Top tips from the GMA

Top tips from the GMA: The Grounds Management Association (GMA), the leading not-for-profit membership body for grounds professionals and volunteers, today shares a list of top tips for community grounds staff on getting local pitches prepped and ready for grassroots sport to fully resume.

Due to Covid-19 and the resulting lockdown, sport at both professional and community levels came grinding to an abrupt halt. Lockdown, and the ensuing challenges created by it, have left many community pitches in dire need of special attention in order to be ready for the busy sporting calendar to resume.

Top tips from the GMA

Top tips from the GMA

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, is hopeful these tips will provide community grounds staff and volunteers with the knowledge and confidence to help get their local pitches ready for sport to resume.

“It’s been a difficult time for everyone these last few months, particularly in the grounds sector”, he said. “Practically overnight, lockdown restrictions put an indefinite suspension to all sport, creating a number of challenges for grounds staff at all levels. As a result, many local community pitches have not been receiving the usual levels of care and attention when compared to pre-lockdown. This means they might not be in the right condition for the return of sport, particularly on such short notice. That’s why the GMA wants to share its knowledge and expertise to support our members and the wider grounds community with the challenge of getting the nation’s pitches back to play.”

The GMA’s top tips cover 4 key areas of grounds management which will be in need of specific focus after months of lockdown:

Mowing

In order to maintain the health of the grass plant, it is important to only ever remove 1/3 of the existing leaf blade. Where possible, you should try to maintain a frequent mowing regime, aiming to mow once or twice per week in order to maintain a thicker sward. Keeping the grass a little longer will help with root growth, particularly when the plant is under stress (heat, drought, cultural practices) because the longer the grass, the deeper the roots.

Thatch

A little bit of thatch is not a bad thing depending on the use of the facility. It’s important for grounds staff at community level not to make it their life’s work to combat thatch, especially if it is not causing a problem. Regular thatch control is a task that can be incorporated into your maintenance plan. It’s important that thatch is kept under control because too much of it will prevent water and nutrients moving through the soil profile, limiting root growth.

It’s also important to consider the action of thatch control and ensure that it is not overly aggressive – this will cause stress to the plant. Lastly, make sure that the climate permits a good recovery time; you can do so by carrying out the work at the right times of year, with spring and autumn being the ideal.

Aeration

Aeration will help support healthy turf if you choose the right time and conditions to aerate; if it is too dry, the tines won’t properly enter the soil. If it is too wet, you will end up causing more damage.

Try to understand why you are aerating; this means understanding that soil is a combination of mineral and organic matter as well as all-important air and water. For those working with only a garden fork, applying too much ‘heave’ will damage the structure of the soil. The key here is to remember that you are not digging up the soil, rather simply relieving compaction.

Managing resources

Properly managing resources will ensure that you are organised in your work and will help you achieve the best results. Start by keeping a simple diary of work carried out – this will prove invaluable in the future when looking back at when work was carried out, how much time was spent on it and most importantly, whether it had an impact, over and above this an annual maintenance plan is vital – if you don’t plan what you want to achieve, how will you know you got there?.

Another key task of resource management is to carry out checks on your machinery before and after use. This is simply about maintaining your equipment because without it, you can’t work and without your work, the game can’t be played. A rough annual maintenance on machinery can help with the planning of budgets.

The annual maintenance plan

When it comes to the ordering of resources during renovation periods, think about what it is you want to achieve during the following season and plan from there. It is all very well saying you want to achieve a suitable playing surface, but what will you write in to your plan to achieve that?

The GMA’s recent Back to Play report shone a light on the state of the nation’s pitches and the impact they could have on the future of sport in this country. The report found that within the next decade, almost three quarters of a million adults and young people will be affected weekly or seasonally by the deterioration in standards of existing pitches. This will result in a fifth of people who play rugby and football being unable to play every week with more than half of people who play cricket seeing matches reduced. The impact of lockdown on the ability of local communities to continue with grounds maintenance is likely to have exacerbated this problem.

Geoff Webb continued:

“If the nation’s pitches were suffering before this pandemic, then they are bound to be desperately in need of support now after months of reduced care and attention. We’re hoping that tips like these, along with our online resources, can support local grounds staff in getting our pitches ready.”

For more information about where you can find the resources to improved your knowledge of grounds maintenance, visit: https://thegma.org.uk/learning

To read the GMA’s Back to Play report, visit: https://bit.ly/3csNZxd

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SISIS puts Pitmedden back on track

SISIS puts Pitmedden back on track: Two SISIS machines have helped Ian Fraser, Head Greenkeeper at Pitmedden Bowls Club in Ellon, Aberdeenshire, turn around the fortunes of the green and transform it into one of the best in Scotland.

