An interesting few days, punctuated by England’s stunning win at the Lord's Test which restored faith in the England team - and the game of cricket. I went on the first day, drowned some sorrows when we were 30 for 4 only to be heartened by the positive approach of young players who set down a marker for the rest of the game. Above all, the game was all about sportsmanship and respect played by two evenly matched teams. FIFA take note.

On Friday, I met up with Keith Christian who took the opportunity of a ride down to Salisbury on his rather splendid motorcycle. There has been a changing of the guard at the helm of two industry organisations in recent times with both AEA and IAgrE appointing new CEOs. Both have featured in recent issues of Service Dealer so it was timely that we should chat about the role of BAGMA and look back over his 8 years heading up the dealer trade association. 

Can it really be 21 years since BAGMA ceased to be an independent entity based at Rickmansworth? That period of BAGMA (nee AMTDA) history came to a shuddering and unfortunate end, mired in financial controversy.

However, it was rescued by former director general Jonathan Swift who slotted the Association into the British Hardware Federation, which in turn has evolved into the British Independent Retailers Association (bira). It would be fair to say that being part of a multi-dimensional organisation has provided previously unobtainable benefits for BAGMA members, but against that has possibly neutered effectiveness compared with being a stand-alone organisation. 

Anyway those are some of the issues, we’ll cover with Keith in the next issue of Service Dealer.

Last Friday I was also delighted meet up again with Warren Sellers, who runs the long-running GIE+EXPO trade show in Louisville who was on a visit to the UK. Talking of change, the show has gone through a re-invention in recent years to address the green industry as a whole, rather than just the machinery sector.

Previously staged in the often stifling heat of July, the GIE+EXPO show is now held in October and attracts machinery dealers along with the substantial US landscaper and contractor community - no doubt attracted by the new hard landscaping show-within-show which has been added this year. 

The essence of the Louisville show however remains indoor and outdoor, talks and education – and a lively concert programme featuring top American bands - this year including Grand Funk Railroad (remember them?).

Lastly, I went to a very interesting Q&A this week at The Times with David Cameron’s bare-footed former policy adviser, Steve Hilton, whose recent book More Human urges us all to take more responsibility. Loads of original ideas, and at the core the view that people should  interact with people at a local level more rather than let central government dictate. Shop locally would do nicely as a start.