Vision of the future

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Vision of the future: Laurence Gale finds out what’s behind Gloucester City Council’s successful PPS Initiative.

As an ex-local authority manager, I fully understand many of issues councils are facing in the light of the Government’s tight rein on council budgets and, notably, understanding the frustrations of many practising Parks Managers who for many years have been forced to reduce service delivery in their parks and amenity open spaces.

However, to combat these cut backs, councils are now seeking new ways of working and obtaining funding from other sources. Without doubt the National Lottery and Heritage Funding Schemes have helped enormously in recent years, with millions of pounds filtering down to councils who have been savvy enough to understand, and learn quickly, how to make the most of these funding opportunities.

Another way of saving money and operating effectively is by working with new partners who are willing to take on the maintenance and management of some of the land assets. For example, in recent years we have seen local councils pass on this responsibility of these to town and parish councils and local sports clubs.

However, this can only be achieved, after investing in a detailed survey and consultation with many organisations, sports clubs and evaluating current working practises and costing of any proposed schemes.

This usually is achieved by the process of the council formulating and producing a Playing Pitch Strategy (PPS) to evaluate the way ahead. This strategy is usually set between 5-10 years depending on the size and scale of the project.

The existence of a robust and up-to-date PPS will enable informed and evidence-based decisions and actions to be made across a range of agendas including sports development, strategic planning and planning applications, educational provision, funding, facility and asset management, public health and the management and maintenance of provision of high quality playing pitches and playing fields to meet the sporting needs of local communities. All local authority areas should have an up-to-date PPS. By providing valuable evidence and direction a PPS can be of significant benefit to a wide variety of parties and agendas.

A recent visit to Gloucester gave me the opportunity to meet up with a very forward thinking local authority which has initiated its own PPS and is now starting to see the fruits of its labours. In terms of having a vision, they now have a set of local projects to improve the delivery of better pitches and facilities in the Gloucester area.

I met up with two of the lead officers who have been working on the PPS, David Pritchett, Open Spaces

Strategy Officer, and Adam Gooch, Principal Planning Officer. Their PPS runs from 2015 -2025, a 10 year programme. Now well into its second year the council is starting to see the benefits of its actions, with plenty of improvements to the maintenance and management of its pitches.

Since the PPS was adopted in January 2016, improvements in some form or other have been made to over 40% of playing field sites. This includes things like verti-draining but also reconfiguring pitches to provide for the community’s needs.

One of the main reasons for the success is the Delivery Group, which meets at least every six months and has representation from Sport England, FA, RFU, ECB, England Hockey, Active Gloucestershire and Aspire Sports and Cultural Trust. The relationships they have built have been instrumental in developing a very positive and focussed partnership in delivering the aims and objectives of the PPS.

The key aims of the Gloucester PPS are:

  • To protect the existing supply of sports pitches for meeting current and future needs.
  • Secure tenure and access to sites for high quality, development minded clubs, through a range of solutions and partnership agreements.
  • Maximise community use of outdoor sports facilities where there is a need to do so.
  • To enhance outdoor sports facilities through improving quality and management of sites.
  • Adopt a tiered approach (hierarchy of provision) for the management and improvement of sites.
  • Work in partnership with stakeholders to secure funding.
  • To provide new outdoor sports facilities where there is a current or future demand to do so.
  • To achieve this, the PPS makes the following strategic recommendations: a) Secure planning gain for playing pitches from housing growth; b) Rectify quantitative shortfalls in current pitch stock; and c) Identify opportunities to add to the overall stock to accommodate both current and future demand.

