Tributes Paid To Greenkeeper

Tributes Paid To Greenkeeper: Tributes have been paid to a father and golf club greenkeeper who was tragically killed in a tree felling incident.

Martin Davenport, 35, of Pasture Close, Kelsall, died instantly under a falling tree at an address in Brown Heath Road, Christleton, on Sunday, January 7.

Tributes Paid To Greenkeeper

A former Tattenhall resident, Martin worked as a greenkeeper at Eaton Golf Club in Waverton. He is survived by his eight-year-old daughter Isabelle, ‘Izz Bizz’, to whom he was devoted. He had remained friends with her mum Laura.

His long term girlfriend Megan Grindley is devastated, as are his parents Kathy and Shane and sister Sian.

Megan, who has created a sideshow of memorable images of their time together, wrote on Facebook: “Until we meet again, baby. Thank you for walking into my life and sharing all of these unforgettable memories with me. I will cherish every moment I spent with you for the rest of my life. Sleep tight, Martin.”

Craig Longton commented: “I lived in Tattenhall for over 10 years and worked with Marty on the fencing with Mave. I just want to say how sorry I am for your loss. He was such a nice, genuine lad and looking at your video, you made him very happy, so sorry again.”

Martin had worked as a greenkeeper at golf clubs in the area including Carden Park and Vale Royal Abbey but kept returning for stints at Eaton Golf Club in Waverton where he was affectionately known as their ‘prodigal son’.

In a message to members, secretary/manager Kerry Brown wrote: “He started with us in 2001 aged 18, having begun his greenkeeping career at Vale Royal Abbey GC. He has left Eaton more than once since then to try other careers, always involving work outdoors, but he kept coming back – to a genuine welcome.

“He has worked in agricultural groundwork and fencing, he ran his own gardening business for a time, and of course as a greenkeeper.

“Each role taught Martin new skills which he, as a hard-working and committed staff member, was able to use to great effect, whether that be operating a large digger; working up to his welly tops in liquid concrete; or carrying out all aspects of a greenkeeper’s role.

“Martin was a considerable and popular asset to the course team. He was also well-known to club members for his abilities as a freelance gardener. He frequently sported a knowing grin which always left one wondering what it was that he knew that we didn’t. Whatever it was, he had a rare talent to ensure that everyone was happy with the outcome.”

Kerry said it was ‘very hard to take in’ that Martin’s untimely death was caused by a falling tree while working as a private contractor. She told The Chronicle he ‘will be missed by us all’ and said the ‘thoughts and condolences’ of the club went out to his grieving family.

His funeral will take place on Friday, January 26, at Brown Knowl Church at 10.30am (Chester Crematorium at 12pm for family only). A gathering will then take place at Eaton Golf Club. Family flowers only. Donations are welcome for Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Following the tragic loss of Martin, the club Captain and Lady Captain has invited members to join them in a collection for the benefit of Martin’s daughter ‘Izz Bizz’. The collection box will be located in the bar and close on Friday, February 2.

A Cheshire police spokeswoman said: “The death is not being treated as suspicious and a case file will be prepared for the coroner. The Health and Safety Executive have been informed of the incident.”

An inquest into the death was opened on Thursday, January 11.

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Eddie Howe’s Groundsman Tribute

Eddie Howe’s Groundsman Tribute: “He was always positive, welcoming and a true supporter of this football club – I will always remember laughing with him!”

Eddie Howe has given a moving tribute to former Cherries groundsman and referee liaison officer John Harriss, who passed away on Sunday, aged 88.

Eddie Howe's Groundsman Tribute

John, who first started watching from the terraces at Dean Court in 1939, joined the staff in 1970 and spent 37 years tending the pitch.

He died at home just hours after watching on television as Cherries toppled Premier League big guns Arsenal, one of the Dorset club’s most famous victories.

Howe said: “I spoke to John on Friday and he said he wouldn’t be at the game but would be watching. It’s a nice thought to think that was the last game he saw.

“What a character! I will always remember laughing with him about so many different things and that laughter and spirit will remain with me.

“His loss is very sad and will affect a lot of people. Our thoughts are with his wife Deirdre and we would like to send our condolences to her and the family.”

John took his first steps as a groundsman during his National Service at Bulford Camp on Salisbury Plain before joining Cherries as assistant and then head groundsman.

In 2013, his contribution to the club was recognised when he was awarded with a high commendation for the Unsung Hero Award at the Football League Awards in London.

Howe, one of 19 managers he worked alongside, added: “Football clubs are brought together by a lot of different things but people really make them.

“One of my first memories of coming to this club was meeting a groundsman who was obsessed with his pitch and who didn’t want anyone on it.

“He would shout at you for stepping on it, as would most groundsmen, but he had a warmth about him that was different to anyone I had met before.

“Knowing John over a long period of time and seeing him at different stages of his life, he was unique in the fact that he was always positive, always welcoming and was a true AFC Bournemouth supporter.

“We will miss him greatly on matchdays. I used to phone him regularly during the week to talk football and will miss those calls as well.”

Keen to stay involved with the club, John took up a role looking after referees on matchdays and had recently been presented with a shirt by Premier League official Lee Probert as a mark of their thanks to him.