Ian and his family have a long affinity with Pitmedden Bowls Club. In the 1930’s his grandfather became the Head Greenkeeper for three decades before passing the baton to Ian’s father who then maintained the green for many years after.

SISIS puts Pitmedden back on track

SISIS puts Pitmedden back on track

Although it was inevitable that Ian himself would eventually follow in their footsteps, this didn’t happen for a number of years. When he did accept the position of head greenkeeper, he quickly found that he had his work cut out, as he explains.

“Upon my return to the club it is safe to say that the green needed a lot of attention,” he said.

“I was determined to get the green back in good shape and I started doing my research and learning the biology of turf and soil. What became apparent was that we desperately needed some new equipment.”

While on the hunt for some new turf maintenance equipment, Ian attended a Dennis and SISIS bowling green maintenance seminar in Aberdeen. It was here that he became acquainted with a range of SISIS machinery, and as a result, he purchased two pieces of equipment with the help of a grant from his local Windmill Community Trust.

Finding a machine that would help with aeration was his main priority as he explains.

“We identified that aeration was going to be one the most important tasks in getting the green back to being functional again,” said Ian. “At that time, we were hiring a lot of machinery and because we were using them so much, we decided that we needed our own.

We found what we were looking for in the SISIS Dart.”

The SISIS Dart is an independently powered vertical action aerator and has a working depth of up to 100mm (4 inches) which can be easily adjusted from the operator’s position using the balanced depth control lever. Powered by a 6.5hp engine, the unit can also be fitted with a wide range of interchangeable tines to meet the operator’s requirements making it ideal as a bowling green aerator.

SISIS puts Pitmedden back on track

SISIS puts Pitmedden back on track

“I use the Dart once a month and it gives us great results every time,” continued Ian. “We have a nice variety of the interchangeable tines which help for a number of different tasks. It was the first step to improving the health of the green and it has worked wonders.”

Ian’s second purchase with the grant was the SISIS Auto Rotorake MK 5 – a self-propelled heavy-duty pedestrian scarifier. It is designed for the removal and control of thatch on fine turf and features a contra-rotating reel with specially designed tipped blades for a clean, consistent cut and maximum thatch removal. A variety of maintenance tasks can also be carried out due to a selection of seven different interchangeable reels.

Ian purchased the verticutting reel, the scarifying reel, and the brush to accompany the machine and believes that it covers all bases.

“The Auto Rotorake MK 5 has been a heaven-send and I would say it has been our best ever purchase. It just does everything you need to keep a green in the best possible playing condition.

“I will scarify with it at the start and at the end of the season; I’ll verticut once a month and then run the Rolaspike Reel over the green maybe 2 or 3 times a month. The brush also prepares the turf nicely after verticutting or scarifying. I would recommend it to any greenkeeper.

“These two pieces of SISIS equipment play an integral role in the maintenance programme here and have been instrumental in improving the green.”

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow SISIS on Twitter and Instagram @SISISMachinery and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

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EPG joins STRI Group

EPG joins STRI Group: STRI Group has completed the acquisition of leading geo-environmental engineering and design consultancy EPG.

The Warrington-based business will form part of STRI Group’s ambitious growth strategy into sustainable design for both sport and public realm facilities and will continue to operate under the EPG brand.

EPG joins STRI Group

EPG joins STRI Group

Founded in 1998, EPG delivers a range of specialist services including land remediation design, geotechnical engineering, sustainable drainage design and flood risk management to its existing client base of government agencies, major developers, sports facilities and private clients.

EPG has been working closely with STRI Group for a number of years supporting the delivery of large-scale water management and contaminated land projects. Together they have successfully delivered significant environmental value and cost benefits for some of the most high-profile venues in the UK.

EPG managing director, Paul Culleton, said: “Joining STRI Group provides the perfect platform for EPG to expand its innovative design services to its current and broader client base. Our combined commitment to research, testing and training will underpin our market leading status, epitomised by detailed development of smart technologies for the environmental and green infrastructure sectors.”

STRI director, Lee Penrose, said: “We are delighted to welcome EPG to the STRI Group. The combined expertise of our teams presents a unique offering to clients and sectors new and old. STRI continue to drive environmental excellence and are 100% convinced that this is the perfect fit.”

Interested in speaking to STRI and EPG about our environmental services? Contact: enquiries@strigroup.com or call +44 (0) 1274 565131 for information.