Since the PPS was adopted the following projects or tasks have been completed or are being implemented by the Delivery Group:

  •  A range of improvements have been made to priority sites by the NGBs and/or sports clubs. In some cases this has included a visit from a specialist FA/RFU ‘Pitch Improvement Advisor’; this tends to be where the NGB funds the assessment and improvement measures in the first year, with a commitment from the club for the two following years.
  • Improvements works undertaken to pitches so far include top-dressing, verti-draining and over-seeding. Sites that have benefitted are Gala Wilton, Gordon League RFC, Hucclecote Playing Fields, Saw Mills End Playing Field, Longlevens Recreation Ground and Waterwells Sports Centre.
  • The FA, RFU and ECB have offered training courses for grounds men and women of Gloucester sports clubs to enable improved skills for maintaining and improving playing fields in the City and will continue to do in the future.
  • The Council has also worked closely with the local County Sports Partnership, Active Gloucestershire, in preparing workshops with local schools, to explore opportunities for increased community use of educational facilities.
  • A new multi-sports hub is being developed to the north of the city on land owned by the University of Gloucestershire and the City Council. This will include two 3G pitches, the first of their type in the city.

Looking ahead to the future, the Delivery Group has recently completed an Interim Review of the PPS to make sure it remains up-to-date. This has been endorsed by the City Council and will ensure that decisions are based on up-to-date evidence and reflect the needs of the local community.

Council Officers continue to work with the NGBs to identify priority clubs that would benefit from increased security of tenure on pitches that are in City Council ownership. This will enable those clubs to bid for funds for the improvement of pitches and/or facilities direct from the NGBs or Sport England. Whilst in the early stages, opportunities are currently being explored with Tuffley Rovers for changing rooms at The Lannett. i) Gloucester City FC has submitted funding bid to the FA’s Football Stadium Improvement Fund (FSIF) to assist towards the implementation of the new stadium.

To maintain the momentum that has been built up, and to ensure improvements to pitches continue in a sustainable way, the Council are also looking into a new ‘pitch improvement programme’. While in the early stages, the aim will be for the City Council and wider PPS Delivery Group to support sports clubs in undertaking improvements to pitches and facilities they use. One option being considered is based around community grants.

To date the Gloucester Playing Pitch Strategy is gaining momentum and has been looked upon favourably by Sport England, The Institute of Groundsman (IOG) and the Gloucestershire FA.

Matt Boucher, of the Gloucestershire FA, spoke well of the work being done to date.

“The Gloucester City Council PPS Delivery Group has been a pleasure to be involved with from developing the strategy through to now actively delivering. As the strategy was being developed it was clear that the quality of the pitches within Gloucester were poor and improving the pitch quality was going to be a key part of the action plan.

“Gloucestershire FA and the IOG have worked closely with Adam, Dave and the rest of the delivery group to review a number of local authority owned pitches and provide an increased level of maintenance. A year on and it is great to see some of the improvements at certain sites, feedback from clubs has been really positive,” explained Matt.

Say Goodbye To Standing Water With Apex Soil Solutions

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Say goodbye to standing water with Apex Soil Solutions: There is always a conflict of interest when it comes to golf. Course Managers like to get as much air under their greens as possible, but golfers detest the disruption it causes to the surface. Apex Soil Solutions have been working in the industry to demonstrate the revolutionary Vogt GeoInjector. Here’s how they are changing the future of soil management.

How can you ensure greens are well aerated without the Course Manager and his team facing the wrath of the club golfer?
The Vogt GeoInjector system offers minimal disruption to the playing surface. In most cases the green is brought straight back into play, keeping everyone happy. An “average” size green of approximately 300 m2 takes us as little as five hours to complete. Decompaction without disruption. Aeration without aggravation!

What is the process and how do you stop standing water?
The process is completed in one motion with just a single probe. We penetrate the soil beyond the root size to a depth of one metre. We inject 100psi of high pressured, compressed air into the ground. While the probe is inserted into the ground, a natural underground void is created and then back filled with Terramol to the surface, creating a permanent drainage soakaway.

What depths can you reach and how fine are your tines?
The diameter of our injection probe is 25mm and can go to a depth of one metre.

Recovery times will vary depending upon time of year, weather conditions, and make-up of the soil profile but how long are the recovery times – thinking about those club golfers?
Once the process has been completed the green is ready to be played on immediately.

The equipment is equally adept at handling tree roots as it is aerating golf greens. Can you explain how your piece of kit works to achieve success in both areas?
The process is very similar. We fill the cavities with organic fertilisers, such as enriched Biochar to improve tree performance and stimulate root growth.