Howe added: “It’s never an easy job when you have managers wanting to vent their frustration at referees but John would always be in the middle mediating!

“The biggest compliment I can give him is every referee who came back here would greet him with a hug and a smile and they would talk about old times. He will be missed by everyone.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Football Pitches Vandalised

Football Pitches Vandalised: Junior football clubs in the Bristol area have been hit with a large bill after vandals used a car to turn their pitches into a “mud bath”.

Seven pitches at Pomphrey Hill in Mangotsfield were damaged after a car managed to access the site in the early hours of Saturday, January 13.

Football Pitches Vandalised

The pitches are used by hundreds of youngsters every week, playing host to Bromley Heath Football Club and Mangotsfield Football Club matches.

Jamie Andrews-Britton, chairman of Bromley Heath FC and the Pomphrey Hill Sports Community Association, said the repairs will cost thousands.

“It happened in the early hours of Saturday morning,” he said. “A car came in at approximately 1.30am and left the property by 1.55am.

“It was 25 minutes of fun for the people in the car, but 25 minutes of fun that’s caused thousands of pounds worth of damage.

“It’s definitely a single car. We have got three levels of pitches and it’s on the bottom pitches where they’ve caused the most damage – it’s unplayable.

“Two football clubs uses these fields and if there’s no games, there’s no revenue coming in.”

The car was caught entering the site on CCTV cameras installed at the Pavilion, opposite one of the pitches, but it was too dark to identify the vehicle’s make or model.

Jamie said it looked like the vandals had driven across the pitches while attempting high-speed manoeuvres and handbrake turns.

Due to the recent rainfall, the 38-year-old said the fields had been reduced to a “mud bath”.

An online fundraising page has since been set up to help cover the repair costs.

Jamie said he had been inundated with messages of support from other football teams, offering him use of their pitches and even pledging to help with the fundraising.

“The response we have had has been outstanding – we really didn’t expect it,” he added.

“We have set up the fundraising page and it’s already had over £300 donated, and I’ve had so many calls and messages from other football clubs.

“One manager offered to take his team bag-packing to help raise funds.”

Police are now investigating the matter, and have appealed for anyone with any information to come forward.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset police said: “A vehicle got on to the grassed area overnight on Friday, January 12 in the Pomphrey Hill area of Mangotsfield and damaged a football pitch.

“Police enquiries are continuing into the incident. Anyone with information is asked to call us quoting 5218009691.”

You can donate to Pomphrey Hill Pavilion’s online fundraising page here. Organisers are hoping to raise £1,000 to offset some of the repair costs.

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Tribute To John Harriss

Tribute To John Harriss: John Harriss, a lifelong Bournemouth supporter who once held roles at the club as both head groundsman and referee liason officer, has died at the age of 88.

John, who spent 37 years as the club’s groundsman, passed away on Sunday evening, hours after watching Bournemouth record a historic first win over Arsenal at his home.

Tribute To John Harriss

Back in 2013, John was awarded with a high commendation for the Unsung Hero Award at the Football League Awards in London, and has been a regular visitor to the Vitality Stadium this campaign.

An AFCB Club statement read:

“The club would like to offer their sincere condolences to John’s family and friends, and thank him for his hard work and commitment during all of his years with the football club.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Tree Causes Pitch Damage

Tree Causes Pitch Damage: It should have been a case for the Special Branch, but solving the most recent tree problem at Romsey Town’s Bypass Ground was far from a laughing matter.

The Sydenhams Wessex One club face a bill of around £350-£400 to repair the damage caused when a giant poplar was uprooted in gale force winds last week, crashing through the barrier next to the goal and damaging part of the pitch in the process.

Tree Causes Pitch Damage

It took two tree surgeons the whole of last Saturday to chop the tree up and move it bit by bit.

The next job was to call out the groundsman to tend to the damaged turf.

The first club secretary Clare Crossland knew of the fallen tree was when she got a call from the chairman’s wife last Thursday.

“I asked her if she thought we could move it and she said ‘let’s put it this way, you and I couldn’t do it,” said Crossland.

“I then had the bright idea of asking if the players could be diverted to the ground on their way back from training on a 3G pitch to see if they could help.

“There were 15 of them and I thought we might be able to move it with pure manpower, but when I put the lights on there was raucous laughter going on. The tree was absolutely massive!

“There was no way even 15 of them could have shifted it.

“Even the tree surgeons said it would have to be cut into very small chunks to enable them to move it.

“I’ve not had the bill from the groundsman yet, but I’d estimate that altogether it will end up costing us in the region of £350-£400. It’s also severed the pitch-side barrier and bent it.”

It’s not the first time a tree has caused havoc at Romsey.

Two years ago a root was discovered growing under the pitch, forcing a first-team fixture to be postponed.

Last weekend Romsey had been due to play away, although their match at Fawley AFC was rained off.

On Saturday Andy Samuels’ men travel to Totton & Eling, while the shadow squad will host Brockenhurst in the Wyvern Combination League.

