Top Dresser In The North East

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Top Dresser In The North East: Beaumont Grounds Maintenance took delivery of a GKB top dresser at the start of the season to help fulfil the needs of their many contracted sites.  Covering an area across the North East, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Humber, the family-run commercial and sports grounds maintenance business looks after a diversity of clients from schools, academies, sports clubs, councils and factories through to hotels and property management companies. In recent years the company has pushed the boundaries with expansion in the sports turf market, contracting directly for sports clubs and golf courses, providing specialist services and working with the clients’ own teams. One such venue is Gateshead International Stadium and it was to there the GKB SP230 Sandspreader was delivered.

“The GKB machine was recommended by our local dealers, Lloyd Ltd of Bishop Auckland, and we were very impressed with the service,” says Beaumont’s Managing Director, Alex Lineton, “it took less than a week from order to delivery and Tom Shinkins, GKB’s own Operations Manager, brought the top dresser to us and set it up at the stadium.” The Sandspreader can be used to distribute a variety of materials and the version ordered, the SP230 with a bunker capacity 2.3 m³ / 81 ft³ flat filled, is one of four different designs ranging from 1 m3 to 4 m3. There are several options.

Top Dresser In The North East

With the standard design, you can set the speed of the conveyer belt and the disc spreaders by means of a control unit attached to the Sandspreader. The shape and design of the sand bunker ensures an efficient operation and ensures a clear view along the machine. The sand is transported by means of a conveyer belt to a metering valve, which, optionally, is also available in a hydraulically adjustable version. The double, hydraulically powered, spreading discs are adjustable on multiple points and in this way the Sandspreader enables you to create perfect sand distribution. A touchscreen operated from the tractor cab gives complete control.  The towed version can be delivered with four pivoting balloon tyres and there is a model suitable for assembling on a turf truck.

The Beaumont machine has been fully employed throughout the season across a large number of sports venues including Northumberland University, the renowned sports university with its two sites and several pitches. “We’re very pleased with the results,” says Alex, “the GKB machine is simplicity itself, well built, easy to maintain and it does a good job. I highly recommend it.”

For more details on GKB machines visit www.gkbmachines.com  or call Tom Shinkins on 07495 883617.

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Reesink Grow Training Programme

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Reesink Grow Training Programme: Two new hands-on machinery mechanics courses have been added to Reesink Turfcare’s industry-leading training offering for 2019.

The two new courses, Air-cooled Engines and Basic Electrics and Hydraulics, have, says head of turfcare training at Reesink Neil Adams, been added according to demand: “With these two courses we’re going back to basics. There’s so much technology used in machinery maintenance now with diagnostics tools and the like and while that is incredibly helpful, our customers are telling us they want to learn the foundation of these subjects such as how to do a complete engine strip down. Both courses offer a solid start for those new to the industry and a fantastic refresher course for those with a few more years under their belt.”

Reesink Grow Training Programme

The one-day Air-cooled Engines course covers understanding the operation and function of a four-stroke engine, learning how to identify components and operate in-line diesel injection and petrol fuel systems, and diagnosing and repairing common faults associated with modern engines.

The two-day Basic Electrics and Hydraulics course includes understanding and reading electric and hydraulic symbols and schematics, how to use and demonstrate safe practices with electrical instruments and test equipment and how to diagnose and repair electric and hydraulic systems failures effectively. In addition, battery operation and construction, basic electric theory including Ohm’s Law, electrics and hydraulics safety and hydraulic oils and contamination procedures will also be covered.

Further information such as dates, which start in February for Air-cooled Engines and April for Basic Electrics and Hydraulics, can be found at www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk. There, turfcare professionals and employers keen to offer staff the opportunity to learn and expand their areas of interest and need, will also find all the details on Reesink’s biggest range of vocational training for land-based disciplines delivered with Lantra, the national awarding organisation. Alongside that is City & Guilds training and Toro and TYM manufacturer-backed turfcare machinery training.

Neil concludes: “These two new courses bring the total number of courses offered by Reesink to eleven, that’s one of the biggest selections from a distributor and is something we’re incredibly proud of. There’s something to suit everybody, at every level, whether you work in the golf and fine turf sector, sports or grounds sectors.

“Our range of training courses demonstrates our belief in continuously improving standards in the industry. We aim to make training convenient with some courses delivered at the trainees’ working premises, too, using familiar equipment in a familiar environment. This set-up means it could not be easier for customers to develop and invest in their employees.”

Visit www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk and select the Training tab to view this year’s training courses in full, plus find details such as dates and how to book.