In an ideal world when is the best time of year to carry out a programme of aeration?
The GeoInjector can be used at anytime of the year but works best when there is moisture in the ground. We would not advise injecting in frosty conditions. The process can easily be incorporated into a Course Manager’s maintenance schedule between autumn and spring.

Do you have any advice for Course Managers in dealing with the membership prior, during and post an aeration programme?
The GeoInjector offers a service that is quicker than many others and offers minimal disruption to the green and play. The technique is innovative and from our experience most members that have been briefed on the process, welcome the programme, as it does not require a re treatment. The long-term benefits far out weigh the small period of time the green is out of play.

Apex is a new name to the industry. Can you tell us a little about yourselves?
Apex Soil Solutions is the sister company to Apex Tree Surgeons, a well-respected company which has been operating since 2002. With a varied client list including tree consultancies, golf courses, and councils we noticed an increasing demand to source alternative methods to improve trees in decline. We partnered with German company Vogt, who manufacture the GeoInjector to offer the solution to the rest of the UK.

There are some well established names within the aeration sector and in golf particularly, customers do have brand loyalty, what techniques do you employ to ensure that potential customers are aware of what you offer?
Although there are a multitude of companies that offer soil management solutions, we don’t just scratch the surface, the solutions are found deeper than that. Our product injects deeper into the problem area, breaking through grounds that have previously not been reached. This access allows us to combat problem areas more successfully, which have seen exceptional results.

What is it about Apex and the equipment that you manufacturer that means a potential customer should include you in their list of options?
The versatility of the product provides a solution to many issues where part solutions have been made previously, or where processes were lengthy, caused disruption, and were not completely reliable. We are extremely passionate about the product and the positive impacts it will have on professionals within the industry.

What are your aspirations for the company over the next five years?
We are keen to market our products throughout the Country and work within all industries that will benefit from this application. Apex Soil Solutions aims to leave all of our clients with 100% satisfaction of our products and services. We believe we can successfully support Course Managers.

Where can people see the equipment if they are interested?
We will be exhibiting at BTME in Harrogate at the end of this month. Our full range of injection equipment will be on display and our expert staff will be able to answer your questions.

We will be holding a demonstration day in the upcoming months to showcase the equipment and allow people the opportunity to see the equipment in action. If you are interest please do not hesitate to email us or visit us at the BIGGA event.

Racing With Polaris

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Racing With Polaris: Polaris UK & Ireland is pleased to announce their continuation as title sponsors of British Side by Side Championship Racing in 2018. What started in 2011 with Polaris Dealer Martin Fletcher and racing Polaris RZRs has become the fastest growing sport and leisure racing in the UK. It is now the premier racing championship for all makes and models of SXS.

“Polaris and SXS Racing have had a fantastic relationship since UTV racing began in the UK, and that is set to continue this season,” says Colin Martin, Race Director, “as the UTV market has come alive, so the motocross style of Side by Side racing has grown, attracting entrants from widely diverse backgrounds.” SXS racing runs over three race formats, Short Circuit Racing, Endurance Racing and Youth.

Racing With Polaris

“Polaris is passionate about Sport and Leisure and the Polaris British Short Circuit Racing Championship has grown year on year,” says Richard Coleby, Polaris District Sales Manager, “and the BSCC attracts people from all over the country. We’re proud to be at the forefront of the development of the sport.” What’s certain, whether you’re a motocross veteran or looking to get into motorsport as a first timer, there is a home with Polaris British Short Circuit Racing which runs on the motocross style and format. The classes mean there is something for everyone in the Championship: 1000cc Rookie, 1000cc Expert, Open-Class Rookie, Open Class Expert.

Endurance racing against the clock had grown one-hundred percent since 2016 when it opened to all makes and manufacturers, though it has to be said the dominant vehicles have been the Polaris RZRs, which sends out the challenge to all comers. In 2016 the Youth Class was introduced with a predominance of the Polaris ACE 570 single seaters as the springboard for young drivers to get into the sport. The future looks good for SXS racing with European links already opened up with the Polaris European Invitational at Kettering in 2017, SXS Racing in Bastogne, Belgium in July this year and the Belgians coming to the UK to challenge in the autumn. There are plans ahead for different race formats, expanding the sport with European counterparts and growing the youth market, which could see future world champions in the making across all types of motorsport.