Romsey, who have not played since December 23, are fifth in the Wessex table, nine points adrift of leaders Andover New Street with two games in hand.

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

GEO Award For Royal Dornoch

GEO Award For Royal Dornoch: An internationally-renowned golf course has earned a coveted global sustainability accolade through its commitment to the community and natural environment.

Royal Dornoch Golf Club has been awarded the GEO Certified® ecolabel, an international symbol of ‘great golf environments’. This recognises clubs that have met high standards for performance in nature conservation, water and energy efficiency, ethical and environmental supply chain, pollution control and community engagement.

GEO Award For Royal Dornoch

An independent assessment of the famous club concludes: “Royal Dornoch is not only set within a stunning coastal landscape, but its course ranking demonstrates the commitment and expertise given to management, which together place significant responsibility on the club to manage efficiently and sustainably in all areas of working.”

The award not only further elevates the standing of the historic club, but also enhances its ability to host major events. The R&A, the game’s governing body, is a supporter of GEO (Golf Environment Organization) and the Certified ecolabel is now a prerequisite for clubs staging large competitions. All ten host venues for The Open are now GEO Certified®.

Richard Allison, Project Manager, GEO Certified – Facilities, said: “Royal Dornoch is an outstanding example of a golf club with sustainability as a natural extension of its operation.

“From habitat creation and steps to future energy independence among its range of sustainability work, our congratulations go to everyone at the club and we look forward to seeing what the next few years brings.”

The assessment highlights the “exemplary” management of a Site of Special Scientific Interest which adjoins the golf course and states the club’s energy resource management is “particularly impressive”.

A new maintenance facility runs on renewable electricity with solar-PV cells providing 12 kilowatts of energy for daily use with surplus returned to the National Grid.

An air-source heat pump provides hot water and underfloor heating for the offices and communal areas, while in the clubhouse major energy initiatives include a phased changeover to LED lighting, installation of smart meters to track consumption accurately, and motion sensors and push-button timers throughout appropriate areas. Electric vehicles are also being introduced to the club’s maintenance fleet.

The club regularly monitors wildlife on the course, with species including otter, snipe, woodcock and pine marten all resident.

Royal Dornoch’s support for the community includes making donations to a number of organisations through a variety of funds. The GEO assessment highlights money raised to provide defibrillators in the town and a community fund that has distributed about £20,000 to worthy causes in three years.

Royal Dornoch’s general manager Neil Hampton said: “This is a very important award for us. We take enormous pride in our environment and are committed to doing everything we can to act responsibly and sustainably.

“The club also takes seriously its role in the community and be as good a neighbour as we can be.

“The GEO Certified award is a prestigious international honour and we are delighted to receive this recognition.”

For more information, visit: system2.eu

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Fence To Protect Cricket Club

Fence To Protect Cricket Club: A new fence is set to be constructed around a cricket ground in order to stop vandals driving across the field after a series of attacks.

Officials at Green Lane Cricket Club in Nunroyd Park, Yeadon, believe they are being targeted by someone with a grudge after persistent vandalism over the last few months.

Fence To Protect Cricket Club

CCTV images have captured a 4×4 being driven repeatedly over the ground in the latest incident, churning up the soil and leaving a trail of destruction in its wake. The club was already facing a bill of more than £1,000 from the recent attacks.

Now ward councillors Graham Latty, Pat Latty and Paul Wadsworth have announced they will pay for a fence to protect the ground.

Cllr Graham Latty said: “I and my colleagues have spent a lot of time and money recently in trying to make Nunroyd Park more accessible to more people. Now it is really depressing to find that there are people in Aireborough who just don’t give twopence for the pleasure of others and drive cars all over the grass, ruining the surface.

“So we have decided to use some of the Section106 money from housing developers to install a fence to stop cars from getting into the park. We can’t afford to completely ring the park with fencing so are putting it where it will have most effect, alongside the access road up to the pavilion.

“There have been protests on Facebook that we are wasting money and should just stick large rocks in place to block access and these might stop cars but would not stop bikes and quads. We value the visual appearance of the park and believe that a low fence will not only look better but will be more effective and will not inconvenience walkers.

“This will happen as soon as the parks team can fit it into their schedule.”

A camera at the club captured the latest vandalism, at about 2am on Sunday, showing a light coloured 4×4 with darker colouring down the side.

Groundsman Tommy Powell said: “You can see the number plate, but it is too far away to see the number. It is definitely the same person – and this time it is the worst of the lot.”

“I just feel like walking away now and saying I have had enough. We think it must be someone with a grudge against the club.

“I have to admit I had tears in my eyes when I saw it. I was just lost for words really. They are going to make it unplayable.”

In November Mr Powell appealed for help in catching the hooligans who had left eight-inch deep tracks in the field by driving a vehicle onto it for the fifth time in four weeks – leaving the club with an anticipated bill of well over £1,000. The ground will need to be repaired in the spring, but Mr Powell said they will struggle to meet the cost.

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

Emma’s Marathon Run

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.

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

 

Problem Deeper Than Pitches

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.”

Click here to read the original article

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters

BASIS Launch New Standard

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.

For the latest industry news visit turfnews.co.uk

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters