Abbots Bromley Sports Association keep progress going

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Abbots Bromley Sports Association keep progress going: Abbots Bromley Sports Association (ABSA) has continued progress on their £1.2million multi-sport facility with the addition of a New Holland tractor, Trimax Striker and quality training from Campey Turf Care Systems.

Plans for the ambitious project began many years ago when Abbots Bromley Cricket Club started looking for a new home, but when in 2013, after finding a 14-and-a-half-acre site, ABSA was created and the vision expanded to encompass multiple sports.

Abbots Bromley Sports Association keep progress going

Abbots Bromley Sports Association keep progress going

When completed the site will be home to the villages cricket, football, netball and tennis enthusiasts as well as being a community hub for other sports. The completion of the second phase of work means senior, and junior football pitches are now ready for play along with the cricket pitch, which is in its third year. Due to Covid-19, both sports are currently on hold at an amateur level, but it is hoped the pitches will be used at some point during 2021.

To continue the progress already made on the project, ABSA needed new equipment to maintain the ground, which led the trustees, chaired by Chris Wood, to Campey.

Chris explains: “We’re very grateful to be able to partner with such a clearly well established and very professional organisation as Campey. We can’t speak highly enough about their input all the way through this process.

“Our Trustee who looks after the ground, Andrew Kirkland, found out about the offer from Staffordshire FA and Campey and brought it back to the trustees and fortunately we were able to take that forwards. It’s true to say we work very well with Staffordshire FA, and their contribution and the funding from The Football Foundation have been significant. Their introduction to Campey has been nothing short of fantastic.

“Prior to the equipment arriving, Andrew and two volunteers were trained on the new equipment. It is important that we have that level of interaction and support so we are able to get the best results for our facility, and from an insurance point of view, it is absolutely fundamental.

“We’re very fortunate that we have a lot of volunteers in our project and we rely on them, alongside a groundsman to provide the best pitches we can create, and it is imperative that we have the equipment that can deliver that outcome as well. And once we’re fully open and have fixtures at the weekend, we can make sure they are all on by having the pitches in good condition.”

Bringing multiple sports under one roof has made this a truly community led project with people in the local area raising over £110,000. ABSA has also utilised funding from Staffordshire Borough Council, their own Parish Council, Sport England, the ECB, the Premier League and The Football Foundation as well as the help and advice of Staffordshire FA.

The next phase of the project will see an all-weather court for tennis, netball and five-a-side football put down, and the development of car parking and the new clubhouse.

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Headland’s range of specialist fertilisers

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Headland’s range of specialist fertilisers: With thoughts beginning to turn to the application of early season nutrition, Headland Amenity have a wide range of fertiliser products to get growth going this spring.

Multigreen® CRF is a popular choice with golf and sports clubs alike, to overcome the efficacy issues associated with some granular feeds in high moisture situations, as nutrient release is governed solely by soil temperature.

Headland’s range of specialist fertilisers

Headland’s range of specialist fertilisers

Multigreen® features urea or potassium nitrate prills within a permeable polymer-resin coating which start to release their solubilised nutrients once soil temperatures rise above 6oc – in line with grass growth. Nutrient availability is gentle and controlled by temperature alone, avoiding ‘flush’ growth and producing a strong, healthy sward that is sustained for up to six months depending on the analysis. This field longevity makes Multigreen® ideal for use on winter sports pitches and racecourses with lighter, free-draining soils.

For areas featuring heavier soil types, Headland’s XTEND® range of slow release granular and soluble fertilisers are another effective option – providing two to three months of consistent nutrient release from a single application. Each urea prill in XTEND® granular features two components to enhance the slow-release nature of the nitrogen; NBPT which prevents the loss of ammonia nitrogen to the atmosphere by volatilisation and DCD nitrification inhibitor to slow down the conversion of ammonium to nitrate in the soil, allowing the ammonium nitrogen to be held in the soil more efficiently. In liquid form, XTEND® is an ideal tank mix partner to Clipless NT® and Elevate Fe®, creating a cost-effective spring/summer feed without excessive clippings generation.

Designed to fill the gap between traditional outfield and fine turf products, the H-Cote™ range of mini-granular controlled-release fertilisers are suitable for use in all coarse and close mown turf situations including golf tees and fairways, sports pitches and racecourses. H-Cote™ offers field longevity of three to four months thanks to the high levels (70-91%) of controlled release nitrogen, surrounded by dual-coat technology which allows for a high specific nitrogen analysis per prill while reducing the risk of nitrogen lock-off.