Polaris Britain 0800 915 6720

www.polaris-britain.com

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Six Nations: How the grounds staff are preparing

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Six Nations: How the grounds staff are preparing

For many sports fans it is the most exciting time of the year. The NatWest Six Nations is a celebration of sport and while non-rugby fans can wonder at what on earth is going on – particularly at scrum time – for those in the know each inch over the gain line, or steal from a line-out is celebrated like the winning goal in the round ball game. The six stadiums used are some of the finest in all sport and the pitches, which take some of the greatest hammerings around, are more often than not immaculate.
Turf Matters has spoken to the six people responsible for creating those surfaces.

Scotland: 

Name: Jim Dawson

Role: Head Groundsman

Composition of Pitch: Desso GrassMaster

When was it laid? Spring/Summer 2014

What work will you be doing between Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations?

Over-seeding, utilising pitch lights and plenty of rest… fingers crossed!

What development or innovation has had the biggest impact on your work in the last five years?

Desso grassmaster has been a game-changer, changing all of our maintenance schedule and increasing pitch usage.

What keeps you awake at night?

Uncontrollable weather the night before a big match!

How has your job changed since you took over as Head Groundsman?

We have a bigger pitch team allowing use to undertake more detailed work both on the international pitch and training pitches. As mentioned before, the Desso has meant major changes to our maintenance and lots of learning!

What piece of equipment, yet to be invented, would make your life so much easier?

Fully automated machine to do divoting.

What is your favourite memory for a previous Six Nations Championship?

2017: Winning all three home games.

What is the best thing about a Six Nations Rugby match in your city?

Scottish passion, the fans and hopefully beating England!

What would you like to say to your fellow Six Nations Head Groundsmen?

Have a great series and enjoy the atmosphere!

 

England: 

Name: Keith Kent

Role: RFU Head Groundsman

Composition of Pitch: Desso GrassMaster

When was it laid? Summer 2012

What work will you be doing between Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations:

Depending on what the weather is doing we will cut the pitch at least once every day. Aeration is carried out to keep the top surface open in case of any heavy rain at that time of the year. The lighting rigs will be out on the pitch.

What development or innovation has had the biggest impact on your work in the last five years?

The Desso GrassmMaster pitch has changed our lives! It’s the best hybrid pitch system in the world in my humble opinion. In all of my career I have never known a pitch that can withstand so much usage.

What keeps you awake at night?

The removable paint used for logos!

How has your job changed since you took over as Head Groundsman?

The new pitch five years ago has changed my job for the better in so many ways. We host more events but it also allows me to do my second favourite job which is visiting community rugby clubs up and down the whole of England, offering advice and hopefully help to other groundsmen out there.

What piece of equipment, yet to be invented, would make your life so much easier?

A magic wand that would make the grass grow in the winter like it does in the summer. And a grass seed that grows in the dark and the cold!

What is your favourite memory for a previous Six Nations Championship?

It’s hard to pick a specific game, but perhaps France in 2015 here at Twickenham. It was a fantastic game with 12 tries in total (the final score was 55-35 to England).

What is the best thing about a Six Nations Rugby match in your city?

The whole event is something so special. The atmosphere at all of the games is amazing.

What would you like to say to your fellow Six Nations Head Groundsmen?

I wish them all a very successful tournament with good weather, great pitches and the hand of friendship to them all.

 

Italy: 

Name: Valeriano Bernardini

Role: Agronomist for CONI Servizi spa, consultant for FIGC and FIR

Composition of Pitch: Ryegrass + Bermudagrass (from November to April only as root system)

When was it laid? End of July, 2017

What work will you be doing between Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations?

Routine work and overseeding.

What development or innovation has had the biggest impact on your work in the last five years?

Growing lights.

What keeps you awake at night?

Low turf density

How has your job changed since you took over as Head Groundsman?

Worry and preoccupation.

What piece of equipment, yet to be invented, would make your life so much easier?

