logistics. This changed after around three years; Bradbury covered the role whilst Davies went on holiday, and it’s stayed that way ever since, with more customers,

or the last decade, Dave Bradbury has been going the extra mile at George Davies Turf. He joined the company back in 2013, with no prior experience in the industry, having previously been working for a bespoke furniture manufacturer which had been based out of units on a farm owned by George Davies’ father. Bradbury had met Davies on a few occasions, but it was a chance conversation when the furniture company

more products and more sales to manage. “It became very evident to me early on the requirement for relationships, and I always pride myself on being very gratuitous towards people.” This sentiment was reflected by one person who nominated Bradbury for our Unsung Heroes: “His kindness and empathy shine through like nothing I’ve experienced before.”

Roy Candlin, Senior account manager, Ground Control

Control’s SVN project for special educational needs, which Candlin has written and developed for more than seven years now. It helps train children from special educational needs schools, putting them on a path to an apprenticeship, with a goal of seeing them qualified and able to join the world of work. “Seven years on and I now have three students that I’m working with, one of which now has a full-time job and he’s been with me from the start. So, it’s taking him seven years to get to there, but I helped that to happen.”

riginally founded in the 1970s, Ground Control was bought by its current owners the following decade and transformed from a small, quiet company to one of the largest green service providers in the UK, with a multi-million-pound turnover. Roy Candlin joined 20 years ago and has witnessed, as well as been part of, its success. “I think the growth of the company is really apparent with the different job roles and the promotions that I’ve had over the years, now working with over 1,200 direct reporting staff.” As a senior account manager at Ground Control, Candlin has a group of area managers reporting to him who work specifically for its client, JLL. The biggest challenge Candlin spoke of was adapting to change as the company has evolved, such as adopting new technology and new systems. His biggest achievement, however, is the reason behind his nomination – Ground

Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023

Kate Cooney Corporate partnerships manager, Perennial

ate Cooney had spent more than 30 years in the recruitment industry and, when she came back from maternity leave, she started to recruit for horticultural charity Perennial. She’d heard of it before through her brother, who works in the landscaping industry. He’d bought her a donation of a Christmas dinner for several retired gardeners, which was a campaign that Perennial was running at that time. So, when she started filling vacancies for the charity, it felt “like fate” and when a business-to-business role came up at Perennial, it approached Cooney herself to take the role. One nominator says she has been “the face of Perennial within the landscape sector”, being a “passionate advocate” for the charity and “almost singlehandedly” raising the profile of Perennial within the sector, enabling it to help more people within landscaping. She refuses to be solely praised for this effort, though, adding that her colleague Phil Swainston has been just as instrumental. They have both been able to build relationships in the sector and make a difference. “I can’t change the world, but I can at least contribute to helping make things better for people when they need it the most.” Cooney looks back on the first lockdown, when calls to Perennial were up 400%, as a time when the charity’s work really shone through. “I work closely with the services team and so I see on a daily basis the work that they do – why wouldn’t I want to promote that?”

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Eddie Everest Landscaper, Frosts Landscape Construction

W Barrie Duesbury Nursery manager, Living Walls

arrie Duesbury set out to make horticulture more accessible. He joined the education system to help address the skills shortage and, using his own experience, tried to help remove barriers to entry. Duesbury has been in horticulture since he was 15 years old, starting out as an apprentice with the local council before going to Holland for six months to work on a rose farm for experience through the National Farmers Union. After that, he decided to be self-employed, carrying out garden maintenance and landscaping. It was after this that he joined Kieron Beattie Landscapes, where he now works after a couple of years’ break from the company to go into teaching. “I wanted to give other people the knowledge that I’d learned over the years and to teach people like me, who are dyslexic; I have a better understanding of what they’re going through.” So, prepandemic, Duesbury was a horticulture lecturer, teaching and supporting those of varying skill levels. He strived to introduce measures such as developing ‘talking’ plant labels to help make the industry more accessible for all. An NFC or QR code could be scanned by students for plant identification, and another QR code would offer the Latin name. “For anybody who’s dyslexic, it’s a fantastic tool.” Duesbury now works as a nursery manager and continues to find opportunities to share his knowledge. Those who nominated him said he is “incredibly selfless” and “deserves a medal”.

