Dorset Wildlife Trust is delighted to announce that the Get Dorset Buzzing campaign has been named in the top three best marketing campaigns in the Garden Centre Association’s (GCA) prestigious national competition, the Worrall Cup.

Designed to inspire gardeners of all ages and levels of expertise to think about ways that they can encourage more wildlife into their gardens and outdoor spaces, this free initiative was recognised at the GCA Annual Dinner and Awards Ceremony, held at the Mercure Bristol Grand Hotel on Tuesday 28 January. The main sponsors of the Get Dorset Buzzing campaign were The Gardens Group and Wessex Water.

Iain Wylie, chief executive of the GCA, which represents 200 garden centres nationwide, said: “The judges of the Worrall Cup thought the Get Dorset Buzzing campaign was a fantastic way of getting people of all ages involved and thinking about their gardens and the environment. It was a shining example of how garden centres can work with local communities while also raising awareness of such an important issue as wildlife and the plight of pollinators. It was very pleasing to hear that the campaign was so successful, with more than 4,000 gardens pledging to welcome more wildlife and do all they can to encourage it. This number exceeded the original target of 1,000 sign-ups.”

Mike Burks, managing director of The Gardens Group and GCA Chairman, said: “We’re always looking for ways to encourage a more wildlife friendly approach to gardening and this initiative with Dorset Wildlife Trust provided the perfect opportunity for us to talk to customers and the wider population about the positive impact gardening can have on the environment. The results of Get Dorset Buzzing certainly demonstrate that there is an appetite for gardening with wildlife in mind as the nation grows more conscious about the planet and their own wellbeing, so it is important that we as an industry make sure that such gardening practices are made more accessible. This recognition from the GCA is the icing on the cake following a very successful campaign and will no doubt help to spur us on as we do all we can to keep Dorset buzzing.”

Picture credit: Catherine Bolado