Press releases

Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets to sponsor RHS Chelsea Flower Show Charity Gala Preview

March 9 2007

Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets is to sponsor the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Chelsea Flower Show Charity Gala Preview for the next two years.

The Charity Gala Preview, which sold out within hours of tickets being put on sale in September, is attended by 5,000 corporate and high net worth guests, including chairmen and CEOs of FTSE 100 companies.

The partnership will help the RHS, the UK’s leading gardening charity, to fund work to help gardeners and advance horticulture through its gardens, events, education programmes and scientific research. Britain in Bloom*, which encourages communities to create long-lasting improvements to their local environments, has been nominated as a beneficiary of this year’s Gala.

Diana Brightmore-Armour, CEO of Corporate Banking and co-head of Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets, said, “We are proud to sponsor the Charity Gala Preview. Corporate customers look to Lloyds TSB to work with them through their various stages of business growth and development and this sponsorship provides us with an excellent platform to promote these capabilities.”

Inga Grimsey, Director General of the RHS said, “The Chelsea Charity Gala Preview has a proud tradition as a regular fixture in the City calendar. We are delighted to associate the event with a blue chip, highly regarded FTSE 100 company such as Lloyds TSB.

“The Gala sponsorship provides valuable additional income, which this year will help support one of our most important charitable initiatives, Britain in Bloom, which has over 1,000 communities from across the UK taking part each year and is the largest horticultural campaign in the world.”

Mark Preston, CEO of Products and Markets and co-head of Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets, added, “This sponsorship gives us the opportunity to associate two institutions which are both highly regarded as great British brands. The fantastic work that the RHS does in our local communities is something we are pleased to help support.”

The deal was brokered by London-based sponsorship agency WSM Sponsorship. Sales Director Adam Tarrant commented, “We are delighted that we have helped bring together the Royal Horticultural Society and Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets; this exciting sponsorship provides both parties with mutual benefits.”

The Chelsea Charity Gala Preview takes place the Monday evening before the Chelsea Flower Show opens to RHS members on Tuesday 22 May.

Marshalls, the UK's leading manufacturer of superior and innovative hard-landscaping products, is the sponsor of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show for the next three years.

Notes to Editors

For more information contact Hayley Monckton in the RHS Press Office on 0207 821 3045 or e-mail hayleymonckton@rhs.org.uk

For further information about Lloyds TSB Corporate Markets please call Miriam Staley (Sponsorship & Hospitality) on 020 7158 2401 or e-mail miriam.staley@lloydstsb.co.uk

* With over 1,000 communities from all over the UK taking part each year, Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the world and is supported by thousands of hard working volunteers. As the hallmark of community gardening, Britain in Bloom is central to the RHS belief that gardening can help create and support sustainable communities.

Photographs of the 2006 RHS Chelsea Flower Show are available to download at www.papicselect.com Publications can register online and download images free of charge.

Please note: Press pass application forms for the 2007 RHS Flower Shows can be downloaded from www.rhs.org.uk/press from 31 January 2007.

For full details of RHS Chelsea Flower Show visit www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea

The RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2007

22 - 26 May 2007 (22 & 23 RHS members only)
In the grounds of the Royal Hospital, Chelsea, London SW3

Ticket Hotline (Public): 0870 247 1226
RHS show information: 020 7649 1885
Online bookings and show info: www.rhs.org.uk/chelsea

Ticket prices range from £12.50 - £44
All tickets must be bought in advance

The proceeds taken from events help to fund the many activities undertaken by the RHS to promote horticulture and help gardeners.

www.rhs.org.uk/pressoffice

The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity dedicated to advancing horticulture and promoting good gardening. RHS work includes providing expert advice and information, advancing horticulture, training the next generation of gardeners, helping school children learn about plants, and conducting research into plants, pests and environmental issues affecting gardeners.

An interest in gardening is all you need to enjoy being a member of the RHS. For more information visit www.rhs.org.uk or call 0845 130 4646.

Founded in 1804, the Royal Horticultural Society is Britain's largest gardening charity and is committed to being the leading organisation demonstrating excellence in horticulture and promoting gardening. Renowned for its outstanding gardens and inspirational flower shows, the RHS is a key source of advice and information for all gardeners. It encourages gardening through its publications, trials, lectures, education programmes and scientific research and is home to the Lindley Library, which contains the most comprehensive collection of horticultural books in the world.

Membership of the Royal Horticultural Society offers many exclusive benefits including a monthly copy of The Garden magazine; free entrance to RHS Gardens Wisley in Surrey, Rosemoor in Devon, Hyde Hall in Essex and Harlow Carr in North Yorkshire; free access to a further 88 beautiful gardens across Britain and 20 gardens in Belgium and France; access to seeds collected at RHS gardens; free gardening advice and privileged tickets to 18 RHS flower shows, including the Chelsea Flower Show, the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show and the RHS Flower Show at Tatton Park.

For further enquiries about membership of the RHS contact: Membership Department, Royal Horticultural Society, PO Box 313, London SW1P 2PE; 0845 130 4646 Monday - Friday 9.30am - 5pm or via the RHS website

For more information e-mail the Press Office or visit the online Press Office