phs Greenleaf sweeps the board

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phs Greenleaf sweeps the board: phs Greenleaf has won five industry-leading awards, including a special ‘Good Will Leaf Award’ for its unique rainbow Christmas tree which was created during the pandemic to bring hope and raise money for a mental health charity.

The Plants at Work Awards, run by the association representing interior landscapers, also awarded phs Greenleaf with gold awards for its maintenance work at the Trafford Centre in Manchester and its Christmas designs at Studley Castle Hotel in Warwickshire. It awarded silver awards for its design and installation work at Barton Square in Manchester and its contract work with Sodexo across the UK.

phs Greenleaf sweeps the board

phs Greenleaf sweeps the board

The coveted Good Will Leaf 2020 award was presented to companies whose work had a positive impact during the COVID-19 pandemic. Ahead of Christmas 2020, despite a difficult trading time, phs Greenleaf tasked its staff with designing a Christmas tree that could act as a symbol of hope during the lockdown festive season. The Rainbow Tree was created from the winning design and was quickly commissioned by Nationwide Building Society, which put one in each of its offices across the UK, raising over £1000 for MIND in the process.

phs Greenleaf was also awarded gold in the Christmas category for its elaborate festive designs at Studley Castle Hotel in Warwickshire. The Greenleaf team created over 20 different exterior and interior Christmas trees, as well as countless Christmas displays, each designed to match the existing themes of the hotel’s rooms.

They ranged from traditional red and golds, to an Alice in Wonderland theme and even a pink feather tree for the hotel’s unique flamingo-themed room. The trees, which ranged from 20ft to 7ft and were both live and artificial, were carefully sourced, designed and decorated by phs Greenleaf’s dedicated Christmas designers and operators, who curated items from around the world to ensure guests experienced that special ‘wow’ factor from every room.

The third gold award was for maintenance services at the Trafford Centre in Manchester where the team care for over 250 different plants and trees over 207,000 square feet in one of the UK’s busiest shopping centres.

Emily Vernon, Managing Director at phs Greenleaf, said: “We are incredibly proud of our team. They work very hard to provide our customers with the best possible designs, installs and servicing and it’s wonderful to see that recognised with these fantastic award wins. 2020 was a difficult year for everyone so it’s great to see the positives being celebrated.”

phs Greenleaf took silver awards in the design and installation category for its work with Sodexo, planting in three large government buildings in difficult circumstances, and for its work at Barton Square, an extension to the Trafford Centre, ensuring the design carefully matched and complimented the original shopping centre, including 36 large interior palm trees.

phs Greenleaf has been providing planting and landscaping services to businesses for over 25 years, including indoor and outdoor plants, artificial and live planting, living walls, grounds maintenance and Christmas trees and decorations.

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#GroundsWeek polling reveals positive impact

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#GroundsWeek polling reveals positive impact: Following the first-ever #GroundsWeek (1-7 March 2021), an awareness campaign for the turf-care sector launched by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), polling reveals its positive impact for the future of groundscare. Following the campaign, the not-for-profit membership organisation measured results to inform future activities.

In a survey issued to professional and volunteer groundspeople, as well as industry suppliers, 79% of respondents stated that the week had helped celebrate the sector, fulfilling one the initial aims of the campaign; to mark the challenging year brought on by the pandemic.

#GroundsWeek polling reveals positive impact

#GroundsWeek polling reveals positive impact

Over 61% of respondents said that #GroundsWeek helped educate them on the turf-care sector and the tasks involved in grounds maintenance. These individuals agreed that they had learned something new and felt better-connected as a result of the week taking place.

#GroundsWeek also peaked interest in volunteering with 76% agreeing that the week raised awareness of the sector and 50% responding that they had got involved during the week itself. Individuals also shared their availability across social media for volunteering opportunities.

Scott Tingley, Head Groundsman at Watford FC, following #GroundsWeek, said:

“GroundsWeek enabled myself and so many others to promote our industry. We are in a very fortunate position at top level football clubs, but the industry is so much more than that. It’s important the industry is recognised at all levels to ensure we are attracting the next generation, and the Grounds Management Association has given us the platform to demonstrate that with their #GroundsWeek initiative.”

Overall, 29 million people were reached by #GroundsWeek content across social media and through media coverage, with over 6,000 positively engaging with #GroundsWeek content on social media platforms.

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, commented:

“We were thrilled with the response and impact of this year’s #GroundsWeek campaign. It surpassed expectations and I was overwhelmed with the level of interaction online – especially seeing potential volunteers reaching out to grounds staff to find out how they could get involved.

“We are committed to helping further educate the wider public, and those who rely on the surfaces that grounds staff maintain, through #GroundsWeek 2022 to keep our industry thriving.”

The GMA has confirmed that #GroundsWeek will be happening once again next year from 28th February – 6th March 2022. So far confirmed as sponsors for next year’s event are; Agrigem Ltd (Nutrigow), British Sugar Topsoil, Infinicut, Premier Pitches, Kubota, SIS-Grass, John Deere Ltd, Redexim, Origin Amenity Solutions, Husqvana, and idverde.

For brands looking to support the campaign, please contact communications@thegma.org.uk

For further information about this year’s #GroundsWeek, visit: www.thegma.org.uk/groundsweek

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Equestrian excellence from Mansfield Sand

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Equestrian excellence from Mansfield Sand: SE Hill, a highly regarded company which specialises in the design and construction of equestrian manege facilities, has revealed why it has relied on Mansfield Sand products for over fifteen years.

Over the years SE Hill has built a reputation of a company that can deliver a professional and reliable service. As well as providing drainage, access tracks, earthworks and landscaping and numerous other constructions works, the company also specialises in equestrian facilities – and that is where Mansfield Sand comes in.