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QuadChip 160 means access is no issue

QuadChip 160 means access is no issue: Offering the ultimate flexibility for kerbside working, a QuadChip 160 from GreenMech is the chipper of choice for Andrew Steel of AS Treecare – assisting him in delivering domestic tree works in and around Surrey and South West London.

With parking and space at a premium in tight urban and suburban locations, the 360-degree turntable of the QuadChip improves the speed and efficiency with which both timber and brash can be processed.

QuadChip 160 means access is no issue

QuadChip 160 means access is no issue

After purchasing his first QuadChip eight years ago, Owner/Operator Andrew has recently upgraded to his third unit – a MK II model supplied in April 2020 by GA Groundcare. “The turntable gives us convenience that shouldn’t be underestimated” explains Andrew, who established AS Treecare 17 years ago. “With 90% of our workload comprising of domestic garden projects, it’s common to have to contend with restricted parking space and in many situations, you can’t secure enough space behind a conventional chipper to process brash. With the QuadChip, we can angle it so that brash can be piled up on a driveway or path and loaded straight into the infeed chute.”

Powerful twin vertical feed rollers offer exceptional pull and crushing capacity for timber and brash of up to 6”, with consistent processing quality provided by GreenMech’s patented Disc-Blade chipping technology. “Our last two QuadChip machines have been fitted with the Disc-Blade system which undoubtably offers an extended lifespan compared to traditional straight blades. They also give you the option of turning the blade to a new sharp edge if damage occurs, which is great when you’re out on site.”

Andrew also has a GreenMech CS 100 pedestrian chipper, which he calls upon when access is even more restricted. “This is a great little machine for garden tidy-ups and those projects where you can chip, and leave that chip, on site. We’ve been known (on more than one occasion!) to take the CS 100 through a house to access the garden which, by doing so, has reduced two-day jobs down to one.” He concludes, “The combination of our two chippers mean we’re well equipped to tackle projects of all sizes, no matter how restricted we are on access, with the added benefit of fantastic back-up support and service from Ashley at GA Groundcare, as and when we need it.”

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Tributes paid to Boldon legend

Tributes paid to Boldon legend: Tributes have been paid to a ‘cricket legend’ who dedicated himself to Boldon Cricket Club for over 60 years.

Michael Fitzsimons died at the age of 79 on July 11 after a brave battle against a long illness.

Tributes paid to Boldon legend

Tributes paid to Boldon legend

He joined the club as a batsman aged 16. He would become first team captain, before taking over duties as groundsman years later when he stopped playing. His work there was entirely voluntary.

He did play for other teams for a while on Teesside. But his heart most definitely belonged to Boldon. He was also a scorer in local leagues, as well as being a fan of Sunderland AFC.

As well as his life in his beloved cricket, Michael was an electrician, most recently for South Tyneside Council.

He was also an accomplished musician, playing keyboards in folk band Seganainm, which is a Celtic word meaning “Untitled”. He performed alongside his wife Trish, who played accordion and fiddle. The couple were married in 1974.

As well as his sporting and musical achievements, he was renowned for a tremendous sense of humour. He was known as something of a king of the one-liner.

One of his other great loves was for travel. He was especially keen on Gran Canaria.

Trish said: “He was an absolute legend. He was a great character and very funny.

“Sometimes you could be horrified by some of the things he came out with. But people would still see the funny side – even umpires and the opposition.”

Club member and former player, Steve Golightly, said: “He was a really funny man and a great servant to the club. Fiti will be a huge miss in the community and to his many friends around the cricket and folk music scene.”

Michael’s funeral took place at South Shields Crematorium on July 20. His ashes have since been scattered over the Boldon cricket pitch, which he tended to with such distinction.

Boldon Cricket Club’s over-60s are staging a game against Yorkshire in Michael’s memory at their Sunderland Road ground at 1pm on Tuesday, August 25. A JustGiving page is also to be set up to create a memorial.

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New Bobcat track loader

New Bobcat track loader: In the UK, fly-tipping is an increasing problem. Government reports show that in England alone, local authorities dealt with over one million fly-tipping incidents from 2018 to 2019, an increase of 8% over the same period in 2017/2018 and the highest in a decade.

Another problem faced by local authorities in the UK is the removal of asbestos – a recent report estimates there are still six million tonne of asbestos inside 1.5 million buildings in the UK.