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hen he joined Frosts Landscape Construction in November 1980, Eddie Everest arrived on a cold dark morning as a fresh-faced 17-year-old. Now, 43 years later, Everest has said goodbye to his Frost family as he retires, having dedicated his life to his work. Over the first few years, his plant and tree knowledge improved as the job went from seasonal maintenance to going into major landscape construction projects. He was promoted to foreman on small jobs and worked his way up to complicated planting scheme on more exciting jobs such as the Palm House at Alexandra Palace. You can imagine the changes that Eddie has seen in the industry over that time. “The company has gone through some significant changes, moving to new premises with new management teams over the years. I was quite happy to take a step back from supervisory duties and pass on some of my horticultural knowledge to our younger employees. No

Sharon Frost Office manager, Tim O’Hare Associates

ith a background in business studies and having worked in different administration roles within various sectors, Sharon Frost applied for the new role of office administrator at Tim O’Hare Associates back in 2014. “Not only did it fit my skill set but it appealed personally as my husband was also already in the industry.”

matter the task, he carried it out “with a smile and a positive attitude. Our clients love Eddie; nothing is ever too much trouble for him. Eddie is a hero in our eyes and deserves recognition,” said one nominator. “It’s a matter of great pride to have worked with Eddie,” says managing director, Ken White. “His dedication and professionalism towards the company, our clients and fellow team members is nothing short of exemplary. Eddie is truly part of the fabric of Frosts Landscape Construction and what makes it a great company to work for. It has been a great honour to work alongside this remarkable individual.”

Tim O’Hare Associates is an independent soil science and landscape engineering consultancy that supports the commercial landscape, sports amenity, and construction industries. Founded in 2006, it offers services in soil survey, site investigation, and support. With over 20 years’ experience in office and facilities management and finance, Frost says this seemed like the perfect role for her to use her skills and, as it was a newly created role, to develop within it. Every day presents a different challenge, says Frost, who makes the most of any given opportunity. As well as overseeing all office and accounts administration and organising the popular SoilsCon event, which was last held in 2019 and is now due to take place next February, Frost manages the administration of the Soil Testing Services department. From when a bag of soil arrives at the office to the invoice being sent to the client, Frost ensures that the process is compliant with the O’Hare way of working.

Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023

Fern Snowling Planting & logistics manager, Majestic Trees

F Louise Granger Office administrator, Harrowden Turf

“H

ow does any other business function without a Louise,” questions one nominator. Louise Granger has become “invaluable” to Harrowden Turf, going above and beyond her role as office administrator to perform a myriad of tasks. With a background in recruitment, Granger first met one of the owners of Harrowden Turf – Chantall Ridd-Jones – 17 years ago in an antenatal class. She then fell into childminding until seven years ago, when she was looking for a change. Fortunately, at the same time, Ridd-Jones and her husband Stuart were looking for someone to run their new head office. “And I haven’t looked back since,” says Granger, who helped to refurbish the converted barn into the headquarters. The office has gone from a team of around four to having a new depot, a driver permanently based there, a customer service and an accounts team – “it’s massively different,” says Granger. “No one day has ever been the same.” Her role encompasses everything from recruitment and supporting the board meetings to marketing and HR. Granger has even offered her garden for product development. “She will go out of her way to pick someone up, drop someone off or collect, post, print and collate almost anything. She is a valuable sounding board for personal and professional issues,” says one nominator.

Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023

resh out of school, at the age of 16, Fern Snowling decided to work for a local company within walking distance – and she’s been at Majestic Trees ever since, and became an “unflappable” member of the team who is “extremely hard working” and “humble”, according to those who nominated her for Unsung Heroes. She first joined as a receptionist but preferred to work outside, so was soon moved into the yard, starting off by helping to prepare a large order, and has since worked her way up to the role of planting and logistics manager. “My creative mind is always allowed to be present; I have to think up ideas of how I’m going to make things work,” says Snowling, who is now the go-to guru for moving and handling trees in Airpots up to 5,000L and 13m tall, thriving on the problem-solving aspect of her role. The industry’s leading designers and landscapers ask for her to bring in their trees.

Ray Stephenson Landscape consultant, Talasey Group

“R

ay Stephenson is a lifesaver: both a literal one and a metaphorical one,” said one nominator. Whilst exhibiting at a show last year, he stopped to help a woman who looked unwell, and thanks to his quick intervention in seeking medical assistance, Stephenson helped to prevent a lifethreatening condition from becoming fatal. “I just like to help people; it goes a long way, and it can change a lot of things for a lot of people,”

Humbly, Snowling says it’s Majestic Trees’ managing director, Steve McCurdy, who deserves an Unsung Hero award for fighting Defra’s tree destruction notice. “I would never refer to myself as an unsung hero; I love my job, and if you have people at a company who love their job, most become integral to the company. Every day is different.” And Snowling cherishes being entrusted with opportunities to be creative when handling large trees, to be “given that freedom”.

