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Farewell from Jim after decade of success

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Farewell from Jim after decade of success: The man who has steered the UK’s first ever engineering academy to success over its first decade today retired – with tributes ringing in his ears.

Jim Wade became the first Principal of the JCB Academy in 2009, implementing the vision of JCB Chairman Lord Bamford to create a school dedicated to producing the engineers and business leaders of the future. When he joined, building work at the £22 million school in Rocester, Staffordshire, was only just getting under way. The following year, he was on hand to welcome the first 120 students through the doors of a unique establishment, which has gone on to be recognised nationally for its achievements.

Farwell from Jim after decade of success

Farwell from Jim after decade of success

Today Jim retired having played a major role in the education of around 2,500 young people at an academy which has been oversubscribed every single year since it opened in a Grade II listed Arkwright Mill dating from 1781.

Jim said: “The most satisfying aspect of the past decade is that so many of our learners have gone on to fulfil roles in engineering leadership, which is exactly what we set out to achieve with the JCB Academy. They have already begun to make an impression on the world, whether that is by starting their own company, going to work for the UK Space Agency or re-designing body parts through bio-medical engineering degrees or working on the next generation of engines for JCB and Rolls-Royce. It has been so satisfying to see learners come to us and get the opportunity to ‘re-set’ themselves and find a new direction in life by having a practical bias to their educational experience. None of these achievements would have been possible without the tremendous JCB Academy team.”

The JCB Academy was the brainchild of Lord Bamford, who in his 45 years as Chairman of JCB, has championed the cause of British manufacturing. In the years before the Academy opened, he voiced fears over the decline in manufacturing and the shortage of young people with engineering skills emerging from the education system.

Today Anthony Bamford said: “The idea for the JCB Academy was conceived in 2006 out of deep concern that we needed the right calibre of young people to ensure we continued to be a nation of makers and innovators. Over the past 10 years Jim Wade has done an absolutely tremendous job translating my vision into reality and has made a vast contribution to developing the engineers and business leaders of the future. In doing so, he has helped transform the lives of thousands of young people, which is a legacy he should be immensely proud of.”

Chair of Governors Max Jeffery said: “Jim has been the cornerstone of the JCB Academy’s success and he has developed and led a great team utterly focused on the success of young people. He has worked tirelessly and pioneered a new way of educating young people. We wish him all the very best for the future.”

The JCB Academy was the first school of its kind in the UK for the education of 13 to 19-year-olds with a core focus on engineering. It was equipped with more than £1 million worth modern engineering equipment to help pupils turn their design ideas into reality. It included the only plasma cutter – a machine tool commonly used in industry – to be based in a UK school. The engineering tasks completed by pupils are set by The JCB Academy’s partners who include JCB, Rolls-Royce, Toyota, Network Rail, Bentley and National Grid.

As well as educating around 2,500 students, the JCB Academy has expanded to provide training for around 600 apprentices since 2013.

When Essex-born father-of-two Jim completed his degree in 1982, he initially embarked on a career in banking. After two years he decided on a change in direction and became a teacher. He later joined the JCB Academy from South Molton Community College in Devon where he had been Principal.

In retirement he is moving from Uttoxeter to Somerset, where he is building a house. Jim added: “If I have made a difference to young people’s lives then that is the most precious thing that I will take into retirement and hopefully that is what I have done at the JCB Academy and throughout my career.”

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Ventrac saving greenkeeping hours

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Ventrac saving greenkeeping hours: Following Royal Ashdown Forest Golf Club’s purchase of Ventrac 4500, Course Manager Dominic Lewis is saving hundreds of greenkeeping hours at the 132-year old club.

Situated within Ashdown Forest in East Sussex, the club has two 18-hole courses, both over 100 years old and they are proud that no earth was moved, no ponds dug or streams diverted during their construction. They are entirely natural and rely on the uncontrived hazards of heather, narrow fairways, hollows and water to test the skill of the golfer.

Ventrac saving greenkeeping hours

Ventrac saving greenkeeping hours

Dominic Lewis has been in post for just over a year, having held similar positions at Hadley Wood, Harewood Downs, Oakland Park and Datchet golf clubs. Commenting on the Ventrac he said,

“I’ve been in my position since May last year and quickly discovered the huge amount of time the team were spending on strimming work, on the banks and in the ditches.  It was amazing the amount of time it took; it was a nightmare and, of course, it’s physical and extremely uncomfortable in hot weather. We looked for a solution and discovered the Ventrac. Our local dealer, Ernest Doe, sourced a machine, we had a demonstration and it was obvious it was what we needed. We chose four attachments; the Contour deck, Tough Cut deck, Trencher and Power Rake, so we have virtually four dedicated machines in one. At around £55K for the package, I would say it’s certainly value for money.”