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Amenity Forum – Adapt And Survive

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Amenity Forum – Adapt And Survive: In a recent presentation, our Chairman quoted the words of Charles Darwin as ‘It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent. It is the one that is most adaptable to change’. There is certainly a high degree of uncertainty currently facing many organisations including those in amenity management. Our news is filled with stories of such uncertainty. However as our chairman said ‘’In such changing times, it is important to focus on opportunity – whatever the circumstances, it can exist to those prepared to embrace the change and seek to make it work for them.

I recently attended an Innovation Showcase event held at Jealott’s Hill. It provided a fascinating insight into current research and in particular new innovative approaches to weed, pest and disease management. Whilst the focus was on food crops, application to amenity was easily identified. Individual presentations included the future of biocontrols with an insight into how RNA based techniques could maximise the potential of this new paradigm in pest management. There were also presentations on technology foresight and innovation, including the power of robotics and drone technology and precision approaches. As our politicians look to promote more sustainable approaches, such innovation can offer solutions whilst still allowing operators to undertake their work effectively and efficiently’’

Amenity Forum - Adapt And Survive

In the period, February to April, the Amenity Forum will be running a total of 13 free Updating events across the UK. As half day events, they are open to everyone involved in or with an interest in amenity management. They will provide updates on topical issues and recent developments with contributions from policy makers and practitioners. With the review of the UK’s National Action Plan underway, these also provide real opportunity to hear your views and concerns.

The Events this year are entitled ‘Adapt and Survive’ with headline sponsorship from JSD Rail and with each event hosted by a member organisation. The full programme will be announced soon but you can register your interest now by emailing Admin@amenityforum.net As soon as the fullprogramme is available, it will then be forwarded for you to book a place at the location of your choice.

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Award For Rotherham Grounds Team

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Award For Rotherham Grounds Team: More than any footballer could ever hope to Rotherham United head groundsman Dave Fellowes covers every blade of grass, suggesting he can clock up 100 miles a week on the pitch at AESSEAL New York Stadium.

Up and down, across and back, up and down, across and back.

Dave Fellowes reckons he can clock up 100 miles a week on the pitch at AESSEAL New York Stadium as head groundsman of Rotherham United.

“There’s no such thing as an average week,” he says. “Everything changes depending on what’s going on at the stadium or up at the training ground. In the summer we can be cutting the grass anything up to eight times a week.”

Such dedication has earned him and his team yet another prestigious honour. Fellowes, New York assistant Mykel Parkin and Roundwood man with the mower Dave Burton have been named the Institute of Groundsmanship’s Grounds Team of the Year.

“It’s down to hard work. It’s a great joint effort,” Fellowes says. “I wouldn’t ask any of the lads to do a job I wouldn’t do. It’s not one individual.

“It’s just old-fashioned hard work, looking at the elements and reacting in the right way to that with the tools that you have.”

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IOG’s Training & Education Guide

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IOG’s Training & Education Guide: The new IOG Prospectus is the definitive guide to the Institute of Groundsmanship’s  Training and Education, detailing the many training courses and qualifications available from the institute. The 44-page booklet outlines the qualifications, training courses and advisory services available to help support individual career development and future opportunities.

Also included is an ‘at-a-glance’ career roadmap showing how all the different options dovetail to create progression pathways.

IOG's Training & Education Guide

In addition, there is an explanation of the IOG’s Pitch Grading Framework – guidelines that match pitch quality standards with the skills required to maintain them, at every level from volunteer grassroots playing surfaces needing introductory certification through to foundation degrees for professionals at elite stadia.

The Prospectus offers something for everyone; a blended learning system that allows access to IOG courses in the workplace, the classroom or online, to enable everyone to enhance their skillset and knowledge.

A host of IOG training courses are outlined, for winter pitches, cricket, bowls, racecourses, warm season grasses, reinforced pitches and artificial surfaces, as well as ‘general’ and bespoke courses. The qualifications offered by the IOG include:

  • Technical Awards, Certificates and Diplomas in turf surface maintenance;
  • Certificate in sustainable turf management;
  • Professional Certificate and Diploma in turf surface management;
  • Professional Certificate in turf surface consulting; and
  • Supervisor Management Level 3.

Commenting on the launch of the IOG Prospectus, chief executive Geoff Webb said: “The IOG is committed to encouraging continual skills development and is passionate about supporting those wanting to learn how to improve playing surfaces at every level of the sporting spectrum.

“Thousands of grounds people train with us each year, as well as the many who undertake IOG qualifications, and the IOG Prospectus now provides an easy-reference guide for everyone involved.”

A PDF copy of the IOG Prospectus can viewed in the Learning area of the IOG website (www.iog.org/learning) or via the link https://www.iog.org/sites/default/files/documents/pages/iog_learning_prospectus_2018_1.pdf and printed copies are available from the IOG by calling 01908 312511 or via email: Learning@iog.org

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