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Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

July 24, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities: Bernhard Academy is pleased to announce its series of professional development courses for Autumn 2025. Designed to meet the evolving needs of turf equipment technicians, greenkeeping professionals, and grounds maintenance experts, the Autumn 2025 programme offers a diverse range of conferences and hands-on technical training opportunities. These courses aim to […]

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

July 22, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales: Since its launch in September 2024, the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) Pitch Advisory Service Wales is already reshaping the landscape of grassroots football, one pitch at a time. Backed by the Cymru Football Foundation and funded by the Football Association of Wales, this game-changing initiative is delivering expert pitch […]

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

July 24, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

July 22, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

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Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

July 24, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities: Bernhard Academy is pleased to announce its series of professional development courses for Autumn 2025.

Designed to meet the evolving needs of turf equipment technicians, greenkeeping professionals, and grounds maintenance experts, the Autumn 2025 programme offers a diverse range of conferences and hands-on technical training opportunities.

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

These courses aim to equip attendees with the critical skills needed to excel in the modern turfcare industry, with the course line-up consisting of:

23 September 2025: Turf Equipment Technicians Conference
24 September 2025: Cutting Unit Setup and Sharpening Techniques
7 October 2025: Basic Machinery Maintenance
8 October 2025: Cutting Unit Setup and Sharpening Techniques
21-23 October 2025: Fundamentals of Turfcare Mechanics – Level 1

These courses will be held at Bernhard Academy’s state-of-the-art venues, including the Bernhard and Company manufacturing facility in Haverhill, Suffolk, and Moortown Golf Club in Leeds.

Led by instructor Barry Drennan, each course is designed to provide hands-on, practical knowledge that attendees can immediately apply in their day-to-day roles. This comprehensive training will enhance participants’ technical expertise and increase their value to their teams and organisations.

In addition to the valuable learning experience, delegates will have the opportunity to network with like-minded professionals, building connections that extend across the broader turfcare industry.

As a proud BIGGA Premium Partner, Bernhard Academy offers exclusive discounts to BIGGA members. Participants will also earn BIGGA CPD credits upon the successful completion of any event.

For more information and to register for the courses, please visit www.bernhardacademy.co.uk/courses/.

To find out more about the Bernhard Academy, visit www.bernhardacademy.co.uk

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

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Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

July 22, 2025/in News, Press Release/by Admin

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales: Since its launch in September 2024, the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) Pitch Advisory Service Wales is already reshaping the landscape of grassroots football, one pitch at a time.

Backed by the Cymru Football Foundation and funded by the Football Association of Wales, this game-changing initiative is delivering expert pitch advice and hands-on support to clubs across the country.

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

With over 200 playing surfaces supported already, and growing engagement from clubs, the initiative is helping to enhance facilities and improve playing conditions. Since its launch, the programme has already facilitated over 145 individual site visits from GMA pitch experts, with over 70 Equipment Fund Grants allocated, amounting to more than £1.2m in funding.

Building on a decade of success in England, where the service has transformed over 12,500 clubs and assessed nearly 50,000 pitches, the GMA is now bringing its proven expertise to Welsh football.

The programme’s impact has been wide-reaching, not just in the number of clubs engaged, but also in the potential improvement of overall pitch quality across the region. One club already seeing a significant impact is Cardiff Corinthians AFC, a grassroots football club near the River Taff that faced severe flooding after Storm Bert in November 2024. With matches frequently called off due to waterlogging, the club struggled to maintain its pitch.

A site visit from the Pitch Advisory Service team identified key areas for improvement, leading to a better understanding and adoption of an enhanced annual maintenance plan, and the club securing over £18,000 in funding for essential maintenance equipment, including a tractor, finishing mower and a turf groomer. With expert advice from the GMA, the club can now maintain its pitch effectively, reducing cancellations and improving the playing experience for the community.

Fiona Boyle, Juniors Secretary at Cardiff Corinthians AFC, said: “Before the Pitch Advisory Service Wales, we were constantly battling against the weather, and it felt like an impossible task to maintain a pitch that could withstand the elements. The support from PAS Wales has helped us to transform our approach to pitch management.

“Thanks to the advice and funding we received, we now have the right tools and the knowledge to keep our pitch in top condition. This has not only improved the quality of the pitch but also ensured that our teams can play consistently without disruptions. It’s made a massive difference to both our players and the local community, who rely on us to provide a safe, well-maintained facility.”

The work of PAS Wales is also to support the creating of a longer-term sustainability culture within Welsh grassroots football. Clubs are encouraged to think about the future of their facilities and how to plan for ongoing maintenance. The expert support provided helps clubs develop skills and knowledge that will have a lasting impact.

Dan Bradley, GMA’s Key Account Manager for Football in South Wales, added: “With football participation in Wales on the up, particularly among women, girls, and youth, too many community clubs are still having to cancel games due to poor pitch conditions. This is a huge frustration for players, coaches, and communities.

“Cancellations result in lost opportunities to play, wasted resources, and missed moments that are integral to grassroots football. The good news is that with the right support and guidance, the issues faced by clubs can be addressed and improved upon.

“We’ve already seen first-hand how small, strategic improvements can have a significant impact. Our goal is to empower these clubs with the knowledge and skillsets they need to deliver quality fit-for-purpose pitches that not only meet today’s demands but also support the long-term growth of football and create more opportunities for players to flourish.”

Currently, only 20% of grass pitches in Wales are rated as “good” or above, against the GMA’s Grounds Management Framework. With the Pitch Advisory Service now in place, the GMA aims to raise that standard significantly.

There are free toolkits available to help volunteer grounds managers optimise their playing surface throughout the season: thegma.org.uk/toolkit.

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)

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

Full Sized Blog Element (Big Preview Pic)

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities

Bernhard Academy’s Professional Development Opportunities: Bernhard Academy is pleased to announce its series of professional development courses for Autumn 2025.

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales: Since its launch in September 2024, the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) Pitch Advisory Service Wales is already reshaping the landscape of grassroots football, one pitch at a time.

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