The Chartered Institute of Horticulture’s annual general meeting concluded with a prizegiving ceremony recognising the exceptional contribution of horticulture professionals and students over the past year.
The Aberconway Award for best horticultural dissertation was awarded to James Douglass from SRUC. James’ thesis investigated the relationship between different populations of the Scots Pine pathogen Curreya spp. and the impact of current and future outbreaks.The award commemorates Lord Aberconway who contributed personally and financially to the establishment of the Institute of Horticulture.
Eileen Sung was the recipient of the Norah Stucken Award in recognition of her impactful community horticulture initiatives including the establishment of Lennoxvale Tree Nursery, a partnership between San Souci Residents Associations, The Conservation Volunteers and Queen University, Belfast.
“Eileen’s work exemplifies the very best of community-driven horticulture. Through her vision, persistence and ability to bring people together, she has delivered projects that not only enrich the environment but also strengthen community bonds.”
Helen Sessions, CIH Membership and External Relations Manager.
The President’s Award was presented to outgoing Honorary Treasurer Gabriel Roe FCIHort, having served two full terms of office his careful management of the financial health of the Institute included navigating the global pandemic. Gabriel has had a distinguished career as Chief of Plant Health and Head of Horticulture for the Department of Agriculture in Ireland and has consistently advocated for the profession having served on the Institute’s governing Council and Ireland Branch.
“Gabriel is a great colleague, calm and measured, and provides wise counsel and guidance and I would like to thank him for his great work and am sure that he will continue to be part of the Institute but a little more from the sidelines” David Richardson, CIH President.
Honorary Fellowship
Land-based workforce consultant Ros Burnley FCIHort (Hon) was awarded an Honorary Fellowship. Ros will be familiar to many in the industry for her work spanning research, skills planning, project management, teaching, and content development. She has been the coordinating force behind the development and review of apprenticeships in arboriculture, horticulture and landscaping through the Trailblazer groups.
Ros holds a BA (hons) in Biological Sciences from Oxford University and an MSc in Horticulture from the University of Reading, as well as qualifications in arboriculture, teaching, and project management. She began her career 30 years ago in the nursery stock industry and went on to work in plant collections, greenspaces, and sector skills development.
She is an assessor for the Royal Horticultural Society’s Master of Horticulture and a trustee of PlantNetwork. She contributes to sector-wide initiatives as a member of the RHS Learning and Public Engagement Group and the Environmental Horticulture Group Education and Employment Committee.
Ros says: “I’m deeply honoured to receive this award. It has been a privilege to work alongside so many dedicated professionals committed to strengthening skills in horticulture. I’m passionate about breaking down barriers to learning and creating pathways for talent to thrive — enabling our industry to reach its full potential.”
Applications for the 2025 award are currently open, to learn more about this opportunity, interested candidates should consult the CIH website or contact the CIH Membership and External Relations Manager Helen Sessions developmentofficer@horticulture.org.uk
Image caption: CIH Award Winners (Clockwise from top left) Honorary Fellowship for Ros Burnley, Gabriel Roe receiving The President’s Award from CIH President David Richardson, Aberconway Award Winner James Douglass and Eileen Sung receiving the Norah Stucken Award.