Merchant Taylors’ chooses ISEKI

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Merchant Taylors’ chooses ISEKI: Richard Ayling, Grounds Manager at Merchant Taylors’ School in Middlesex, has praised his new fleet of ISEKI tractors for helping the grounds team maintain 300 acres of estate.

Merchant Taylors’ is an independent day school for boys, aged 11 to 18. Since its foundation, in 1561, the school has been widely-regarded as one of the best schools in England, providing an all-round education of the highest quality. One of England’s “great nine schools” its reputation today remains that of a “top” boys’ school.

Merchant Taylors' chooses ISEKI

Merchant Taylors’ chooses ISEKI

From the classroom to the sporting facilities – no stone is left unturned.

“We try and give the boys the best experience they can in whatever sport they want to enjoy,” said Richard. “We have over 80 acres of sport areas, and that sits in nearly 300 acres of estate including the preparatory school grounds. This is why we need to invest in the best machinery.”

Richard, who has been at Merchant Taylors’ for 26 years and oversees a team of 10 members of staff, explained that up until recently he was tied into a 5-year contract hire for the school’s larger equipment. That contract was coming to an end, and he began to research the market.

“My plan was to raise the standard of the equipment and when searching for tractors I was led to ISEKI,” he said. “I was very impressed with the demo we had from RT Machinery, and the IQ transmission was one of the main reasons we purchased them.”

Richard purchased two ISEKI TG6507’s and a TG6687 which both benefit from the innovative dual-clutch IQ gearbox. It combines the ultimate comfortable automatic operation with the advantages of manual gear changes. Specific to the IQ range of TG tractors the Headland management controls are also perfect when working with turf maintenance implements. The PTO Stop/Start function allows you to stop the PTO when the link arms are raised for ease of operation. PTO Stop in reverse lifts the arms to a pre-set height if reverse gear is selected to prevent any damage to implements. These are fully adjustable.

Richard also purchased the ISEKI TH5370, which is ideal for areas where lightweight machinery is required, and he mainly uses this on the school’s synthetic sports pitches.

“We’ve really put all four ISEKI tractors to the test since we have had them and they have come through with flying colours,” he said. “The tractors allow us to use a wide variety of implements including blowers, spreaders, seeders, brushes and scarifiers – the flexibility is brilliant, and they are really helpful when we are renovating.

“I also like having the ability to adjust the height of the arms at the back when attaching implements, the PTO is great, and the inside of the cab is really comfortable.  They may be compact in size, but they are powerful and have a lot of oomph. They are all stage V as well which ticks our credentials in terms of reducing carbon footprint.

“Everything just works for me and the team, the support and service from RT Machinery has been outstanding” continued Richard. “Everyone had a big say in the choice of machinery. It was a long discussion, and we got the decision right by choosing ISEKI.”

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Charity walk was something to SHOUT about

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Charity walk was something to SHOUT about: Ian Darler B.E.M completed his Walk to Qatar on the 19th November ahead of the clash with Accrington Stanley at the Abbey Stadium. The U’s Stadium Manager & Head Groundsman is raising money and awareness for Shout 85258 – the Club’s Mental Health partner – by walking the equivalent distance from London to Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup kick-off.

That’s an incredible 5,681,280 yards or 3228 miles!

Charity walk was something to SHOUT about

Charity walk was something to SHOUT about

 

Ian, tell us a bit about your background with mental health, and what motivated you to start your walk?

Having suffered and overcome mental health issues myself, I’ve got good knowledge of what it is when you’re at the lowest point in your life – however it was the tragic passing of a very close friend that made me start the walk for Shout 85285. Having spoken to him the day before he took his life – you would never had known there was anything wrong with him. It’s something I’ve since really beaten myself up about because I believe that anybody who hasn’t experienced mental health issues would probably think that when someone is suffering, they’re a misery and down in the dumps – but that’s not always the case. I managed to hide my depression and PTSD for over 18 months by laughing, joking and being over enthusiastic about everything but that in itself was exhausting.

When I spoke to my friend the day before he took his life, he was buzzing, he was really enthusiastic following Cambridge United’s results, and with him having been involved within the club for several decades all seemed normal, and he just seemed hyper due to all the success around the club.

What happened the following day will stay with me for the rest of my life, and I thought that if I could change this outcome for just one other person then I would do all I could to make it happen, so the walk was a simple way of getting the message out that if you are struggling with your mental health, don’t suffer in silence, you need to tell someone. Equally, if you think someone is struggling, you just need to ask them if everything’s okay, but don’t only ask once, ask them twice, are you sure you are okay. You may well be surprised by the reply?

What was the aim of the Walk to Qatar, Ian?

The walk was originally meant to be a million-step challenge, but following the success of that in getting people to talk about mental health, discussions between myself and the Club’s charity partner, Shout 85258 continued as we wanted to keep people talking about mental health and reduce the stigma that surrounds it and football is a great way of engaging people in discussion.

We then decided to extend the walk, with the World Cup looming, to 5.7 million yards, 3228 miles the distance between London and host nation Qatar.

The overall aim of both challenges was to raise awareness of mental health issues and make people aware of the help that is available. Shout 85258 offer an amazing service for anyone who is struggling with mental health and currently have on average 2,400 conversations a day.

What I didn’t expect was for people to reach out personally for my help. Over the past 12 months I’ve had dozens of people reach out to me acknowledging they have mental health issues and that they had never spoken to anyone about it before – several of which were people going through serious mental health challenges. I have also spoken twice at national conferences for the Football safety Officers Association which also had the dramatic effect of thirteen people coming forward to say they were suffering with mental health issues having never opened up about it before and they then assured me that they would seek professional help – Let me tell you this was more rewarding to me than winning Groundsman of the Year awards or getting a Queen’s honour, because that’s potentially saving somebody’s life.

I think people have either read the chapter Life Changing from my book Life’s A Pitch or from my walk diary entries on my charity website (cambridgecharityfundraisers.com/the-shout-journey) – to which they can relate to it. I’ve not had any professional training regarding mental health, only my personal experiences. I know how I cheated in terms of hiding my depression and PTSD, and I know how I recovered.

The last week of the walk I only had to walk 30 thousand yards to cover, in which the final steps of the walk were from Parkers Piece central Cambridge to the Abbey Stadium and took my step total to 6.2 million steps.

So far, how much money have you raised for Shout 85258 and how can people donate?

We’ve raised £16,000 and donations are still being pledged – which is absolutely incredible when you think of the state of the economy currently and how people are challenged financially. I think it’s just amazing how people are contributing, and they can rest assured that every penny they donate will help Shout and help others dealing with life’s challenges, these donations will potentially help save more lives.

People still wanting to donate can do so by visiting my charity page, which is

Cambridgecharityfundraisers.com There’s a whole section on there about the Walk to Qatar, which includes a button that takes you straight to the charity page you can donate to.

Every penny counts, and what I think people need to remember is that it could be someone in their family that it helps.

Following your incredible achievement, what’s next for Ian Darler?

The first thing is to give myself a break and have some good quality family time until Christmas, which I’m sure my family will appreciate! This walk which has lasted over 12 months has been really time consuming, but in the New Year I have  plans to hold a mental health lunch which will involve inviting companies and individuals in order to make them aware of some of the signs to look out for in their staff relating to mental health issues. We hope to have some top guest speakers from the football world in attendance.

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ICL trio work in sustainable approach

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ICL trio work in sustainable approach: The Course Manager at Hesketh Golf Club has revealed how three ICL products play a significant role in his sustainable approach to golf course management.

Peter McVicar has been the Course Manager at Hesketh Golf Club for fifteen years after initially learning his trade on the west coast of Scotland. In creating the majestic course at Hesketh, Peter has been committed to taking a sustainable approach to greenkeeping.

ICL trio work in sustainable approach

ICL trio work in sustainable approach

“It is no secret that over the years there have been less and less regulated products available for greenkeepers to use and there will be even less soon,” he said.

“We’ve not used a fungicide in over 12 years. Yes, we get a bit of disease every now and then, but we accept it, and the members are on-board with this approach too. Communication with them is so important because we need to tell them what we are doing and why we are doing it.”

As part of the sustainable approach, Peter relies on three ICL products in the form of H2Pro TriSmart wetting agent, Vitalnova Links biostimulant and Gronamic Golf 6-2-4 – an organo-mineral fertiliser.

He explained how these three products benefit the course.

“We apply Gronamic around March, which gives us a nice gentle boost at the start of the year without any excessive growth which we are keen to avoid – it just makes everything healthy. I like the fact it has a turf proven seaweed incorporated as well as a recycled phosphorus source in the form of struvite to help keep everything ticking over.

“Initially we just used TriSmart on the greens but based on the results we decided to roll that out to other areas such as tees, fairways and approaches, as well as the greens. The results have been especially impressive on the fairways, and we are managing to keep them healthy going into winter. We have good coverage, and the difference has been down to TriSmart.

“Last but certainly not least is Vitalnova Links which is a very special product in my eyes. It has the unique seaweed extract SMX combined with the carbohydrate based biostimulant Blade, which is two products we used to apply so to have that together in one formulation is very beneficial from both a cost and practicality point of view.

“These are all products that I like to always have in my arsenal,” continued Peter. “With price increases going up all the time you need to be using products that perform, and these ICL products do exactly that.”

Peter admits that taking the sustainable approach is not without its challenges and that the ever-changing weather conditions will continue to make life difficult. He believes it is imperative that greenkeepers start looking towards the future.

“Temperatures will continue to change, and we have to keep looking forward to both practises and products that can futureproof the course as much as possible,” he said. “I think with the research that is happening, particularly from companies like ICL, there will effective be solutions available.

ICL trio work in sustainable approach

ICL trio work in sustainable approach

“The good thing about ICL is that you always feel that they are on your side. You talk and you walk; you tell them what you are thinking, and they help you out along the way. Rob Ainscough (ICL Technical Area Sales Manager) knows our story and what we are trying to do.

“The relationship with Rob is very good – he is an ex-greenkeeper, and he has my respect. He takes the time to ensure that all the members of staff know exactly what the products do and why they are applying them. In turn we then relay that knowledge to our members.”

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

For more news and insightful views, you can follow ICL on Twitter @ICL_Turf

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Smallest Loadall joins JCB line-up

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Smallest Loadall joins JCB line-up: JCB is introducing the 514-40, its smallest Loadall telescopic handler to date, with a height of just 1.8m and a width of 1.56m. However, the compact machine benefits from the largest operator’s cab in the class, sharing its core DNA with the world’s number one telehandler range.

  • Low maintenance 24.7hp (18.4 kW) diesel engine requires no DPF or DEF to meet Stage V
  • 82% shared JCB componentry ensures quality, ease of maintenance and maximum uptime
  • Full width cab is up to 200mm wider than competitors, delivering more operator space
  • Best-in-class lift capacity at full height is 12% higher than competitors
  • 17% increase in power-to-weight ratio over the previous generation 516-40
  • Increased manoeuvrability for the tightest working sites

JCB’s new Loadall 514-40 telescopic handler brings together more than 45 years of telehandler development to create the smallest overall package, with big machine comfort and capabilities.

Smallest Loadall joins JCB line-up

Smallest Loadall joins JCB line-up

At just 1.8m tall and 1.56m wide, the 514-40 has been designed to access the most confined sites. Small enough to fit through a 2m high doorway, the machine delivers unparalleled manoeuvrability with all-wheel steering, making it an ideal telehandler for working in and around the smallest of buildings and farm yards, as well as at farm supply businesses, and in commercial horticulture.

The telehandler is powered by a low maintenance 24.7hp (18.4 kW) diesel engine that meets the EU Stage V emissions standard without the need for a complex Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) or any diesel exhaust fluid, minimising operating costs for customers and simplifying operation.

