Vandals Hit Real Fife FC

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Vandals Hit Real Fife FC: Reckless vandals who have been tearing up a Fife football pitch by using it as a race track are placing young lives at risk and could force a local club to relocate altogether.

The stark message has been delivered by volunteers with Real Fife FC, which has been resident at East Wemyss’ McDuff Park since 2012, after their surface was ripped up again over the weekend.

Five teams had been playing on McDuff Park at the beginning of last year but the club had to move four of them to other facilities in Kirkcaldy to ensure the availability of a pitch each week.

With the mindless quad bike and mini-moto users continuing to abuse the area, even at times when the youngsters have been playing on the grass, club volunteers are considering moving away from the village permanently.

Wayne Carroll, Real Fife FC club secretary and the club’s child welfare and protection officer, said the actions of a minority were causing problems for scores of young people and their families.

He said: “Real Fife FC are currently paying out £15,000 each year to the local authorities for training facilities and pitch hires, which is definitely not an insignificant amount of money for a non-profit grassroots football club.

“We currently have approximately 220 boys and girls at the club, with around 40 non-paid volunteers trying to ensure we can provide our local kids with an opportunity to play football, develop their interpersonal skills and have safe fun.

“We are in current talks with the local authorities trying to secure facilities large enough to house all of our kids but as you can imagine, there are limited options for us.

“We don’t want to pull out of the park at East Wemyss as it’s an important part of the club’s history but there is only so much a club like us can take.”

Real Fife FC’s forced move to alternative pitches in Kirkcaldy is having a knock-on effect in the Lang Toun due to the limited number of pitches available there.

“The kids and youths doing this damage are from the surrounding area,” Mr Carroll added.

“It’s hard to believe the community don’t know who is doing this regular damage, and we would ask that they come forward and help us.

“We have had, at times, the youths driving the motorised vehicles around the pitch during actual games and, as the club’s child welfare and protection officer, this gives me great concern for the safety of our kids.”

The news is the latest instance of illegal bikers blighting neighbourhoods in the Levenmouth and Wemyss village areas, with local councillors receiving regular complaints about unlicensed bikers.

Police Scotland has a dedicated action plan, called Operation Reflector, to address the anti-social issues, and anyone who witnesses such activity involving motorcycles should contact 101 or report it anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

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Toro ProCore 648 Headlines Stand At Jersey Skills Show

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Toro ProCore 648 Headlines Stand At Jersey Skills Show: The Playing Field Maintenance Sports division of States of Jersey has been so impressed with its new Toro ProCore 648 aerator that it made the machine the star of its stand at the Jersey Skills Show at Fort Regent in October.

The division was attending the show to encourage a career in sports turf maintenance, says Steve Landick, playing fields manager of the division for States of Jersey. And what better way to visually represent the work the division does at the show than the ProCore!

Toro ProCore 648 Headlines Stand At Jersey Skills Show

“We work closely with sports organisations, clubs and schools to grow sport in Jersey and we’re working on developing an integrated system that supports grassroots sports and its development to provide a pathway for performance athletes to go on and represent us in events such as the Island Games and the Commonwealth Games. Having a talented sports turf maintenance team is essential in achieving that.”

The ProCore 648 is widely considered to be one of the most important tools there is when it comes to aeration, with many Premiership football clubs happy to use the machine just ahead of a game, the finish is so good. There’s little heave, and it can be depended upon to deliver all year-round aeration.

Steve, who attended the show with the division’s current apprentice Peter Ahier, says: “The ProCore is a new addition to our fleet of machines and has debuted on the Island’s cricket squares and bowling greens. The whole division has been very pleased with the way it has performed, it’s a great purchase.”

They say a picture is worth a thousand words and seeing is believing so to have the ProCore on stand will have helped bring to life Steve and Peter’s chat about what a career as a groundsman is like, showing those visiting the show the type of quality machinery they’ll be in charge of as they potentially strive to keep the island’s sporting surfaces in the best possible condition.

“There’s a fantastic opportunity in sports turf maintenance for school leavers, people wishing to change career or re-entering the workplace,” concludes Steve. “To have the opportunity to reach these people and explain that at the Jersey Skills Show has been fantastic and the ProCore did as good a job for us there as it has been doing out in the field!”

For more information, visit: reesinkturfcare.co.uk

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New Depots For Kubota Dealership

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New Depots For Kubota Dealership: West Country Kubota dealership, Vincent Tractors & Plant have announced the dates for the official opening of their two new depots in Devon.

The Fraddon based machinery dealership has opened two new depots.  The first one in Holsworthy on the Holsworthy Industrial Estate, whilst the second is at Smithaleigh (Choakford Corner, Plympton, PL7 5BB).  Both depots will focus on the full range of Kubota equipment – agriculture, construction and groundcare.

New Depots For Kubota Dealership

With both depots now open to customers there will be official launch events at both sites.  Holsworthy will officially open on 5th December 2018, whilst Smithaleigh will open on 11th December 2018.

To launch the new depots there will be an open day at each site between 12 noon and 8pm.  Visitors will be able to see much of the Kubota product range, meet the team and tour the facilities as well as enter an exclusive prize draw.

Paul Vincent, Managing Director of Vincent Tractors & Plant said “We are all very excited about the company expansion, and the opening of the two new depots”.

“Both depots will have sales, parts and service departments offering local support.  My sons, Nick and Alec, have joined the business to ensure that it continues to grow and provide family values and support to our existing customers in Cornwall and to our new customers in Devon.  We look forward to providing the same high level of customer service from the Devon depots, as we have done in Cornwall for the last 52 years.”

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Quad Bikes Tear Up Football Pitch

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Quad Bikes Tear Up Football Pitch: Pitches at Solway Banks in Brynteg were damaged again by tyre tracks at the weekend, leading to Brymbo Lodge FC coach Kieran Howard to hit out at the vandals for ruining children’s football.

He says they are also putting lives including their own in danger with reckless behaviour. He added that the Brymbo and Brynteg area is suffering anti-social behaviour being caused by youths, some of whom he believes may even have played for his club in the past, and has urged them to think about the consequences of their actions.

Coaches, youngsters and their parents were left dismayed when they turned up to pitch two at Solway Banks this weekend and found it had been cut up again by a vehicle.

“It looks like they have come through the back way, where there are no defences against cars, bikes or quads”, Mr Howard said.

“Talking to a few of the lads it looks like quad bike tyre marks and we’ve had problems with four-by-four vehicles in the past.

“We have more than 200 players at the club, it is affecting them all from the under-six’s upwards and stuff like this is going to hamper their opportunities.

“The club is a community hub and this is the kids’ green space. We all meet up – parents, kids and volunteers and to come here and see this, it’s sad.

“I don’t know how long it’s going to take to repair and I don’t know what is going to be done about it.”

Mr Howard added that there had been problems with anti-social behaviour in the area of late, and felt he had to speak up – with concerns about the dangers of vehicles being used in an area where children play.

He said: “A lot of anti-social behaviour is going on over that way. This follows on from the problems we had on Bonfire Night.

“I’ve already asked for a zebra crossing to be put in because you have to cross the road to get from pitch to pitch.

“As a local I’m sad to see what is happening to the reputation of this area. A small minority is giving it a really bad name at the moment.

“People come here to play from all around, Brymbo, New Broughton, Pentre Broughton and other villages.

“Some of the people involved in this behaviour could have family who play for the club and possibly even played for us themselves when they were younger, so I don’t know why they’re doing it.

“Perhaps they think its funny but they aren’t thinking of the consequences. Someone’s going to get hurt and a child could lose their life up there through reckless behaviour.

“I just want them to think about the consequences of their actions.”

Councillor David A Bithell lead member environment and transport said: “Vandalism of football facilities and fields causes disruption to those who play and use these facilities.

“I hope those responsible are caught and made to make good any damage.”

Gwenfro County Councillor Nigel Williams added that he was working on solutions to try and prevent vehicles getting on to the pitches.

He said: “I have already asked Streetscene to put some obstruction at the entrance to stop vehicles gaining access.”

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BALI GoLandscape Pledges Support To YMCA

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BALI GoLandscape Pledges Support To YMCA: The British Association of Landscape Industries’ (BALI) careers initiative, GoLandscape, has forged a partnership with YMCA Training to support their work on delivering industry apprenticeships in the wake of a 28% shortfall in the number of apprenticeships being undertaken in the UK*.

Along with a decrease in apprenticeships, the Open University have recently reported that only 8% of companies in the UK have drawn from their levy, proving that more support is needed to inspire, educate and encourage industry employers to understand the benefits of taking on apprentices as part of their workforce.

BALI GoLandscape Pledges Support To YMCA

YMCA Training – part of Central YMCA – helps young people find new opportunities through work and training. Every year, thousands of apprentices are trained and go on to build rewarding and fulfilling careers.

BALI’s Education Officer, Stephen Ensell, said; “GoLandscape is proud to support YMCA Training in the industry apprenticeships they offer; their bespoke training means that, nationally, they can help landscapers develop a workforce that addresses the skill shortfalls they so desperately need, which in turn helps boost the economy and grow their own business. We are really looking forward to supporting and working with them in the promotion of the industry”.

BALI GoLandscape Pledges Support To YMCA

 

BALI’s GoLandscape initiative launched nationwide in March 2018 at RHS Garden Wisley and has already made significant progress in working with employers and industry colleges to provide more opportunities for school leavers and career changers to find suitable employment within the landscape industry, where their skills and knowledge are mapped to the needs of businesses operating in both domestic and commercial capacities.

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