The Greenfingers Charity has held its AGM, where a new chairman was elected, and a new look board was introduced.

After four years in the role of chairman, John Ashley officially retired at the start of the 2020 Greenfingers AGM. During his time at the charity, Ashely has been instrumental in the further development of Greenfingers Charity.

Highlights of his time as chairman include the completion of 10 gardens and four more int the planning; the launch of the ‘Million Moments’ campaign which far exceeded expectations having reached its £1million fundraising total in under three years; the launch of the Chairman’s fundraising dinner at the RAF Club, which has raised over £100,000 in three years; the appointment of Patrons Ann-Marie Powell and Adam Frost; the development of the Greenfingers Charity brand, and the Greenfingers garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show in 2019.

Taking up the mantle from John is the newly elected chairman, Sue Allen. Allen is a well-known face within the garden retail sector, having established Millbrook Garden Centres in 1979 with her late husband, Dick. Now run by her extended family, Sue splits her timebetween sitting on the board of trustees for the Garden Centre Association and is chairman of the GCA Trust, and now, Greenfingers.

In addition to the role of Chairman, the AGM also saw three trustees step down at the end of their tenure. Leaving their post were Scotsdale’s Caroline Owen; Dennis Espleypreviously MD of Squire’s Garden Centres and now Non-Executive Chair of theTillington Buying Group; and CEO of Somerton Group, Carol Paris.  The Board also voted in two new trustees with both Tammy Woodhouse, MD of Millbrook Garden Centres, and Richard Capewell, being warmly welcomed by the Greenfingers Charity board.