Specifically for fine turf, Greentec® Mosskiller Pro is an ideal spring starter or low temperature hardener on amenity turf where prolonged colour, but not too much growth, is required. In addition to its low NK analysis, providing a consistent response in cool conditions, it is an approved mosskiller, providing rapid control of moss in managed amenity turf.

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Makita: powering the Eden Project

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Makita: powering the Eden Project: Makita UK has been appointed as the dedicated outdoor equipment supplier to the Eden Project.

The leading power tool manufacturer has been awarded the prestigious contract to exclusively supply its cordless garden machinery and power tools to assist with maintenance and redevelopment work at the home of the famous Biomes near St Austell in Cornwall.

Makita: powering the Eden Project

Makita: powering the Eden Project

With its wide range of cordless machinery offering a reliable and powerful alternative to petrol powered equipment and a one battery fits all solution for cordless construction and grounds maintenance tools, Makita was the ideal choice to help Eden meet its sustainable vision and ecological ethos. The partnership will see the Eden Project team replace its existing petrol and corded machines with Makita’s battery-powered products.

Si Bellamy, Interim Chief Operating Officer at the Eden Project, said: “Eden is dedicated to using sustainable methods and we wanted to update our grounds equipment with more environmentally friendly kit without compromising on power or performance.

“With Makita’s extensive range of cordless power tools and garden machinery, we can make the transition over to cordless incredibly easily. Makita’s cordless range will enable us to complete day-to-day maintenance tasks and larger projects in a safer, quieter, more efficient way.

“The use of battery power as fuel completely eliminates the need for our team to transport and handle petrol and as no fumes are omitted during operation there are zero gas emissions – which is fantastic for reducing our carbon footprint further. What’s more, there is no need to consider the safe placement of cables as with corded machines. As a result, we will be able to safely carry out work when visitors are on site.”

Makita’s innovative cordless technology also means that the machines work for long periods of time without needing to be charged. As a result, Eden team can work on large areas and tasks without needing to stop to replace or recharge the batteries, improving productivity further.

Mark Earles, Business Development Manager for garden machinery at Makita said: “The Eden Project is an educational charity and visitor attraction focused on showcasing the power of nature and inspiring visitors to think more sustainably. We are thrilled to be working with the team, as part of its efforts to improve environmental efficiency, by delivering cordless solutions to help the team work more efficiently on site.

“With over 270 cordless products in our LXT portfolio, we can ensure that the Eden Project have access to the machines they need, no matter the task. Our battery platforms also mean that the team can switch between tools and tasks effortlessly, reducing downtime and improving productivity.”

Makita’s product range is designed to work in tough outdoor environments, making the partnership an ideal backdrop for the Eden Project team to put the kit through its paces in unique settings, such as the heat of the Eden Project’s Rainforest Biome. Makita will be using this as a long-term opportunity to gain user feedback on the performance of the machines, to assist with research and development into new models and tool technologies.

Si Bellamy added: “We are really excited to kick off our partnership with Makita and see what we can achieve together over the next five years and beyond. It is really important for us to develop a strong partnership with Makita and work collaboratively with them to further our capabilities here at the Eden Project.”

To find out more about Makita and its range of cordless machines visit: www.makitauk.com

For more information about the Eden Project visit: www.edenproject.com

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Setting the Standard

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Setting the Standard: Amenity management is the description encompassing all aspects of the management of public and sports spaces, keeping them safe, healthy and fit for purpose.

It includes parks, green spaces, transport networks, domestic lawns, and golf and sports surfaces. Those employing organisations for amenity management and those using and enjoying such spaces quite rightly look for assurance that those undertaking the operations are at a UK recognised professional level just as if they were employing an electrical or similar trade contractor. In terms of weed, pest and disease management, the Amenity Standard provides that assurance. It indicates that the organisation responsible for that work is a member of an approved assurance scheme ensuring operators are fully qualified, committed to best practice and updating and using authorised products and equipment.

The UK Amenity Standard was launched in January 2020 and has rapidly developed with many now insisting that the Standard is met to provide full assurance of professional standards. It is a UK Standard and is independently managed and overseen by the Amenity Forum. Given below are some comments from the sector about the Standard. If you require more information please go to the website www.theamenitystandard.co.uk or contact Kate at admin@amenityforum.net

Setting the Standard

Setting the Standard

Tom Arnold, Vice Chair of the UK Lawn Care Association (UKLCA) says ‘’ We became involved in the Amenity Standard as part of a programme of continuous professional development in the lawn care sector.  Our main use of plant protection products is in the area of selective weed control within lawns and this is a critical tool in improving people’s lawns that is impossible to achieve effectively by other methods. Our members are already qualified to apply products via the Government’s recognised qualifications and the Amenity Standard offers us a UK recognised way of  showing that our members engage with a recognised assurance scheme ( in our case Lawn Assured) that demonstrates their professionalism and that they are upholding the high standards we expect of them. The UKLCA is pleased and proud to promote the Amenity Standard.’’

