Perennial prepares for increase in demand

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Perennial prepares for increase in demand: Perennial is the safety net for people in the horticulture industry and are here to help anyone working in, or retired from any job involving trees, plants, flowers or grass.

As the effects of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continue to evolve for the whole industry, including everyone working in turf or groundscare, Perennial is urging anyone who is worried or has questions about how it will affect them, or their family, to get in touch. The team’s clear message is ‘we’re in this together’ and wants everyone in the industry to know they are there to support you. Perennial’s helpline is operating as usual on 0800 093 8543 or visit www.perennial.org.uk for the latest updates.  

Julia Hayne, Director of Services at Perennial, says: 

“We know people are worried; it’s only natural to be concerned about your own health, your ability to continue working and to support your family. We’re here to reassure, advise and help you through the coming weeks and months. We all need to work together on this. We are all facing unprecedented challenges as we adjust to new ways of working and Perennial is determined to remain available and active for everyone we help.” 

Perennial has a range of support services online and its advisers are available by phone, email or video call free of charge and in complete confidence. The online budgeting tool can be used to help understand finances and makes it simple to see what is coming in and out, with useful hints and tips to support you to adjust to changes in income. Perennial’s online mental health network, launched earlier this year in partnership with Big White Wall, can help everyone maintain their mental wellbeing.  

Perennial’s team of professional, highly trained caseworkers and debt advisers can:  

  1. help people understand and get access to government arrangements for financial  support 
  1. help people make arrangements to reduce or delay bill payments, including credit debts where necessary 
  1. provide financial assistance to cover essential items, particularly food and heating 

Peter Newman, Perennial’s Chief Executive, says:  

“In these unprecedented circumstances many people will be anxious about both the present and the future. For 180 years Perennial has stood alongside people in horticulture and our unswerving determination is to continue to be available to help through these difficult days.” 

Over the last few days Perennial’s whole workforce has responded to the evolving government guidance and will continue to monitor daily updates and promote the clear home-working, self-isolation and social distancing guidelines. The charity’s gardens at York Gate near Leeds and Fullers Mill near Bury St Edmunds will not now open as planned, and all volunteer activity has been suspended until further notice. Peter Newman continues: 

“The focus of the whole Perennial team is now on meeting the practical and social needs of people in horticulture, as the entire country faces up to the COVID-19 challenge, and its aftermath.” 

Perennial’s team of advisers all work from home and are available for phone calls, emails and video calls. Perennial are posting daily updates to an information hub on their website giving people up to date information on how you can manage your current situation, how Perennial can support individuals affected by the pandemic and links to other organisations who may be able to help. To keep up to date with new information as it emerges, follow Perennial on social media or sign up to the charity’s e-newsletters. If you have any concerns about how Coronavirus COVID-19 will affect you or your family, Perennial can be contacted by phone on: 0800 093 8543 or visit www.perennial.org.uk/coronavirus for further information.  

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BASIS relaxes rules on CPD points

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BASIS relaxes rules on CPD points: With much of the country working from home and most industry events cancelled, BASIS has taken the decision to relax its CPD requirements for Professional Register members.

Stephen Jacob, BASIS CEO, explains that ordinarily members are annually required to collect a set number of CPD points before the points-year ends on 31 May.

BASIS relaxes rules on CPD points

BASIS relaxes rules on CPD points

“Events are typically a focal point for collecting points, but with so many sadly not going ahead, we are extending the year-end period.

“This allows points to be collected into the next points-year. The only stipulation is that the full requirement of points for the 2019/20 points-year and 2020/21 points year are fulfilled for both years, by 31 May 2021,” he says.

For example, members holding the Certificate in Crop Protection are required to gain 40 CPD points annually. However, they will now need to collect 80 points over the two-year period.

“This flexibility will enable our members to remain on the Professional Register, while ensuring standards remain consistent, enabling members to continue to practice essential agronomy work,” says Stephen.

Depending on your qualification and membership category, the required number of points will vary. For example:

  • Certificate in Crop Protection – 80 points by 31 May 2021
  • Certificate in Crop Protection, with FACTS – 100 points by 31 May 2021
  • FACTS only – 40 points by 31 May 2021
  • Certificate in Crop Protection (amenity horticulture) – 40 points by 31 May 2021
  • Certificate in Crop Protection (amenity horticulture) with FACTS – 60 points by 31 May 2021

Boost your knowledge remotely

Despite opportunities being reduced, BASIS encourages members to seek CPD points remotely in order to stay up to date with industry innovation and regulatory changes.

There are various options that can be completed at home, including reading technical publications or newsletters, as well as participating in online training sessions.

A full reading list can and associated points can be found and downloaded here.

Check your points

Members can check their training record and points requirements on the BASIS website or contact a member of the BASIS team on 01335 343945.

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New COMPO EXPERT appointment

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New COMPO EXPERT appointment: COMPO EXPERT GmbH, a European market leader in fertiliser production, has appointed Matthew Williams as National Account Manager for Turf to increase the company’s profile in the UK’s sports turf sector.