Dave Wakeley, Deputy Course Manager, is the principal operator of the machine and is more impressed with it every time he takes it out.

“It’s a gamechanger for us and is saving us hours on some of the really time-intensive jobs around the courses. For instance, we have to strim the banks and ditches every three weeks and it used to take five of us up to three days to complete. With the Ventrac we have reduced strimming hours by at least 75%, maybe more.

“Following the very wet winter we took the opportunity to add some drainage bands to some particularly difficult areas on site. The Trencher attachment was great for this, very quick and it left a tidy finish, once we’d laid the pipes and inserted the gravel.

“It’s superb on banks and goes where no other machine can go. It takes a little time to get used to, to gain the confidence to go into steep areas, but you soon get to know where it can go. We have used all four attachments; the Power Rake has proved very useful in reinstating the cart paths and machinery tracks, agitating the compacted material, removing ruts and smoothing out the surface. I used it in both wet and dry conditions and would recommend doing this job when it’s wet!”

Dave Mitchell is the club’s long-serving mechanic, having been in the industry for over 45 years, and for the last 30 at Ashdown Forest. He knows a good machine when he sees one.

“This is a very good and well-built machine,” he said. “It’s made from heavy duty steel; the welding is good and it’s robust. The attachments are belt-driven and easy to maintain, there are a couple of grease nipples that are difficult to access, but that’s being very picky! The lift-up decks are a great feature, so there’s no excuse for not cleaning the machine after use. All-in-all, a good addition to our fleet.”

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Walker Mowers appoint ARB & Grounds

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Walker Mowers appoint ARB & Grounds: Walker Mowers have announced ARB & Grounds as dealers to further strengthen their distribution network within the Derbyshire area. 

ARB & Grounds is a family owned business, selling and servicing garden/grounds machinery to its loyal customers throughout the years. The Derby showroom recently had some Walker Mowers delivered which are on display and ready for customers to view for a demonstration from one of ARB’s specialists.

Walker Mowers appoint ARB & Grounds

Walker Mowers appoint ARB & Grounds

Ben Gold, area sales manager said; “It is great to have ARB & Grounds on board and we look forward to working with them closely a lot more in the future. Gus and his team are very passionate about Walker and we are delighted that they will represent the brand in Derbyshire.”

Gus, general manager at ARB, comments, “We are thrilled to be the latest business joining Walker’s strong dealership network. They are a perfect fit for our garden and grounds customers. Our specialist team is fully up to speed with the products and ready to get stuck into demonstrating, selling and supporting the brand”.

For any enquiries on the Walker range at ARB & Grounds or general help please visit https://arbandgrounds.com/ or contact via phone on 01332 833366.

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Don’t settle for less, settle for more

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Don’t settle for less, settle for more: Toro and its UK distributor Reesink Turfcare have announced two new industry-first cashflow friendly finance schemes specifically designed to support customers in 2020-2021 and beyond.

The two companies have combined to offer a ‘buy now pay later’ at zero percent interest finance option and also a lease hire option, both of which include welcome lengthy payment holidays.

Don't settle for less, settle for more

Don’t settle for less, settle for more

Alastair Rowell, national accounts manager – grounds for Reesink Turfcare, says: “These two finance deals react to the current times. Together with Toro, we wanted to show support to our customers. We understand that cashflow is, and perhaps will be for some time, uncertain, yet machines are still needed now to maintain courses to the best possible standards. Now, more than ever, the focus has to be on retaining and increasing memberships.”

These two industry-leading options both offer a six-month payment holiday, one requiring a single payment and the other offering reduced payments to reflect industry leading residual values.

The ‘buy now pay later’ option is a familiar product but is an embellished deal in response to the COVID-19 landscape. Customers can order any time between July and December 2020 with the deal at zero percent interest, with a single payment required 7 May 2021.

The second option is a lease hire option with a six month pause period followed by either 60 monthly payments or five annual payments, according to each individual customer’s cashflow requirements.

