Furthering professional development with the Ball Colegrave Travel Scholarship
Ball Colegrave is encouraging the continuous professional development of young people in the horticultural sector with a travel scholarship. The £1,500 Ball Colegrave Sponsored Travel Scholarship is on offer as part of the David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) Scholarship Season.
The David Colegrave Foundation (DCF) is a registered charity supporting the development of students studying horticulture in the UK. It champions careers in commercial, production or retail ornamental horticulture by offering scholarships to future horticulturists.
The award funds travel across the UK and Europe in order to develop knowledge and experience in bedding plant production and marketing. An employee in the early stages of their career at a commercial bedding plant nursery, or a student studying horticulture with an interest in commercial bedding plants and travel should apply.
Recent winner, Robert Perry, a Crop Technician Apprentice, used the scholarship to fund his place on an automation study tour while studying at Pershore College and working at Bordon Hill Nurseries. He visited some of the leading bedding plant growers in the Netherlands looking at the latest technology, innovation and automation and says: “This scholarship allowed me to widen my view of growing techniques and machinery used to automate the whole process a nursery runs through while producing its product. Since going on the tour, I can look at automation from another perspective and am excited for future prospects in automating my workplace nursery more efficiently and with a larger range of tasks becoming automated.”
Danny Booth (pictured) won the award while working at Lovania and wanted to use the award to develop his growing knowledge and ability surrounding plug production and new plants. He says: “This scholarship provided me with fantastic opportunities to meet people that are well established within the industry and form key relationships as well as gaining knowledge of a bigger picture within the industry. Without a grant like this, it would have taken me years to develop such relationships. I learnt a lot about different techniques and methods to save time and money, using different products and seeing better results.”
David Acock won while a student at Writtle College and spent a summer completing a study tour of Greece, the Channel Islands and the Netherlands. He said, “During the travels I witnessed first hand creativity and innovation, which inspired me and gave me the confidence to contribute to future business systems.”
Stuart Lowen at Ball Colegrave, says: “David Colegrave developed many great ideas in his business through his travel overseas, keeping an open mind to new practices and challenges in plant culture. This led David to introduce groundbreaking new product innovations and solutions within our industry. This Scholarship aims to support a like-minded individuals currently working within the commercial bedding plant industry, looking to extend their knowledge and experience through exploring horticulture across the UK and Europe.”
DCF Scholarship season is open now until 31 January 2021
To apply visit www.davidcolegravefoundation.org.uk