ICL Scholarship Applications Open

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ICL Scholarship Applications Open: Applications are now open for the ICL Continue to Learn Scholarship 2019.

Now in its third year, ICL and BIGGA are seeking five BIGGA members to take up the 2019 scholarship. The scholarship provides 15 hours of education from the Continue to Learn education programme, three nights accommodation, visiting the BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition and also includes networking opportunities with fellow greenkeepers and the sponsor.

ICL Scholarship Applications Open

2018 recipient Daniel Ashelby, assistant greenkeeper at Wilmslow Golf Club, commented “Being an ICL Continue to Learn scholar is a very busy experience” he continued “The experience is very immersive and offers fantastic learning opportunities and is highly motivational to aspiring greenkeepers”.

Fellow 2018 recipient Simon Pyett, greenkeeper at Halesworth Golf Club, reflected that the scholarship has helped him to identify that he is “now certain that my passion for ecology and nature sit squarely alongside my passion for greenkeeping” he continued that he “would love to be at the leading edge of such an approach to greenkeeping going forwards”.

The application process invites applicants to consider why BTME and Continue to Learn are important to the industry, how it will help them achieve their career aspirations and why they should be awarded the scholarship.

Applicants should be full greenkeeper members of BIGGA and be CPD Active. To apply, simply scan the QR Code or visit www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/ICL2019.

Applications close at 5.00pm on Tuesday 31 July 2018. The selected scholars will be announced in the October of Greenkeeper International.

It should be noted that the Scholars will be expected to meet the costs of their travel, meals and other personal expenses.

For further information about becoming CPD Active visit www.bigga.org.uk/education/continuing-professional-development.html

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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St Neots Town Council Boasts An All-Red Toro Shed

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Only three years ago operations manager Kevin Matthews vowed to turn St Neots Town Council’s existing fleet of machinery Toro red, following the purchase of a CT2120, which impressed with its “superb” quality of cut. In August Kevin accomplished just that with the purchase of two durable Groundsmaster 3400 out-front rotary mowers.

The Council, whose grounds team of nine maintains a range of sites in Cambridgeshire, decided to invest in new machines when assigned more grounds to cover. Kevin says: “We needed something robust and the Toro GM3400 ticks all the boxes”.

Kevin was convinced it would be the machine for the job after attending an onsite demonstration at Reesink Turfcare: “Seeing the GM3400 up close and having Danny Lake [Toro distributor Reesink Turfcare rep] show what it can do made us realise just how brilliant it is. Reesink also managed to loan us a machine while our order was processed, which was an unexpected bonus!”

For Kevin, the main benefits of the machines include low running costs, reliability, ease of operation, ease of maintenance, and operator’s comfort. He says: “The machine is designed with the operator in mind, meaning my employees can be out all day and not suffer from fatigue.”

He goes on to say that with the GM3400s there’s “no need to worry about breakdowns because the reliability and build quality of these machines are second-to-none. Combine this with the back-up service from Reesink and you’ve got a world-leading formula.”

The GM3400s will primarily be used for Cambridgeshire County Council’s roadside verges, where Kevin believes the machines will enable him to do the job efficiently and keep the grass looking beautiful.

When speaking of the CT2120, the first ever piece of Toro kit purchased by St Neots in 2013, Kevin describes the durability and performance of the machine as “superb”. ”One of the reasons we chose this machine was because it’s light enough to be transported by trailer to different sites,” says Kevin.

This time round Kevin opted for the GM3400 because it’s as easy to operate as the CT2120, but it’s also a road-legal machine. He says: “The GM3400 came with a road-legal pack that includes lights and indicators, amongst other things. With this road pack the GM3400s are not far from being cars, and I can relax knowing my employees are safe.”

Before they owned Toro machinery, Kevin and his team were making do with competitor brand machines that weren’t right for the job and having to cut more frequently to compensate. Now, with a Toro fleet tailored to its needs, the Council has improved its cutting programme and reduced running costs too.

All of this has transformed the work lives of the grounds team at St Neots Town Council and, thanks to their reliability and performance, Kevin feels certain he will continue to invest in Toro machines exclusively.