Standing Ovation For Chipstead’s Jack

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Standing Ovation For Chipstead’s Jack: A greenkeeper at Chipstead Golf Club in Surrey received a standing ovation at the BIGGA Awards, held tonight (22 January) on the opening evening of the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition, in recognition of his selfless efforts in helping the homeless.

Jack Percival, 24, was among the prize winners at the BIGGA Welcome Celebration, where he was awarded the Outstanding Contribution of the Year sponsored by Jacobsen.

Standing Ovation For Chipstead’s Jack

Chipstead deputy course manager Jack hosted an event in Croydon on 23 December that provided food and warmth for the homeless during Christmas.

The 24-year-old, who was himself homeless for six months when he was 17, put out an appeal on social media for donations, with a huge number from within the golf industry and the wider world responding.

The work was a huge success, but is just one example of Jack’s incredible efforts to support the homeless and those less fortunate. Each Christmas he had previously made up sandwiches and soup and traveled via bus to Croydon to give out food to the homeless.

He also volunteers weekly with Croydon Nightwatch, which is where a member of staff encouraged him to seek support for the aid he provides at Christmas. Since then, Jack received vanloads of sleeping bags, hygiene essentials and warm clothes, in addition to donations of food, raising national awareness of his campaign.

Jack said: “This is unbelievable, I didn’t think I could cry in front of hundreds of people, it was just brilliant.

I didn’t do this for an award, I was homeless myself when I was 17 and I did six months on the street. I turned my life around, met my partner, and this is just the start for me. We did a big feed at Christmas and there was one guy who cried because he got a haircut. I saw a guy dance because he got new shoes and you can’t put a price on that.”

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “When I heard Jack’s story I was absolutely blown away. Having heard what he went through during those six months when he lived on the street and then seeing how he has worked tirelessly in the years since to not only turn his life around but also provide opportunities for others less fortunate, is quite inspirational.

“I’m delighted that we have been able to recognise Jack’s achievements in this small way. He is an incredible young man and I’m proud to call him a member of the association.”

“Congratulations also to Amanda Dorans and Carl Flavell, whose incredible stories made them extremely worthy finalists for this award.”

BTME 2019 runs until Thursday 24 January and features more than 159 exhibitors from all aspects of the turf management industry. The exhibition is a celebration of the golf greenkeeping industry in the UK and each year more than 5,000 greenkeepers, trade members, club managers and other representatives come together to network and share the latest education and innovation opportunities.

Visit http://btme.org.uk/ for more information.

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Golf Environment Awards 2019

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Golf Environment Awards 2019: The winners of the 2019 Golf Environment Awards (GEAs) have been announced at The Crown, Harrogate, in a ceremony hosted by STRI Group and The R&A.

Environmental Golf Course of the Year 2019 – Aldeburgh Golf Club

Creating what many thought to be impossible, an almost perfect blend of course and ecology to the point where it is hard to tell where one begins and another stops. All without sacrificing the playability of the course.

Golf Environment Awards 2019

Conservation Greenkeeper of the Year 2019 – Phil Stain

Phil and his team’s knowledge of ecological practice to maintain a course that is in keeping with the surrounding countryside and create great community engagement.

Golf Environment Awards 2019

Outstanding Environmental Project of the Year 2019 – Wylihof Golf Club

An innovative new design of ecological enhancement shows that we still have a lot to learn. Conservation is a young science and there is still plenty of room for new ideas.

Golf Environment Awards 2019

Operation Pollinator 2019 – Corhampton GC

The club has shown that you have to be brave when it comes to habitat management, but the results of their efforts are well worth it creating big new expanses of habitat for pollinators.

STRI ecology consultant, Rowan Rumball, said: “A huge congratulations to the winners and finalists of this year’s awards. We have been amazed by the work that golf clubs and greenkeepers are doing for the ecological and environmental wellbeing of their courses and within the local community.

“Environmental best practice is an important part of all golf clubs’ working remit and through the introduction of next year’s Home Nations awards we hope more clubs will be encouraged to enter the 2020 GEAs.”

Golf Environment Awards 2019

A Lifetime Achievement Award was also presented to Gordon Moir, retired Director of Greenkeeping at St Andrews Links Trust.

