Learning LIVE Signals Opportunity

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Learning LIVE signals opportunity: The SALTEX 2017 free education programme is set to inspire visitors at the NEC on 1 and 2 November.

Learning LIVE Signals Opportunity

With the full Learning LIVE programme set to be revealed in the coming weeks, the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) has released a few teaser seminars. The programme looks set to provide limitless opportunities and inspire and educate visitors from a wide range of sectors within the turfcare industry.

Now in its third year, SALTEX’s free-to-attend education programme has gone from strength to strength. Last year, Learning LIVE saw 53 unique seminars, 99 high-profile speakers and many key topical issues explored. For 2017, the programme will follow the same successful format developed over the past two years situated within four purpose-built seminar theatres on the show floor with state-of-the-art sound systems and screens.

Within the theatres a number of influential speakers will be on hand to provide updates and key advice. Mark Pover, facilities investment strategy manager at The Football Association (FA), will be participating in a panel debate entitled ‘Funding the future of natural turf.’ With so much money being invested into artificial turf, SALTEX visitors will have an opportunity to ask the funders if there is a danger of natural turf being left behind.

Commenting on the panel debate, Mark said: “We haven’t forgotten the fact that the majority of football matches in this country are played on natural grass. We have just shy of 800 artificial pitches on our 3G register suitable for affiliated matches and we are continuing to invest in these but there are approximately 23,000 natural grass pitches. Clearly these are very important, as is the quality, so we will continue to improve and use natural turf pitches to keep people playing and also attract new players.

“We are currently spending two million pounds a year on natural turf pitch improvements and I believe that SALTEX is the ideal place to update the industry so that visitors understand exactly what we are doing and the targets we have set. It is also a good opportunity to address some of the negative rumours that are circulated annually and reinforce our commitment to natural turf.”

For those visitors that are looking to progress their career, the ‘Career development’ seminar presented by Steve Chappell, head greenkeeper at the PGA Centenary Golf Course at The Gleneagles Hotel, should not be missed. Steve will be primarily focusing on how volunteering can significantly help improve job prospects.

“The thought process behind the session is to provide a little bit more of an understanding of how volunteering can help improve and embellish your CV,” says Steve. “It can help you stand out from the crowd and be more employable to a prospective employer.

“The seminar would be beneficial for younger people in the industry, and also maybe for those who feel they have become stuck in a rut. The message behind it all, is to use the opportunities that are out there to develop yourself because it can help you take that next step which will give you that career fulfilment you are looking for.”

Additionally, the seminar ‘Making your move’ will be beneficial in helping a visitor along their career path. Wayne Billing, head groundsman at Northampton Saints RFC; Stuart Kerrison, head groundsman at Essex CCC and Danny Beckley, head of estates and grounds at Harrow School, will all be on hand to reveal the secrets behind making it to the top within their respective fields.

For further inspiration, John Ledwidge will be documenting his rise from starting in an apprentice position through to being the current grounds manager at Leicester City FC in ‘From apprentice to grounds manager’. In a separate seminar John will also be joined by the rest of his grounds team in a session entitled ‘Building a team for success.’

By attending any of these seminars within the programme, SALTEX visitors have the opportunity to enhance their CV as IOG and Basis CPD points are available for all Learning LIVE sessions. Attendance at the seminars can be recorded by picking up a CPD form from the IOG Hub (Stand C180) and can contribute towards the minimum requirement of 35 hours in 12 months in order to qualify for the IOG’s Certificate of CPD Achievement.

After being motivated by the Learning LIVE seminars, visitors can visit SALTEX 2017’s new feature – the Job Clinic. Located on the IOG Hub, industry expert Frank Newberry will be hosting 15-minute one-to-one sessions covering CV writing to interview techniques. To book an appointment with Frank, visitors are advised to go to the IOG information desk on the IOG Hub as early as possible to avoid disappointment.

Located in the centre of the UK, whether you are travelling from overseas or within the UK, the NEC is incredibly easy to get to by car, rail or air. No matter what route you take, one thing is certain – opportunity awaits on November 1 and 2 at SALTEX 2017.