This three-cylinder, 1.1-litre engine, which boasts 66.9Nm of torque, drives through a proven Bosch hydrostatic transmission to a two-speed Linde motor, delivering a maximum travel speed of 10mph (15km/h).

Permanent four-wheel drive and four-wheel steering give the 514-40 the all-terrain capabilities synonymous with JCB’s market-leading Loadall range.

The maximum lift capacity is 1,400kg, while maximum lift height is 4.0m, making this an ideal machine for numerous industry sectors; lift capacity at full reach is 525kg.

With an unladen weight of 2,695kg, the machine boasts a 17% higher power-to-weight ratio than the Loadall 516-40. However, the 514-40 newcomer can be transported on a lightweight 3.5-tonne trailer behind a 4×4 or a light commercial vehicle, making it easier, quicker and less expensive to move it between distant work locations.

The full width operator’s cab is 20% larger than the previous 516-40 and a full 200mm wider than competitor models to provide the operator with a comfortable working environment, while the extensive glazing delivers excellent visibility to all four corners.

The cab will be instantly familiar to operators of other Loadall models, with JCB’s intuitive ergonomic controls making the 514-40 one of the easiest machines to operate.

Standard features include a 50mm tow ball with 7-pin electrics, reversing alarm, road lights, the patented JCB load control system and JCB’s LiveLink Lite telematics system, while options include an LED work light package, and amber and green beacons with an orange seat belt, which can all be protected by JCB’s immobiliser Key Pad.

The 514-40 boasts a new lightweight tool carrier and is capable of working with floating forks or a 0.41cu m bucket, while double-acting auxiliary hydraulics make it possible to operate a range of JCB attachments, increasing the versatility of this compact machine. Customers can also choose between a range of industrial and turf-compatible tyres.

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Perennial launches Christmas appeal

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Perennial launches Christmas appeal: In the lead up to Christmas, Perennial, the charity helping people in horticulture, is launching an urgent appeal in response to the worst cost of living crisis seen in a generation. People in horticulture are on some of the lowest incomes in the UK and the impact of the crisis is being felt across the industry as we approach the festive period.  

The charity is calling for donations to support its services and prevent people in horticulture from struggling emotionally and financially this season and beyond.

Perennial launches Christmas appeal

Perennial launches Christmas appeal

The pressures of Christmas combined with the strain of increased energy bills, interest rates and food costs are cause for concern. Circumstances will worsen still when winter hits and freezing temperatures slow the pace of work, leaving people with less money.

In anticipation of higher calls to its helpline and demand for its services this winter, Peter Newman, Perennial’s Chief Executive says:

“After two years of pandemic and lockdowns, we emerged into 2022 only to encounter massive increases in energy costs along with hikes in interest rates and food costs. In the horticulture sector, where many are not well paid, people are under strain and we can see the evidence of this by the number of people contacting our helpline. We’re hearing from people on tight budgets, who are facing more than just a squeeze on their income. These are real people experiencing real difficulty. Worryingly, the worst is yet to come this winter when we must switch on our central heating, or not, as the case may be for some. Every year I am heartened by the generosity of our supporters. Please donate if you can.”

When a Hampshire-based landscaper called Perennial for help, its team at was able to talk through the situation and provide advice. He was struggling with significant business and personal debt and had suffered a mental health crisis. He says: “Perennial was there for me in my hour of need and may well have saved my life. It sounds dramatic, but their calm guidance at a time when my life was in turmoil massively helped me. I’m in a far better place now both financially and mentally. There’s a macho thing that you have to get on with it, but sometimes you just can’t, and you’ve got to share the load. I hope that my story will help others.”

This story echoes the lives of thousands of others who are also struggling.

You can help people in horticulture this season by making a donation online at justgiving.com/perennialchristmas2022

People in horticulture can call Perennial for support and advice on 0800 093 8543 or visit perennial.org.uk.

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