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Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

September 25, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025: The industry’s largest free education offering, Learning LIVE, is back for SALTEX 2025, delivering its biggest and most tailored programme to date. Following a record-breaking 2024 that saw more education hours delivered than ever before and over 1,000 attendees engaging with sessions, this year promises even more opportunities to […]

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

September 25, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary: Young people starting their careers in agricultural engineering are being invited to apply for a £500 Midlands Agricultural Engineering Apprenticeship Award. The award is run by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society (NNAS), in association with the Midlands Machinery Show, and provides a £500 bursary, paid […]

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

September 25, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

September 25, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

September 25, 2025/in Events, News, Press Release/by Admin

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025: The industry’s largest free education offering, Learning LIVE, is back for SALTEX 2025, delivering its biggest and most tailored programme to date.

Following a record-breaking 2024 that saw more education hours delivered than ever before and over 1,000 attendees engaging with sessions, this year promises even more opportunities to power up your skills and gain accredited CPD points.

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

With pressures mounting on grounds teams to deliver high-quality playing surfaces and green spaces, Learning LIVE provides real-world insights and sector-first knowledge, completely free of charge.

Among the highlights is James Haskell, one of the most recognisable personalities in sport. In his headline session, High Performance Mindset: Lessons from the Pitch to the Boardroom, James will draw on his career as a professional rugby player, media personality and entrepreneur to explore the role of elite playing surfaces in sporting success.

A first for 2025 will be the GMA NextGen’s takeover of Learning LIVE. Made up of talented young professionals dedicated to championing the industry and inspiring the next generation, NextGen will lead two dedicated Spotlight Stage sessions. Covering diversity in the industry and youth engagement, the sessions will see alumni share their own journeys into grounds management, their role as changemakers and ideas for attracting more young people into the sector.

Sarah Hunter, Head of Events at the Grounds Management Association (GMA), said: “Learning LIVE has become a cornerstone of SALTEX and of the wider industry. It’s the largest free education programme of its kind and it continues to grow in scale and impact.

“This year, we’ve worked hard to make the content more tailored than ever before, shaped around the real challenges and opportunities faced by people on the ground. It’s about equipping professionals at every level with knowledge they can take straight back to their venues.”

Key sessions from the Learning LIVE programme include:

The preparation and delivery of FIFA 2026 World Cup – Alan Ferguson, Senior Pitch Management Manager, FIFA
Public Parks: Gardening for People and Planet – Matthew Pottage, Head of Horticulture & Landscape Strategy, The Royal Parks
High Performance Mindset: Lessons from the Pitch to the Boardroom – James Haskell, Rugby legend, broadcaster, DJ and best-selling author
Course success at the 2025 Open Championship – Graeme Beatt, Course Manager, Royal Portrush Golf Club
UEFA Champions League, Nations League Final & Women’s EURO 2025 pitch preparations – Lee Guerriero, Stadium Operations and Pitch Expert, UEFA
Future-proofing turf management: Water resilience in a changing climate – Tony Hanson, Managing Director, Environmental Solutions International, Mark Hunt, Technical Specialist, Prodata Weather Systems, Roger Davey, Managing Director & Founder, Irritech and Dr Tom Young, Blue-Green Infrastructure Specialist, The Environment Partnership
Sustainable solutions at multi-sport venues – James Wright, Senior Maintenance Manager, University of Leeds, Andrew Turnbull, BioAgronomist, South West Agronomy, Sam Kingston, Grounds Manager, Wesley College and Andrew Bulter, Head of Grounds & Gardens, Repton School

From community sport funding and machinery security to grass seed innovation, pest and weed management and youth engagement in grounds careers, the full programme offers something for everyone across the sector.

Click here to view the full programme.

With more than 30 sessions across the Main Stage, Spotlight Stage and Community Sport Stage, there’s a wealth of knowledge on offer from some of the most respected names in the grounds management industry.

SALTEX 2025 takes place on 12-13 November at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for FREE at saltex.org.uk and be in with a chance of winning a Cramer Tools Lawn Mower, complete with charger and battery, worth £2,240!

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Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

September 25, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary: Young people starting their careers in agricultural engineering are being invited to apply for a £500 Midlands Agricultural Engineering Apprenticeship Award.

The award is run by the Newark and Nottinghamshire Agricultural Society (NNAS), in association with the Midlands Machinery Show, and provides a £500 bursary, paid in two instalments, to apprentices aged 17–25 to help with training and career development.

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

To qualify, applicants must be working for an agricultural engineering business, studying at an academic institution, and employed by a company exhibiting at this year’s Midlands Machinery Show.

William Vines from Chandlers Farm Equipment in Spilsby, Lincolnshire, was one successful applicant who was presented with his award in 2024. He said: “I applied for the award because I felt like it was a really good way to bring in new apprentices to the industry.

“The £500 is massively helpful. It’s expensive to buy tools nowadays, tools that you do need in order to do your job better and more efficiently. It’s definitely worthwhile getting involved and applying for the award.”

Simon Eccleston, Chief Executive of NNAS, said: “We’re very proud of our long-standing initiative which shines a spotlight on young engineers at the very start of their careers.

“Apprentices are vital to the future of agricultural engineering. They bring energy, fresh thinking and new skills into businesses at a time when machinery performance, efficiency and productivity has never been more important to businesses.

“This award not only gives them recognition, but also provides practical financial support to help them invest in tools, training or resources that will set them up for the long term.”

The winners will be announced at the Midlands Machinery Show on Wednesday 19 November 2025, when the event returns in a new one-day format at Newark Showground.

Application forms and full entry criteria are available at www.midlandsmachineryshow.com with the deadline for submissions set for Friday 10 October 2025.

Now in its eleventh year, the Midlands Machinery Show brings together a wide range of exhibitors and features everything from the latest tractors and machinery to agri-tech innovations, business services and live demonstrations.

Highlights of the 2025 show will include the NFU’s Conference, BASIS and NRoSO points, machinery and UTV test drives, plus a packed schedule of events in the demonstration ring and plenty of networking and social opportunities around the showground.

Entry to the show is free for visitors who register in advance at www.midlandsmachineryshow.com.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

Get all of the big headlines, pictures, opinions and videos on stories that matter to you.

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

You can also find us on Facebook for more of your must-see news, features, videos and pictures from Turf Matters.

Half Sized Blog Element (Single Author Style)

Half Sized Blog Element (Multi Author Style)

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025

Learning LIVE returns to SALTEX 2025: The industry’s largest free education offering, Learning LIVE, is back for SALTEX 2025, delivering its biggest and most tailored programme to date.

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary

Agricultural engineering apprentices invited to apply for £500 bursary: Young people starting their careers in agricultural engineering are being invited to apply for a £500 Midlands Agricultural Engineering Apprenticeship Award.

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