Steve Hodgson, CEO of the Property Care Association says ‘’ The public is right to be cautious about the use of plant protection products and need assurance that they are being applied by trained, qualified and highly skilled individuals who will utilize them in a measured and targeted way. As a responsible Trade Association, we share this view.  The Amenity Standard empowers professionals and consumers to recognise and choose organisations that operate far beyond basic legal requirements. In so doing we make visible those who have demonstrated their operational track record and a willingness and to work safely, sustainably and responsibly. Property Care Association and its members have welcomed the creation of the sector wide Amenity Standard. Our members are proud to be amongst the first to adopt the Standard and display this independently assessed accreditation. We hope that it soon becomes the Standard that all those who control plants and pests in our open spaces will be forced have to measure up to’’

Duncan Jones, Director at Hortech says ‘’Hortech where the first company to gain the Amenity Standard and we are very proud of that. For me it is vitally important that Hortech can demonstrate to clients and the general public that we are working to the highest possible standards.  When it comes to undertaking vegetation management, whether by cultural means or using herbicides there is no room for error or complacency. The Amenity Standard ensures that we maintain those high standards year on year. It is my hope that all procurement teams across the UK set the Amenity Standard as a must have for tender pre-qualification’’    

Ian Graham, MD of Complete Weed Control says ‘’ Complete Weed Control for decades has aimed to deliver the highest of standards within our service provision, key in that endeavour is the support of the organisations that exist to improve the industry as a whole such as the Amenity Forum. The Amenity Standard is without question the single most important initiative. The Amenity weed control industry has never been under greater scrutiny than currently. Spraying operations that take place in public places are naturally and quite properly questioned. Being able to demonstrate that operators conform to a recognised and well-structured Standard is extremely important. The sooner that organisations are compelled to meet the Amenity Standard the better.

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Trime goes T-ZERO

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Trime goes T-ZERO: Could all contractor and hire firms soon have access to fossil fuel free construction machinery? This is the proposition put forward by the Trime Group, a leading manufacturer of site lighting, power generation, and associated equipment with their exciting new initiative, T-ZERO PRO.

In line with some leading car manufacturers, the company states that they have begun to phase out fossil-fuel equipment and, by 2025, only offer emission-free machinery.

Trime goes T-ZERO

Trime goes T-ZERO

The Trime Group have been designing and building a range of environmentally centred equipment for the past six years from their production facilities based near Milan, Italy. Their X-ECO LED lighting tower has become a worldwide best-seller in the hire, construction, utility, mining, rail and events markets. The X-ECO LED uses long-life LED lamps and is designed to be economically fuel efficient.

Following on from the success of the X-ECO LED, Trime began engineering a complete range of sustainable lighting towers each combining energy-saving, emission-reducing features. Trime now has an extensive line of battery-hybrid, solar-hybrid and solar-only lighting towers that are distributed around the world through their global dealer and distributor network.

A company within the Trime Group, Tekno Proget, manufactures power generation machinery from 4.5 to 670.0kVA for a variety of applications. With the demand for carbon-reducing and low fuel consumption machinery increasing at a rapid pace, Tekno Proget has added a range of battery-hybrid and solar-hybrid power generators into their portfolio. This line currently features single-phase sets, 3.5 kVA, 6.00kVA, 10.00kVA and three-phase generators, 25.0kVA, 45.0kVA, 60.0kVA with 100kVA units soon to be made available. Tekno Proget equipment is available worldwide.

The Trime Group now plans to go even one step further with the introduction of their T-ZERO PRO power module. This advanced system is centred on building a specially designed battery pack that brings together seamless long run times with quick recharging. The T-ZERO PRO power module produces zero noise, zero vibration, uses zero fuel with zero emissions. The batteries are designed to fit on to the outside of the equipment, which helps to dissipate heat more effectively thus preventing overheating, and possible shutdowns. The T-ZERO PRO system is intended to replace many of the diesel, gasoline and LPG powered engines currently fitted to machinery used on construction sites.

The Trime T-ZERO PRO system is nearing the end of a testing phase and will soon move into full production.

The Trime Group is a market leader in the manufacture and supply of environmentally sustainable equipment for the hire, construction, event, rail and utility markets. Trime UK is headquartered in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire; their manufacturing plant is based near Milan, Italy. There are Trime dealers and distributors throughout the world.

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