Equestrian excellence from Mansfield Sand

Equestrian excellence from Mansfield Sand

“We’ve been working with Mansfield Sand and have been using their products for over fifteen years,” said Managing Director Steve Hill. “I wouldn’t dream of using anyone else.”

Steve relies on Fibresand and Equestrian Silica Sand for his various manege projects.

Fibresand is a simple but highly effective concept, of using synthetic fibres to stabilise a silica sand in order to produce a free draining yet relatively firm, sure footing surface.

The rot proof, polypropylene fibres stabilise the silica sand by providing a high degree of resistance to sand particle movement when the surface is subjected to compressive and/or shear forces from the horses’ hooves.

Fibresand is a cost effective, durable and resistant surface which works as an excellent base layer that is free draining with a sure footing.

Alternatively, Equestrian Silica Sand provides an excellent riding surface which is free draining. Ideally suited as a base sand, it is recommended that the Equestrian Silica be incorporated into a fibre stabilising product to provide structure and further stability.

Commenting on SE Hill’s use of Mansfield Sand products, Louise Barrington-Earp, Equestrian and Landscaping Sales Representative, said:

“Steve finds the Equestrian Silica Sand as a very good sub-base which he then blends a stabilising fibre into.

“The Fibresand, on the other-hand, comes pre-mixed so it means contractors can apply the product immediately with no on-site mixing.

“Overall, Mansfield Sand is delighted and proud to have SE Hill as a customer. We have built a very good business relationship over the years and Steve’s workmanship is second-to-none.”

Steve was equally complimentary: “There is a reason I have been using Mansfield Sand for so long,” he said. “The products are of great quality and are always consistent; the haulage aspect is fantastic and obtaining quotations from Louise is a professional and speedy process.

“From products to service, I put my trust in Mansfield Sand.”

For more information visit www.mansfield-sand.co.uk

You can also follow the company on Twitter – @MansfieldSand and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MansfieldSandSportSurfaces/

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F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

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F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy: Kubota has updated its renowned F series front mowers, with the F391 offering a host of new features to further increase its performance and productivity. It joins the F251 introduced earlier in the year, with this duo of tough, powerful ride-on mowers providing the ideal solution for commercial mowing.

Powered by the latest 38hp Kubota Stage V engine, the F391 is designed to give the ultimate in output, operator comfort and practicality, continuing and enhancing the F series’ position as the choice of professionals for parks, open spaces and local authority work.

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

F391 continues Kubota mowing legacy

Meeting the latest emission control standards, the four-cylinder Kubota diesel engine provides the power to tackle the toughest mowing jobs, all day long; a 61 litre fuel tank gives long intervals between fill-ups.

Drive is via a two-range hydrostatic transmission with on-demand four-wheel drive to enhance grip in wet conditions and on sloping land.

The F391 has a lift capacity of 260kg, enabling the choice of 1.51 or 1.82m (60 or 72in) side or rear discharge deck, with optional mulch kit, for outstanding workrates. Mower deck tilt of 90deg makes for easy cleaning and maintenance and is operated via a hydraulic lever with minimal effort. Puncture proof tyres on the deck avoid frustrating downtime in tough conditions.

Deck height is adjustable from 25-129mm simply by slotting a pin at the chosen height on the front caster wheels, for quick adaptation to different tasks and grass surfaces.

With power steering and its out-front deck, the F391 is highly manoeuvrable for mowing around play equipment and street furniture, yet with a travel speed of 19.6kph can cover large areas in the working day.

Operator comfort and convenience has been considered at every stage of the design with a tilting and adjustable steering wheel, ergonomic controls, new bright dashboard for visibility and a folding ROPS, while the large platform offers easy access.  A new one-piece bonnet and removable radiator screen make for easy routine maintenance.

The F391 will be available from Kubota dealers at the end of the year.

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Kubota adds rear discharge model to G-Series

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Kubota adds rear discharge model to G-Series: Kubota has introduced a new version of its G261 ride-on mower designed to offer productivity and convenience where collection is not required.

The G261 RD is available with a 1.2m (48in) rear discharge rotary deck with optional mulching kit and has a travel speed up to 19kph -the fastest in the industry –  giving high outputs in a variety of amenity applications including parks, sportsfields and open spaces.

Kubota adds rear discharge model to G-Series

Kubota adds rear discharge model to G-Series

Powered by a 25hp Kubota Stage V engine, the G261 RD has a new hydrostatic transmission with cruise control, offering extra traction and grip, plus a differential lock for ease of operation and confident performance on sloping terrain.

An electromagnetic pto clutch makes for improved transmission of power and smooth engagement of the deck; for further ease of use, independent height of cut control gives mowing height selection from 25-102mm.

The rear discharge deck has been adapted from Kubota’s well-regarded BX compact tractor and thus has a very strong and robust design. Versatility is added with the option of a mulching kit – the G261 RD can handle lush, long grass in rear discharge format, or give a really clean finish on shorter grass, mulching the clippings and returning valuable organic matter to the soil.

Operator comfort is afforded by a generous platform with easy access and folding ROPS for work under trees or in other height restricted areas, and access for maintenance is improved with a one-piece bonnet.

Delivering high workrates yet capable of accessing restricted sites such as play areas and gardens via a 4ft gate, the G261 RD is an ideal mowing solution for businesses needing a versatile, capable ride-on mower.

It is offered alongside the recently-launched G261 which is available with low and high dump grass collectors, and further enhances Kubota’s range of purpose-designed, operator-focused professional mowing equipment.

The G261 RD will be available from Kubota dealers in October.

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