The full programme of SALTEX events will be regularly updated via www.iogsaltex.com.

Visitor registration to SALTEX 2017 is free. To confirm your attendance visit www.iogsaltex.com

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Cricket Clubs Step Up Security After Spate Of Equipment Thefts

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Village cricket clubs step up security after spate of equipment thefts: Police concede cuts to number of officers in rural areas make it difficult for them to protect cricket and other sporting clubs.

Cricket clubs are being forced to invest in expensive security systems and face soaring insurance bills after a spate of thefts that is putting pressure on the grassroots game.

Organised gangs are being blamed for thefts of everything from groundskeeping equipment to alcohol – and even, in one bizarre case, a section of artificial pitch that the club believe was stolen to order.

Privately, police concede that cuts to the number of officers, particularly in rural areas, make it difficult for them to protect cricket and other sporting clubs.

‘Unfairly Dismissed’ KCOM Groundsmen Plea For Support

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‘Unfairly Dismissed’ KCOM Groundsmen Plea For Support: Two KCOM groundsmen who are planning to take their ex-employers to court have called on people to help in their “fight for justice” as they aim to get their jobs back.

Darrell Cook and Mark Harrison were sacked by the Stadium Management Company (SMC) in June for gross misconduct amid claims the pitch had been deteriorating.

However, both of them insist they did nothing to warrant their dismissal and were never given any prior warnings by SMC.

Determined to get reinstated, the pair set up a crowdfunding page and hired Gosschalks Solicitors to fight their case so that they could take their former bosses to an employment tribunal.

Their campaign has so far raised more than £6,000 and has been backed by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who tweeted messages of support to the pair.

However, with their court date looming, the pair have issued a statement urging them to keep on donating so they can reach the sum of £20,000 and hire “the best barrister in the business.”

The pair wrote: “We are now two months away from the hearing and the reality of our situation is beginning to hit home.

“We set a crowdfunding target of £20,000 to enable us to fight for justice and stands up to the people who put us in this awful position and to create a level playing field when we meet them in court – we have so far raised £6,170 of that target.

“Without crowdfunding we have no chance and would simply have to roll over and accept what they’ve done to us.

“We have now got to the point where have seen their defence and all the documents and we are now even more encouraged about our case, as are our legal team.

“All we want is for the Employment Tribunal to restore out reputations by telling the world that we were unfairly dismissed and that we did not deserve what is happening to us.”

Mr Harrison started working for Hull City as an assistant groundsman in 1988 when he was just 16 years old, whereas Mr Cook started his work as a groundsman in 1991 with Hull FC when they were at The Boulevard.

The pair were sacked in April earlier this year by SMC, leaving them devastated.

Mr Cook, who lives in Sproatley, previously said: “This is a job I have done for 27 years and there was no indication anything like this was coming.

“Both myself and Mark have worked for the SMC for 16 years. We have never been in any troubled or had any reprimand so this came out of the blue.”

Determined to drum up more support, the duo ended their lengthy statement, which they published on Twitter at 11:02pm on Thursday, with a plea for as much support as possible in the days and weeks to come.

They wrote: “Please, please, please help us to spread the word and encourage all who can donate to our cause to do so.

“We’ve been unfairly dismissed with immediate effect from our positions as senior groundsmen with 55 years’ combined service with an exemplary records during which we won awards and at time of financial trouble for both clubs we have worked without pay.

“We gave blood, sweat and tears to forge a reputation as one of the most experienced and longest serving stadium ground staff teams in the country.

“We need your help and support to prove that justice can prevail if you are prepared to stand up for what is right.”

SMC have confirmed that their defence was filed on July 28 and, because the claimants have stated via social media that they would provide “regular updates” throughout the process, SMC have therefore given the claimants express permission to publish the document.

A spokesperson for SMC said: “We remain of the view that their claims to be reinstated into their old roles will not success and will continue to robustly defend this matter in the correct way.”

