Speakers

Rupert Keys is the founder and managing Director at Task Academy. Rupert has been a landscape contractor for 30 years with his previous business, Keyscape Design & Construction Ltd. Rupert is a judge with the Association of Professional Landscapers (APL) and British Association of Landscape Industries, as well as teaching and being a mentor with the APL Apprenticeship scheme and at the Cotswold Garden School. TASK is also a member of the Society of Garden and Landscape Designers (SGLD). 

During his career, Rupert has built many award-winning show gardens – and continues to do so – at some of the top gardening shows, including working with Frances Tophill on her first show garden and being the principle contractor on the award-winning APL garden in association with World Skills UK, winning Gold and Best Construction. 

TASK launched in 2022 and is an independent training centre providing a broad range of landscaping and land-based training courses taught by experts for both the general public and horticultural industry. Courses are specifically designed to combine a high level of training with hands on practical experience, providing students with the opportunity to develop skills, knowledge and inspiration.  

The training academy is set on a five-acre small holding overlooking Bredon Hill, close to the market town of Pershore in Worcestershire.  TASK is equipped to the highest standard with an adapted and designed teaching barn and indoor classroom as well as an outdoor paddock and covered teaching spaces. 

TASK has partnered with some of the industry’s most highly respected organisations, suppliers and experts, who are all at the forefront of the industry and can share specialist knowledge in their field to those students training with TASK.