A BASIS-registered Turf Agronomist and a member of the European and International Turfgrass Society, Matt brings 15 years of sales and turf consultation experience at high-profile sports venues, landscape businesses and public green facilities to his new role.

New COMPO EXPERT appointment

New COMPO EXPERT appointment

He had previously worked at Spunhill Amenity where he was UK Turf Sales Manager, having moved from Barenbrug UK in 2018 where, over a 10-year period, he held the roles of UK Key Account Manager and New Product Development Manager.

Within his national role at COMPO EXPERT, Matt will be looking after the needs of the company’s current distributors and merchants throughout the UK and Ireland with raw material and branded material supply.

“I intend to increase COMPO EXPERT’s brand presence in the UK,” Matt says. “The brand is number one in Europe and with the company’s high-quality chemistry products, I believe there is plenty of room for expansion in the UK & Ireland market.”

Commenting on Matthew’s appointment, COMPO EXPERT Managing Director, Gerald Bonner says: “‘We are delighted to have recruited someone of the stature of Matt Williams. Matt has extensive experience in a wide range of turf environments and we look forward to achieving greater growth in this market. COMPO EXPERT is the European leader in Turf Agronomy applications and Matt will be leading our significant expansion plans for the UK & Ireland Turf programme.”

Matt can be contacted on: 07392 976 748 or matt.williams@compo-expert.com

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ICL Ultimate Offers for 2020

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ICL Ultimate Offers for 2020: ICL and Syngenta have announced their updated Ultimate Offers for 2020.

Ultimate Offers are a range of popular tank-mixes from ICL that contain various combinations of nutrition combined with Syngenta’s plant growth regulator Primo Maxx II.

ICL Ultimate Offers for 2020

ICL Ultimate Offers for 2020

They provide turf managers with great products through a range of extremely cost-effective packages, helping make significant savings with the added bonus of earning up to 15 Turf Rewards points depending on which Ultimate Offer you choose.

For 2020 Ultimate Offer WSF/18 and Ultimate Offer WSF/36 have been updated to include Primo Maxx II in the newly launched 20 litre pack size.

Ultimate Offer NK – earns 5 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 5L Primo Maxx II
  • 1 x 200L Greenmaster Liquid NK
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer High N – earns 5 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 5L Primo Maxx II
  • 1 x 200L Greenmaster Liquid High N
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer S & S – earns 5 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 5L Primo Maxx II
  • 1 x 200L Greenmaster Liquid Spring & Summer
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer CalMag – earns 5 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 5L Primo Maxx II
  • 1 x 200L Greenmaster Liquid CalMag
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer WSF/18 – earns 10 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 20L Primo Maxx II
  • 18 x 15kg Sportsmaster WSF High N
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer WSF/36 – earns 15 Turf Rewards points

  • 2 x 20L Primo Maxx II
  • 36 x 15kg Sportsmaster WSF High N
  • 1 x Syngenta Art of Application Kit
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer Iron – earns 5 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 10L Primo Maxx II
  • 1 x 200L Sportsmaster Liquid Fe
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

Ultimate Offer SeaMax – earns 5 Turf Rewards points

  • 1 x 5L Primo Maxx II
  • 8 x 1kg Sportsmaster WSF SeaMax
  • 13 x Syngenta XC 04 nozzles
  • ICL Application Booklet

The offers are available exclusively through ICL distributors.

For further information, please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk

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

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Government update on greenkeeping

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Government update on greenkeeping: Following the Prime Minister’s announcement on Monday evening that the country is effectively in ‘lockdown’, BIGGA has been working hard to obtain clarification as to what that means in practice for our members, many of whom are looking for reassurances with regards their careers and income.

It is an unprecedented time for us all and firstly I want to reaffirm the message that our members’ health and that of their families come first.

Today we have received the following information from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS):

“For security and essential maintenance reasons greens staff can still attend work.”

We believe this is only partial clarification. It permits greenkeepers to work on essential maintenance but does not clarify what that means. We are naturally seeking further clarification urgently.

At this moment BIGGA is working tirelessly for our members; we’re working closely with our golf industry partners to get further clarification from government and also to support all those people in the golf industry that are affected by the crisis.

In the weeks since this terrible virus arrived on UK shores, we’ve been working closely with our colleagues at The PGA, GCMA, The R&A and other greenkeeping associations across the world to provide guidance and assistance through these difficult times.

On our website, we now have a dedicated COVID-19 section with all the information we have to date. Of course we’re also continuing to offer the same services and support that BIGGA members have become accustomed to. I’d encourage you to head to that website and familiarise yourself with everything that’s on there. There’s information about our HR Helpline, legal assistance, confidential counselling helpline and a number of other services. There’s also the Greenkeepers’ Benevolent Fund for those who encounter financial difficulties and we’re also looking at ways of moving our regular education events on to a digital platform, so keep an eye out on the events page for more information.

On The PGA website you can find a COVID-19 Resource Hub, where you can find a wealth of information relating to safe working practices, financial help and other matters. We’ve been contributing towards that content from the very start and there’s much on there that’s relevant to golf greenkeepers.

This is an incredibly fluid situation, we will keep you updated with all developments as best we can.

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