To read the original article from Hull Daily Mail, click here

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Gabba Groundsman Kevin Mitchell To Step Down

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Gabba groundsman Kevin Mitchell to step down: Long-serving Gabba curator Kevin Mitchell, who has prepared pitches at the Australian cricket fortress for over 30 years, has said he will step down after the series-opening Ashes Test.

The Brisbane venue has long been acclaimed for the quality of its pitches, which invariably offer pace and bounce for fast bowlers, turn for spinners and the possibility of big totals for batting sides.

‘I’d taken a step back from the physical side of work and engaged in more of a guidance role with the team to see out my contract while helping to recruit my successor,’ Mitchell told Brisbane’s Courier Mail.

‘I want to thank the grounds team for their continual efforts to meet the high standards required and maintaining the culture of having great pride in producing quality playing surfaces.’

Queensland sports minister Mick de Brenni paid tribute to Mitchell for laying the foundation for some of Australia’s most dominant performances.

‘Kevin truly is an icon, and to have kept producing an absolute world-class deck on a ground that’s used all year round has taken a particular talent. So, absolutely, very, very big shoes to fill,’ he said.

Mitchell learned under the wing of his father and former head groundsman Kevin Mitchell Snr, who tended the grounds from 1975-89 before being succeeded by his son.

‘The great West Indies side were out in those days with the four big quicks and Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards and the like… and I just thought, “what a great place to work,”‘ Mitchell said in comments published by state broadcaster ABC.

‘The Gabba is a famous, iconic, historic stadium, and you feel that responsibility to create something that Queenslanders are proud of. You have to love the job – it’s a big part of your life.’

Australia have not lost a Test at the Gabba since 1988, when they were beaten by West Indies, and only two of the last 13 matches have been draws – a sequence that has seen the ground garner the nickname ‘The Gabbatoir’.

Australia play the Ashes series opener on November 23, four years after thrashing England at the same venue by 381 runs when left-arm seamer Mitchell Johnson took nine wickets.

England opening batsman Jonathan Trott’s struggles against the short ball at the Gabba saw him promptly exit the tour with a stress-related illness and Australia went on to whitewash England 5-0.

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Ralph Awarded National League Groundsman Of The Year

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Ralph Awarded National League Groundsman Of The Year 2016/17: Torquay United groundsman Chris Ralph has received a top award from the Football Association for the standard of the pitch in 2016/17.

Ralph attended an awards ceremony at St George’s Park today along with other clubs that were also honoured. He receives the award for the best pitch in the National League, and the National League North and South.

Aldershot Town, who are well-known to have an excellent surface received second place in the category.

Chris was understandably delighted with being awarded FA Groundsman of the Year for the National League: “The winning doesn’t matter, it is the recognition for the job which sometimes goes unnoticed that is the best part. There is a lot of hard work that goes into the pitch.

“I’d like to thank the club, the team of volunteers that help me on match days. People like Mark White that come in to help after match days. Assistant groundsman, Julian Gouldthorpe who is now employed by the club, but he volunteered a lot of help last season.

“Without the volunteers that help, the pitch wouldn’t come together as well as it does.”

Other factors also helped throughout the season.

“Having a dry winter helped, but what has also helped is that the Gaffer respects the pitch. He hasn’t trained on it anything like what previous managers have. When the teams does train on it, he is respectful of what I ask him not to do.”

Ralph receives this award through the judgement of groundsmen Darren Baldwin (Tottenham Hotspur) and Dougie Robertson (West Ham) who visited the ground last season.

Torquay United General Manager, Geoff Harrop is delighted for Chris to receive this award.

“We’re absolutely over the moon with this award for Chris,” said Geoff.

“Chris is a great guy and an exceptional groundsman. He works night and day to get the pitch looking fantastic and to a level that we want at our football club.

“We have put extra investment into the pitch this year and at the end of last season to maintain the high levels that Chris has set.

“A huge congratulations to him, and the team of volunteers that help the club. I’m sure he’ll enjoy the accolade. I look forward to seeing him upon his return with the trophy”.

To read the original article, click here

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