STRI head of ecology, Bob Taylor, said: “It was a real pleasure to be able to honour Gordon Moir at the Golf Environment Awards 2019 with a Lifetime Achievement Award, giving recognition to his dedication to ecology and environmental sustainability, and all that he has achieved during his illustrious career spanning over 27 years at the St Andrews Links Trust”.

Golf Environment Awards 2019

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Keith Gallacher Wins Sprayer Operator Award

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Keith Gallacher Wins Sprayer Operator Award: The prestigious title of Amenity Sprayer Operator of the Year (ASOY) has been won by Keith Gallacher, Head of Complete Weed Control South West and East Scotland.

ASOY recognises and rewards top sprayer operators across the amenity industry. It aims to improve standards, by identifying the best practice of individuals to enhance results – and share their experiences across the industry.

Keith Gallacher Wins Sprayer Operator Award

Presented for the second time at BTME Harrogate this week (22 January 2019), the ASOY Awards are organised by the Amenity Forum, and sponsored by ICL and Syngenta, in association with BASIS.

As well as the overall top operator, Keith was the winner of the Landscape and Industrial using vehicle mounted equipment category.

Two other category winners were also recognised by the Awards. Ryan Shepherd of Hortech won Landscape and Industrial sprayer using a knapsack, while Andy Baker won the category for Sports turf using a boom sprayer or knapsack.

Keith has a wealth of industry experience and is an expert in all spraying methods. His clients range from local authorities, housing associations, golf courses to large facility companies and businesses within the construction industry. He predominantly undertakes highway spraying, but also has business operational responsibilities associated with running the Complete Weed Control South West and East Scotland franchise.

Keith commented “I take pride in best practice – it’s the culture that is bred within CWC and is encouraged from Head Office. We are a team of like-minded individuals that strive to be the best. For me, Professor John Moverley is an inspiration. I believe that our industry as a whole needs to get behind him and the work of the Amenity Forum.”

Commenting on Keith’s success, from a record entry in the fourth annual ASOY Awards, Professor John Moverley, Chairman of the Amenity Forum, said: ‘‘What is done to maintain amenity areas impacts upon every UK citizen every day and is important to ensure healthy and safe environments fit for purpose. This work depends upon the input of highly professional operators fully trained and qualified. A key element in the task is the use of authorised and safe chemical spraying.

The Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year Awards seek to highlight the very best practice and identify those individuals who go above and beyond in their work.

I congratulate all those who were shortlisted, the category winners and especially our overall winner this year – an excellent ambassador for the sector. Thanks also to our sponsors who make all this possible.”

ICL Landscape and Industrial Manager, Mark Pyrah, added: “As an organisation we recognise that high levels of professionalism and commitment to best practice are essential in order to ensure that products remain available.

Sprayer operators like Keith, and the other entrants of ASOY, who are not only able to spray accurately, but also demonstrate a professional stewardship of the products, are helping to raise standards across the amenity sector.”

Glenn Kirby, Syngenta Turf UK Technical Manager, highlighted that the Awards demonstrate the amenity industry’s positive approach to safe and sustainable spray application.

“Keith has shown he has outstanding skills and works to very high standards to achieve the best possible results. He has proved a successful winner by showing that best practice can deliver efficient, cost effective and, above all, safe amenity spraying.

“Syngenta recognises that the skills of the sprayer operator are paramount in achieving the full potential from all applications and assuring future sustainable use,” he added.

Stephen Jacob, BASIS CEO commented: “The safe and appropriate application of plant protection products is essential to maintaining the environment in which we live, and it’s clear that Keith is a true advocate of these principles.

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Cricket Groundcare Awards Nomination 2019

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Cricket World® and Turf Matters are pleased to announce the 2019 Cricket Groundcare Awards.

The Awards have been introduced to recognise the dedication and hard work that groundcare individuals put into maintaining and producing cricket squares and outfields, for reactional clubs, schools and universities in the UK and Ireland.

We also hope that they will raise the profile and awareness of ground care staff (without whom there would be no cricket) and encourage and promote the Groundcare industry.

There will be seven award categories and the judging process will take into account the quality of the playing surface, general upkeep of the ground, longevity of service ,an ‘against all odds’ and an overall Groundcare person of the Year and the winners will be invited to a special presentation at Lord’s Cricket Ground, in London.

Click here to nominate

Cricket World and Turf Matters Groundcare Awards 2019

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