Emma’s Marathon Run

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Emma’s Marathon Run: Having beaten three types of cancer, Emma Kilby, Technical Area Sales Manager for ICL, is taking part in the 2018 London Marathon in a bid to raise funds for Children with Cancer UK.

Emma was just 16 years old when she was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After 6 months of chemotherapy followed by 20 days of radiotherapy, she defeated this dreadful disease. She went on to finish her studies at university, got married and gave birth to her first daughter in 2010.

Emma's Marathon Run

However, just before her daughter’s first birthday Emma noticed another lump in her neck. After numerous visits to the GP and many hospital appointments, she was diagnosed with differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma. Her battle with cancer had started all over again and she underwent a total thyroidectomy and neck dissection (removal of 27 lymph nodes).

Six weeks after surgery, she was told that not only did she have thyroid cancer but also an aggressive form of large B-cell lymphoma. Having to deal with one form of cancer would be enough for anyone but having to deal with it all over again while also trying to raise a young family was almost too much to bare. After a long and difficult battle, enduring months of operations, chemotherapy and radioactive iodine, she pulled through.

Less than 12 months ago she gave birth to another beautiful baby girl after being told that she may never have anymore. Slowly but surely she has pieced her life back together.

“Having cancer as an adult is hard enough to deal with; we have the ability to comprehend and rationalise what we may ultimately have to deal with,” says Emma. “The thought of any parent having to explain to their diagnosed children the nature of this horrible disease breaks my heart just to think about it. This is why I decided that I was going to run the Virgin London Marathon for the Children with Cancer UK charity, and maybe, just maybe, my contribution can lead to the prevention of the needless suffering that so many young children have to deal with on a daily basis.”

Almost 4,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK. That’s ten every day. Children with Cancer UK is the leading national children’s charity dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer. They fund life-saving research into the causes, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer and they work to protect young lives through essential welfare programmes.

Emma added: “Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you will help me raise money for this great charity.”

To make a donation to Emma’s worthy cause please visit –  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emma-kilby

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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Problem Deeper Than Pitches

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Problem Deeper Than Pitches: The Vice-president of the Jamaica Cricket Association, Mark Neita, says Windies fast-bowling legend Sir Curtly Ambrose is only partially correct in his assessment that the regional side’s poor showing in New Zealand is down to bad pitches in the Caribbean.

The Windies did not win any matches on the tour having lost both games in the two-match Test series, all three games in the One-Day Internationals and two of the three Twenty20 Internationals, with the other being rained out.

Problem Deeper Than Pitches

Ambrose, also a former Windies bowling coach, told the Trinidad Guardian newspaper that the pitches in the region need to be suited to both spin and fast bowling, but also allow for batsmen to score runs. He said that this was how it used to be in the past, with the West Indies being considered the best team in the world.

“The pitches in the Caribbean are terrible, and that’s why when we go overseas and the pitches are bouncing, the players are all at sea. We need to get back quick, bouncy pitches in the Caribbean. It will make better players and fast-bowlers,” Ambrose said.

BATTING ALSO WEAK

Neita agrees, saying that pitches today in the region only encourage spin bowling, but he said that the Windies’ batting throughout the series was not good enough.

“Our pitches have not promoted fast bowling and our batsmen’s ability to bat fast bowling,” the former Jamaica wicketkeeper-batsman said. “But I would not say that the reason why we performed so poorly in New Zealand is entirely based on that. For the most part, the batsmen have shown poor technique, poor temperament, and that is a contributing factor in addition to the pitches.

“The pitches have been like this for a long, long time,” he continued. “There’s no pitch in the region now [of the right standard]. If there is, there might be one that you can say is a good pitch for fast bowlers. All our pitches are tailor-made for spin bowlers. It’s right across the board.”

Neita, the Melbourne Cricket Club president, then went on to say that groundsmen across the Caribbean are not given the respect they deserve, unlike their English counterparts.

“In Jamaica, we don’t have professional groundsmen,” he shared. “It is considered almost a demeaning job to be a groundsman, whereas in England, it’s a top job. It is well respected! We think that our groundsmen must be common labourers, although, in reality, it is proven that being a groundsman or a curator of a ground is much more than being a labourer. There’s a lot of science to it. You have to know how much water to put in the pitch and how much grass is needed. You have to know what consistency is all about. Who in the region knows all about that? So here lies our challenge.”