Possibility to easily adapt the microclimate for optimal growth of the turf.

What is your favourite memory for a previous Six Nations Championship?

Italy v France 2012.

What is the best thing about a Six Nations Rugby match in your city?

No free seat in the stadium.

What would you like to say to your fellow Six Nations Head Groundsmen?

RUN!

 

Wales:

Name: Lee Evans

Role: Head Groundsman

Composition of Pitch: Desso GrassMaster

When was it laid? September 2017

What work will you be doing between Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations?

We had a boxing event on the pitch prior to the Autumn Series. This decimated the surface, so we have had to carry out a thorough renovation immediately after the Autumn Series.

What development or innovation has had the biggest impact on your work in the last five years?

Lighting Rigs/Technology – Grass cannot survive in our stadium without supplementary lighting.

What keeps you awake at night?

Some of the events our Venue Sales Manager, tries to shoehorn into our schedule!

How has your job changed since you took over as Head Groundsman?

I have been Head Groundsman at the stadium for 14 years – the job is unrecognisable to what it was then. A portable palletised pitch with grass that used to start dying back after six weeks in the stadium – to a fantastic Desso Grassmaster stabilised surface with supplementary lighting.

What piece of equipment, yet to be invented, would make your life so much easier?

A full pitch lighting system that somehow is suspended above the pitch, no wheels and no obstacles, a pipe dream alas!

What is your favourite memory for a previous Six Nations Championship?

I have been fortunate to witness three grand slam triumphs in our stadium. They were all very special.

What is the best thing about a Six Nations Rugby match in your city?

The atmosphere in the city is something special. As a teenager I used to go to Cardiff to watch the rugby (in a pub, couldn’t get tickets). 250,00 people descend on Cardiff on a six nations rugby match.

What would you like to say to your fellow Six Nations Head Groundsmen?

Keep up the good work!

 

France:

Name: Anthony Stones

Role: Grounds Manager Stadefrance ITURF management

Composition of Pitch: Desso GrassMaster

When was it laid? December 2015 and Desso was installed January 2016

What work will you be doing between Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations?

We will have nine lighting rigs on the pitch as the stadium has no sun at this time of year. Depending on the weather we may have the undersoil heating on. Regular mowing three times per week. Two liquid fertiliser applications will be made and one granulated fertiliser application will done between the two matches that we have this year.

What development or innovation has had the biggest impact on your work in the last five years?

I have a couple of things the seegrow lighting rigs have been a massive help and the air2g2. I am also now looking at fans to help with air flow.

What keeps you awake at night?

Weather. You never stop looking at the weather.

How has your job changed since you took over as Head Groundsman?

Learning a new language since I moved out to France. The main thing to remember is that it’s a team effort and not just the headman that makes a great pitch.

What piece of equipment, yet to be invented, would make your life so much easier?

Not sure on this one. I have lots of ideas.

What is your favourite memory for a previous Six Nations Championship? England winning the tournament in my first year at Stadefrance.

What is the best thing about a Six Nations Rugby match in your city?

Atmosphere – the rugby crowds are great.

What would you like to say to your fellow Six Nations Head Groundsmen?

Good luck guys and may the weather be kind to us all.

 

Ireland:

Name: Majella Smyth

Role: Head Groundsman

Composition of Pitch:

A Desso GrassMaster Hybrid

When was it laid? It was constructed 2013

What work will you be doing between Autumn Internationals and the Six Nations?

Mininimal renovation has been done to the pitch.

What development or innovation has had the biggest impact on your work in the last five years?

Desso Grass Master Hybrid/SGL Grow Lights.

What keeps you awake at night?

Weather conditions.

How has your job changed since you took over as Head Groundsman?

Technology.

What piece of equipment, yet to be invented, would make your life so much easier?

Lighting systems that would leave no impact on the playing surface.

What is your favourite memory for a previous Six Nations Championship?

Ronan O Gara drop goal 2009.

What is the best thing about a Six Nations Rugby match in your city?

The buzz the excitement and the impacted of visiting supporters.

What would you like to say to your fellow Six Nations Head Groundsmen?

