The Journey of Danny Clarke: From Sales to Gardening
The host for the evening will be Danny Clarke, as known as the Black Gardener, who, in his mid-40s, changed his career from sales to horticulture and garden design, training at Hadlow College.
Since his career change, Danny has been on our screens in various programmes and has exhibited at the Royal Horticultural Society’s Chelsea Flower Show, winning a Silver-gilt Medal.
Photo credit: Neil Marshment Photography
Celebrating Excellence
The Awards sought nominations of apprentices and FE/HE learners in the land-based and environment sector, between September 2022 and September 2023. The nomination window was open throughout the spring, with nominations being interviewed and shortlisted ahead of the upcoming Awards Ceremony on Thursday.
Categories at this year’s LBEL Awards cover a wide variety of industries including agriculture, aquaculture, animal care and management, arboriculture, forestry and woodland management, environment, conservation, game and wildlife management, equine and farriery, floristry, landscape and horticulture, land-based engineering, sports turf and greenkeeping and veterinary nursing.
As well as prizes for the top apprentices and learners in each of the above categories, there’s also awards up for grabs for overall learner of the year and overall apprentice of the year. This year also sees the introduction of the Researcher of the Year award, for those on a master’s degree or PhD programme.
Finalists for the LBEL Awards 2024 were selected by an independent judging panel consisting of esteemed and influential figures across the land-based, veterinary nursing and environment sector, chaired by Prof. John Moverley.
The Finalists
A huge congratulations to the following individuals who have been shortlisted as finalists this year:
Agriculture
Harvey Stockdale
Grace Atkins
Will Edkins
Erin Wright
Matthew Lee
Carl Austin
Riley Oliver
Animal Care and Management
Alistair Gamblin
Jennifer Crouchman
Madelaine Dunlop
Carter Carter
Animal Studies
Tegan Whittaker
Tobias Holmes
Faith Ivey
Arboriculture, Forestry
and Woodland Management
Garent Jenkinson
Jon Bowden
Environment, Conservation,
Game and Wildlife
Callum Tingley
William Roberts
Kate Jane Hall
Jolene Orlowski
Felicity Anna Blakiston Jones
Monique Scott
Rhiannon Coe