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Double A Decrease Grind Times

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Double A decrease Grind Times: Grinding by its nature is a precise process that can involve a lot of time, but The Double A Trading Company Ltd is hoping for decreased grind times with their new Foley Accu-Pro 633 with AccuTouch 3 Control, which was supplied by ProSport UK Ltd.

During her 13-years as Service Manager at Double A, Erin Mackie has compiled countless, run efficiency reports, whilst deciding what new equipment to buy, and she’ll consult with those that use them to find out exactly what they want from it.

Double A Increase Grind Times

When it came to choose a new grinder, Erin, considering the opinions of her grinding technicians, wanted a fully automatic computerised machine that would provide a quicker high-quality grind whilst allowing the operators to be proactive elsewhere.

With these requirements in mind Erin decided to opt for the grinder recommended by managing director of ProSport UK and Foley UK distributor Ian Robson.  Erin explains “We looked at grinders from different manufactures but were most impressed with the Foley Accu-Pro 633 as it met all the criteria needed to deliver the best grinding service.

“We offer this service primarily for professional golf course machinery but also for any of our customers machines and our own demo mowers that need sharpening.

“One of the many reasons I chose the Foley Accu-Pro 633, and why the engineers preferred that grinder to the others on offer, is because it is completely computerised. It offers us spin and relief grinding and it’s fully automatic. So, while the grinder is in action our technicians can be away and working on something else. “It’s also fully enclosed so it meets all our health and safety regulations, reducing the excessive noise that we used to get with our other fully open machine.

“Purchasing the Accu-Pro will significantly improve our efficiency for grinding, and in turn this will increase our capacity.

“I’m looking forward to working out exactly how much more work we will be able to complete compared to our old grinder.”

The increase in efficiency comes from the automation of the machine, but more specifically the processes within it. The ‘Automatic Placement System’ uses the Accu-Reel Selector and Cylinder Height Stop, which combined, locate the reel exactly where required for a fast and easy spin and relief grind.

Pre-set relief angles are easily identified on the ‘Relief Angle Adjuster’, making grinding the correct angle with the proper clearances for each reel type, a simple task.

As the grinder uses the AccuTouch 3 Control with its built-in training programme, the operator training although still required is quick and easy and Erin was very impressed just how rapidly Ian carried out the full installation and training process.

“Ian has been very helpful; the guys didn’t have any quibbles. He went through the machine thoroughly with them and trained all of our operators within a short period of time, which was great.”

For more information, visit: www.prosportukltd.com

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BASIS Launch New Standard

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BASIS Launch New Standard: BASIS, an independent standard setting and auditing organisation, have launched a new standard aimed at the professional domestic lawn care sector. The Lawn Assured Standard will help to ensure a consistent and high level of practice within the professional lawn care sector. 

Lindsay Smith Boam, BASIS logistics manager, explains that all individuals applying pesticides are expected to work sustainably, effectively and efficiently, in order to protect themselves, the general public and the environment. BASIS Launch New Standard

“The new voluntary standard has been launched in response to industry demand, and aims to help domestic lawn care contractors demonstrate that they’re operating in a responsible manner to both the public and the regulatory authorities,” she says.

“The benchmarking standard will also help remove any variability across the sector, ensuring a consistent level of performance, as well as improving business credentials,” adds Lindsay.

“BASIS is encouraging, professionals to use the accreditation to prove and promote the quality and value of service to new and current customers.”

To become certified as a Lawn Assured, an organisation or company is expected to complete a self-audit, which covers key areas related to training and certification as well as health and safety regulations, and documentation, such as risk assessments.

Following completion, an on-site audit is required to verify the documentation and check compliance, and that the operator is working in a professional manner, in line with best practice.

Lindsay explains that although BASIS is not an enforcement body, the organisation aims to help companies to meet legal, regulatory and best practice standards. “Our assessment team is highly experienced and can advise and assist as part of the independent site-visit.”

To register for the new standard, or find out more please contact the BASIS office on 01335 343945 or visit the website at www.basis-reg.co.uk.

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