says Stephenson, who is also known for being a “hero” in what has become affectionately known as ‘Fight Club’ at Talasey Group. The network of installers and designers was set up by Stephenson, and professional landscaping companies are invited to join the exclusive club based on the high quality of their projects. Stephenson has plans to expand the network too, after first joining Talasey Group during the pandemic. He’s been in the landscaping industry since he left school, though, with experience in both domestic and commercial landscaping, working on prolific projects such as Disneyland Paris and GCHQ in Chelmsford. He was then approached by Marshalls to be a regional assessor for its register of installers. Now, at Talasey Group, he travels up and down the country to support its network members. He is also a Mental Health First Aider and uses his role as an opportunity to listen to colleagues and contractors who might be struggling and need someone to talk to. As a nominator puts it, “to the members of Fight Club, Ray is a hero who is always available to help them in their hour of need, whether that’s on the phone, on an online call or in person.”

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Peter Thurman Consultant and Principal, The Thurman Consultancy

s a Kew-trained landscape and garden designer and a tree, environmental and horticultural consultant with over 30 years’ experience, Peter Thurman is “untiring” in his support of the industry and

Mal Vickers National green space manager, Remus

hanging the way Remus approaches estate management, Mal Vickers “has added a layer to our company that no-one else could,” bringing landscape and ecology to the forefront. He has introduced an estate management training academy for Remus’ property managers too, even saving up cereal boxes to make a SuDS model to use in one of the sessions. “Mal’s knowledge in his field is second to none, but above all else he will do anything he can to help colleagues and clients,” said one nominator. As a child, Vickers worked at the local nursery which he really enjoyed, so when he went on to choosing a degree, it was clear to Vickers that he wanted something both academic and practical. He chose to study horticulture. “It was the perfect combination and being an industry-specific degree, I found a job easily as a gardener working my way through the industry until Remus approached me and I joined them in July 2021.” Remus opened in 1990, managing over 70,000 properties and taking responsibility

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“a powerful advocate for the highest quality of training and professional practice,” says one nominator. He is a published author and teacher who is more than willing to share his experience and knowledge with others. With the goal of enhancing the horticultural sector and those in it, Thurman’s examples of good practice across the complete width and depth of the horticultural sector are a “constant source of inspiration.” As a fellow of the Arboricultural Association and the Chartered Institute of Horticulture, he has chartered status in trees, forestry, horticulture and the environment; his commissions reach as far afield as Italy, Japan, Dubai, Hong Kong, Finland, Germany, France and Belgium. Whilst teaching and examining at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the London College of Garden Design, his massive support for those up and coming within the industry, specifically those seeking to redress the awful impacts of climate change, is admirable, and students will always have Thurman in their corner.

for the management of communal facilities. Vickers mentioned that there was a low level of understanding of horticulture and the environment, so he had the opportunity to start from scratch with the relevant training. “The company didn’t have anyone with a horticultural background, so when I was approached, it seemed like a great opportunity.” Moving forward, Vicker’s plans to take on an ecologist to help build on his knowledge on biodiversity and sustainability, looking to update his understanding as well as streamline specification writing. “I hope to improve the information we provide to our customers and to our residents in order to just be more open and transparent.”

Richard Wagstaff Director, RJW Landscapes Ltd

ichard Wagstaff’s dedication to his staff is awe-inspiring. He treats them like family and, whilst trying to keep the business going during the pandemic, he’d often not take a wage and dip into his own savings to ensure employees were still paid when work was sparse. He has an Employee Assistance Program to look after their health and wellbeing and provide confidential support where needed. “Richard goes above and beyond, often to the detriment of his personal life and finances.” “I decided to set up on my own in 2004. My brother came to work alongside me for several years and then five years ago in 2017, we made the decision to employ someone to work with us.” Wagstaff is determined to look after his staff in the way he had been looked after by his employers. “I run an open-door policy; if there are any issues, I provide a shoulder for them to lean upon. I’m always here to talk and provide guidance, a little bit of extra time off if requested and some paid time off if it’s needed it as well.” The biggest challenge had been the initial recruiting and finding the right staff to work alongside and to the same standard. “It’s all trial and error and although we’ve had a lot of staff come and go, the staff that we’ve got now, I wouldn’t want to lose a single one of them.” Similarly, Wagstaff spoke of how the biggest achievement is “being where we are today. It’s been a great journey and I look forward to continuing the adventure.”

Pro Landscaper Unsung Heroes Awards 2023 11

Wednesday 22 November 2023