It’s a calling, not a job, plus your pitch is now for international scrutiny when it goes live.

Tips From Keith Kent

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Tips From Keith Kent: Grassroots rugby pitches across the country struggling to cope with the heavy rain that marked the start of 2018 and clubs risk losing crucial income. Keith Kent of NatWest RugbyForce has offered five useful tips.

The Rugby Football Union’s head groundsman Keith Kent has been in charge of tending to Twickenham Stadium’s hallowed turf since September 2002, having previously been head groundsman at Manchester United’s Old Trafford.

Tips From Keith Kent

As part of NatWest RugbyForce’s commitment to assisting grassroots rugby clubs across the country he has visited 108 grounds in the past two years: 48 in 2016, and 60 in 2017.

Clubs signing up to NatWest RugbyForce can apply for a Pitch Maintenance Kick Start grant of £5,000, plus support and advice from Kent and other experts on how to best invest that sum.

On top of that, Kent will travel to more clubs this year with RugbyForce because he is passionate about advising volunteer groundsmen how to improve the condition of their pitches, as he recognises the importance of the rugby club to the local community. Unplayable pitches mean clubs lose income and the community loses a focal point.

“For every visit I will walk all the pitches with the volunteer groundsman and carry a spade with me,” he says. “It might take one hour or three; it depends how many pitches there are.

“I use the spade to dig a hole in each pitch, and look at the root zones, see if there is any compaction, what type of soil it is, and whether it has got a good crumb structure or whether it is terrible clay.

“After completing my assessment I will sit down with the members of the club and provide them with a detailed, bespoke programme outlining what I would like them to do in the coming close season and throughout the season.

“I never criticise them, because those volunteers are the oil that turn the cogs of rugby in Britain. It’s hard work, but it is very rewarding.”

Keith Kent’s top five tips:

1 Aeration is the crucial factor

This is my No1 tip. If you don’t spike your pitch, the rainwater will not be able to drain, and the top surface will become very compacted. I advise groundsmen to aerate their pitches as often as possible. You can either hard-fork areas that have pooled water, as that is a simple and effective way to aerate.

At the other end of the scale you can use a Verti-Drain, which costs between £350 and £600 but will put thousands of holes in your pitch. Just imagine how quickly the water will drain.

2 Sanding: it’s pricey but RugbyForce can help

Following aeration the most important remedial work is proper sanding. I recommend spreading a minimum of 60 tonnes per pitch, and a maximum of 100 tonnes. Brush that sand into all those holes you have spiked, and think about how thousands of little arrow-shaped holes filled with sand will better drain.

It’s so simple but it works wonders. Sand is expensive, though – it can be £35 per tonne – but NatWest RugbyForce has a history of being very generous and helping out on this front.

3 Rye grass seed is best

Rye grass seed is the best we grow in this country to use on rugby pitches, because it is the hardest wearing. It bounces back and its recovery is amazing. Ideally you don’t want the grass to get any higher than 50mm, or about two inches.

4 Fertilise in autumn

Don’t forget to fertilise the grass seed. Grow it properly – don’t just seed it and feed it in the summer. Putting an autumn feed on, allied with an aeration, will really improve your pitch going into the dark winter months. That’s the key: it is prevention rather than cure.

5 Use the right tractor

I appreciate that a majority of clubs have volunteer groundsmen who might not tend to their pitches until the Friday before a game, so day-to-day maintenance is difficult. When I visit I look in their shed to see what implements they use. And I also quiz them on their tractor, if they have one.

Most of the clubs, especially those in the countryside, tend to have rather large tractors with agricultural tyres. This is not good practice as the cleats can cause a lot of damage and they tend to stay in the shed for the majority of the year during wet weather. Most of the time they will only use it once a year, in June, when the ground is dry enough.

The RFU has a number of suppliers who can help, such as Ransomes Jacobsen. The Sisis Quadraplay has four pieces of kit on it: a rake, a slitter, a brush and a roller. For just over £4,000 it has everything you need. If your club has a shiny new tractor with a Quadraplay on the back then it is amazing how many more volunteers you will generate.

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