UK: HTA takes home two awards at Trade Association Forum

Last night, after being shortlisted as finalists in three categories, the Horticultural Trades Association (HTA) celebrated a double win at the 2025 Trade Association Awards, run by the Trade Association Forum and supported by the Department for Business and Trade.

The HTA received an award for Member Engagement and the Rising Star Award, with special congratulations to Senior Policy Executive Katie Neenan for her individual achievement.

Fran Barnes, HTA Chief Executive, commented: "It's fantastic to see the HTA team acknowledged last night for all their hard work and dedication. Our members are at the heart of everything we do, and our team work tirelessly to drive engagement and develop benefits for all members. The awards showcase the efforts across the HTA team and being shortlisted for three awards is a testament to the work we deliver. I'd like to extend my personal congratulations to both Katie Neenan and the Membership Engagement team as we collectively celebrate their achievements"

Left: HTA's Membership Engagement Managers Tim Bell, Jo Gildea and Jeremy Costello. Right: Rising Star, Katie Neenan

Katie Neenan's Rising Star Award is a testament to her dedication and rapid career progression. Since joining the HTA as an International Relations graduate, she has made significant contributions, including leading the delivery of a new HTA Welsh Manifesto and Senedd engagement.

On learning of her award win, Katie Neenan said: "It's so exciting to have won this award. I'm really grateful for the recognition and to our team for putting me forward. I want to thank the HTA for supporting my development and can't wait for what's to come."

The 'highly commended' Membership Engagement Award recognized the success of the HTA Regional Events series. With member experience at the core of the HTA, engagement remains a top priority—focused on both retention and recruitment. Research revealed a strong demand for more networking opportunities, which led to the launch of the HTA regional event program, which has since played a vital role in strengthening member connections.

Tim Bell, Head of Member Engagement said: "We're delighted to receive this award on behalf of the HTA and would like to thank the members who have helped us get this initiative off the ground, by giving their time, attending, and agreeing to host. It's been fantastic to see the industry come together at venues across the UK, and we are very much looking forward to meeting with many more at the regional events in the coming months."

These awards recognize, reward, and promote best practices among trade associations in the UK and highlight the outstanding work HTA has done on behalf of its members over the past year.

The awards were announced at a ceremony on Thursday, 27th February 2025, at the De Vere Connaught Rooms in London.