New Bobcat track loader

New Bobcat track loader

The removal of these materials requires the expertise of specialist companies such as D J Cleaning Ltd, based in North Newbald in East Yorkshire, which holds a full three-year licence from the UK Health & Safety Executive to remove all types of asbestos such as asbestos insulation board (AIB), artex and cement products. Formed in 1967, D J Cleaning also offers a wide range of site, property and garden clearance services, including the removal of rubbish and often hazardous materials, resulting from fly-tipping.

New Compact Solution

To meet the increasing need for a new compact solution for this work, D J Cleaning has just purchased a Bobcat T450 track loader from AMS Bobcat, the Authorised Bobcat Dealer for the counties of East and South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire in the UK.

Dan Stephenson, Owner and Director of D J Cleaning, said: “Because it is illegal, much of the fly-tipping takes place in the middle of the night in hidden away places, such as gulleys, narrow, out-of-the-way lanes and overgrown areas and we have been looking for a solution for work in these tight and/or inaccessible places, where larger vehicles cannot access.

“The compact size of the T450 now allows us to take the machine to site on a trailer and drive it right up to the rubbish/waste materials and remove them with the Bobcat grapple attachment also supplied by AMS and load it into another trailer for removal from site. One of the first jobs for the T450 was to clear rubbish dumped in a valley area, where the local council couldn’t work out how to get at it, but to their amazement, we were able to clear it in less than an hour using the new compact loader.”

Best-in-class Pressurised Cab

The cab on the T450 at D J Cleaning is fully enclosed, including a front door and wiper system. This provides a best-in-class pressurised interior space that keeps dust down to a minimum, keeping the operator clean and comfortable. The one-piece seal and unique, curved door pocket ensure that the driver enjoys the best-possible protection for asbestos removal work.

Dan Stephenson added: “With the peace of mind provided by the enclosed, pressurised cab on the T450, we can equip the machine with lifting tines and drive it on to the most confined of asbestos removal sites to pick up hazardous materials we’ve bagged up for safe removal from site.”

T450 joins Bobcat ‘Pocket Rocket’

Harvey Stephenson, Dan’s son and a company director, has taken over much of the day-to-day running of the business. He said: “In the past, we have hired in compact machinery when needed, but increasing workloads have meant that we require the T450 all the time. We have been purchasing Bobcat equipment from AMS Bobcat for over 10 years and have always found the products to be well built and sturdy performers. And the service from AMS is second to none.

“The new T450 is a perfect fit with our existing Bobcat T2250 telehandler and E16 mini-excavator. Both of these machines have been great for us – I call the T2250 the ‘pocket rocket’ – it has serious poke for working in our yard and on site for driving into piles of debris we have to remove. We also have the advantage of interchangeability of attachments such as buckets with the T450.”

Paul Hyslop, Bobcat District Manager UK North, commented: “We are delighted that D J Cleaning has expanded its Bobcat fleet with the addition of the new T450. The company provides a great demonstration of how the diverse products in the Bobcat portfolio can be brought together to provide a unmatched selection of solutions that works for a wide range of different applications and customers.”

Improved Performance with Compact Track Loaders

As tool carriers, Bobcat compact track loaders like the T450 offer many advantages over the comparable wheeled machines. They can provide increased productivity in many conditions with a lifting capacity approximately 25% more than the equivalently sized wheeled loaders. While wheeled machines may outperform tracked machines for sheer manoeuvrability on hard surfaces, the rubber tracked undercarriage on track loaders ensures improved traction on rough terrain; soft, sandy surfaces and in wet, muddy conditions.

Harvey Stephenson added: “Like all Bobcat track loaders, the T450 offers exceptional manoeuvrability and fast cycle times. It is therefore ideal for use in the clean-up work after the severe storms and flooding we have had in Yorkshire, particularly in areas where the use of larger machines is restricted. In fact, we have been using the T450 to clear away ballast bags that became submerged by the torrents of water we had to deal with in the floods.

“We also have to be very careful when we start work on a new fly-tipping site – the tracks on the T450 provide much more protection than wheeled machines against damage from sharps in the dumped materials. The much better traction of the T450 provides 15% more pushing force than the equivalently sized wheeled machine, allowing it to push heavier loads without getting stuck.“

Approximately three times less than wheeled machines, the low ground disturbance of Bobcat compact track loaders like the T450 allows them to work on delicate surfaces, such as established lawns or asphalt, minimising damage and reducing the need for tidying up after the job is complete.

Picture caption – Dan Stephenson, Owner and Director of D J Cleaning, with the new Bobcat T450 compact track loader.

For more information about Bobcat and Bobcat products, visit www.bobcat.com

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