Alastair says: “This option provides longer term financing in conjunction with very competitive finance terms. There is a six-month payment ‘holiday’ and the residual value of the machines are maintained at a strong level to the original cost. It provides a big benefit at the beginning of the term and leverages strong residual values to keep payments down.”

“What’s new is that these two plans provide clubs with options to suit their likely financial position from the middle part of 2021”, Alastair explains. “The point we kept coming back to when thinking about how best we could support our customers during this time was how uncertain it all is.

“Offering these two repayment plans will enable clubs to then focus on maintaining their courses so they look beautiful and play great, and to keep existing members happy while attracting new ones”.

In addition to these two plans, there are many other repayment options that clubs can consider, including the popular three, four or five year monthly or annual options.

Let’s look at how this would work on an investment of £50,000.00 plus VAT, for a club looking to opt for the lease hire scheme with 60 monthly payments. This would result in repayments of £814 plus VAT per month, commencing six months after inception of the lease. Under the terms of the lease hire option, the assets would be returned at the end of month 66.

Trevor Chard, national accounts manager – golf for Reesink Turfcare, continues: “There has never been such a cashflow friendly finance offer like this before and what we hope we’ve done by introducing these two options is provide customers with a welcome choice taking into account the current situation. It will hopefully remove an element of financial pressure and allow clubs to benefit from buying quality machinery in a hugely cost-effective way so they can focus on what matters most – keeping players happy.”

Both deals are available on all Toro fine turf and grounds machinery, and also includes TYM tractors when bought as part of a Toro fleet deal. Finance is subject to credit acceptance.

To talk to someone about the finance options available and how the Toro range would suit your club, call 01480 226800.

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GGM Groundscare announces new jobs

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GGM Groundscare announces new jobs: Award winning specialist tractor and grounds maintenance machinery dealer GGM Groundscare has announced it has expanding its team with the appointment of two new service engineers both recruited during the lockdown and created positions for three NEW apprenticeships , in a bid to support continued business growth and offer job opportunities in both Colne and Haydock.

The group employs 39 staff across two sites, and as the nation has suffered the impact of the Coronavirus crisis, Managing Director Chris Gibson wanted to continue his commitment to customer support and offer jobs opportunities in line with its long-term business growth strategy.

GGM Groundscare announces new jobs

GGM Groundscare announces new jobs

Andy Crabtree and Chris Sumner, [pictured]  have both joined the business as field service engineers based at the Haydock depot to support the increasing level of business from the site and both bring a wealth of valuable experience to the company.

GGM Groundscare are also currently recruiting for three new apprentices to help three young local people into a new career. This follows the Government’s announcement of an “apprentice bonus scheme”, when from August to January, any firm that hires a new young apprentice aged 16 to 24 will receive a £2,000 grant, while those that hire new apprentices aged 25 and over will be paid £1,500.

Last year, the company become an accredited Living Wage Employer and is committed to ensuring all its staff receive the training and development they need to develop their skills so they can progress through the business.

Managing Director Chris Gibson explains more:

“While many businesses have struggled hugely over the lockdown period, at GGM  we’ve managed to maintain a steady flow of business, thanks to the hard work of our dedicated team, particularly for our customers in local authority grounds, sports clubs and hospitals. We decided to recruit for these roles to help the local job market, as well as to facilitate business growth. It’s particularly important to us to support the next generation and we welcome the government’s new apprentice scheme.”

GGM has always had a key focus on employee engagement, corporate social responsibility and customer service and holds the ISO9001 quality standard and is rated as a Gold service dealer by tractor manufacturer Kubota, a standard which it has held for a number of years. It has also committed to a second year’s sponsorship of Greenfingers, a charity which builds therapeutic gardens for children’s hospices. Earlier this month, Chris, and members of the GGM team completed a socially distanced fundraising bike ride and walk to raise over £4000 for Greenfingers as well as supporting local charities St John’s Hospice Lancaster and Pendleside Hospice in Burnley.

The company has spent time over the lockdown period enhancing its customer offering in preparation for life to return to some form of normality. Over the last few months when others have been quiet, GGM have produced a number of new initiatives including a comprehensive new brochure featuring its extensive hire offering, and a new service agreement package providing customers with a tailor made service solution as well so showcasing some of its golf and fine turf customers in a new case study brochure.

Chris Gibson concluded:

“We feel very fortunate that our business has continued to grow over this testing period and we’re thrilled to be able to offer these new opportunities to local people, as well as helping our customers provide services as they get back to business”.

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