SQUIRE’S Garden Centres has announced the winners of its annual awards.

It has 15 centres across the South East, including one at Washington in West Sussex on the A24 between Horsham and Worthing.

The awards were voted for by the senior management team at Squire’s and are based on results as well as customer feedback.

Theresa Scattergood at Squire’s in Washington won a Customer Service Award for work in the garden centre and café bar.

Deputy chairman Sarah Squire said, “These awards recognise the great effort and achievement made by our garden centres, and by individual employees, throughout the year.

“A big well done and thank you to everyone for their hard work which is much appreciated.”

Meanwhile, Colin Squire, chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, received an OBE in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours list.

He has been given the award in recognition of his services to the horticulture industry and to charity.

Squire’s was founded by Colin’s father D.J. Squire 81 years ago as a nursery and landscape business.

Colin, also 81, formally joined the family business in the late 1950’s.

He said, “I was so surprised and delighted to learn of this award.

“I feel immensely honoured. I have been very fortunate to work in this wonderful industry and to have enjoyed the support and friendship of so many inspirational people in our business and the wider horticultural family.

“I remain very optimistic for the future of our industry even though there are many challenges ahead and I believe that horticulture can be a real force for good in the communities we serve.”

Colin is a respected figure in the industry with his never-ending enthusiasm for his business and the horticultural industry as a whole.

He was a founder member of the Garden Centre Association in 1966.