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Students Cultivate Career Insights at Conference

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Students Cultivate Career Insights at Conference: The next generation of horticulturists explored the diverse career paths available to them as Hadlow College hosted its annual Horticulture Higher Education Conference.

Students heard from a range of industry experts, gaining valuable insights into the opportunities their qualifications could unlock. The event opened with a keynote address from Carol Ford of Ford Synthesis, followed by former Hadlow College student Josh Blakey, now a Fruit Advisor at FAST LLP, who shared his experiences at the College and his journey into the sector.

Students Cultivate Career Insights at Conference

Students Cultivate Career Insights at Conference

Holly Russell and Jill Kooijman from Enza Zaden took the stage next, discussing the development of new vegetable varieties. They were followed by Adam Walker from the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), who provided an overview of his work in sustainable pest control strategies aimed at reducing environmental impact.

The morning’s programme concluded with a talk from Sarah Calcutt, Chief Executive of City Harvest, a food charity that rescues surplus nutritious food from farms, manufacturers, wholesalers, and retailers, redistributing it to over 130,000 people a week through food poverty organisations.

The afternoon session began with Andrew Armitage, Associate Professor in Bioinformatics & Plant Pathology at the University of Greenwich, who set the stage for Billy Stott, owner of Stotts Nursery in Buckinghamshire.

Alan Frampton then spoke about his work at Cambridge HOK, a specialist in vertical farming, glasshouses, and energy solutions. He was followed by Adam Harrison, who shared insights into his role at Thanet Earth, Britain’s leading glasshouse complex and the principal sponsor of the Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence @ Hadlow College.

Rounding off the event was Steve Thomas, founder of Ample Marketplace, a digital platform launched in 2024 that enables farmers to sell excess fresh produce directly to buyers.

Alan Harvey, Hadlow College’s Head of Curriculum for Horticulture and Floristry, says: “I have been involved in delivering the Horticulture courses at Hadlow College for many years and its hugely rewarding to welcome back so many of our graduates to speak at our HE conference. We are also very grateful to many of the sponsors of the Centre of Excellence for also supporting this important event.”

Hadlow College offers a number of Higher Education courses, taught by industry professionals, with a strong focus on practical, job-related skills.

Horticulture students benefit from the Thanet Earth Centre of Excellence @ Hadlow College a groundbreaking partnership between the College, leading industry grower Thanet Earth, and research and innovation organisation Growing Kent & Medway. The Centre is based at the College’s state-of-the-art glasshouse, which is the UK’s first centre of excellence in greenhouse growing.

The College also has its own on-site residential accommodation that was graded as Outstanding by Ofsted last year.

To find out more about studying a Higher Education course at the College visit the University Centre section of the Hadlow College website.

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Mansfield Sand Transforms Sports Pitches at Haileybury

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Mansfield Sand Transforms Sports Pitches at Haileybury: Andy Richards, Grounds Manager at Haileybury School, credits Mansfield Sand’s MM40 with significantly improving drainage and enhancing the overall quality of the school’s sports pitches.

With its exceptional consistency and performance, MM40 has become an essential part of his grounds management strategy, ensuring the pitches are always match-ready.

Mansfield Sand Transforms Sports Pitches at Haileybury

Mansfield Sand Transforms Sports Pitches at Haileybury

Located in Hertfordshire, Haileybury is one of the UK’s leading independent co-educational boarding and day schools. Its sprawling 500-acre estate includes 180 acres of meticulously maintained sports pitches, supporting the school’s reputation for excellence in rugby, football, cricket, lacrosse, and hockey. Andy Richards, in his sixth year as Grounds Manager, leads a team of 11 staff tasked with maintaining this diverse landscape.

“It’s a large site with a mix of grounds and gardens, so the team does a bit of everything,” Andy explained. “Haileybury is a school that prides itself on developing well-rounded pupils through both academic and co-curricular activities, and sport is a massive part of that.

Maintaining pitches to meet the high standards of national-level teams is a challenge, but one I enjoy.”

Haileybury sits on heavy London clay, which presents drainage issues, particularly during the wet months. Andy turned to Mansfield Sand’s MM40 for its superior drainage properties and reliability, using it for top-dressing, pitch renovation, and amelioration.

“This year alone, we’ve used 400 tonnes of MM40 on a newly built pitch, 300 tonnes on two other pitches worked into the surface, and 58 tonnes as an October top-dressing on our first-team rugby pitch,” Andy shared. “On heavy clay, anything we can do to improve drainage is a massive benefit. Sand is expensive, so it has to be good quality to justify the investment, and Mansfield Sand always delivers.”

Mansfield Sand’s commitment to quality and service has stood out to Andy.

“We’ve had such a large quantity of sand delivered, and I don’t think we’ve ever found a single stone or had an issue with any of it,” he said. “In the past, I’ve had loads of sand from other suppliers that I had to send back, but Mansfield Sand has been flawless. Their customer service is excellent—the drivers call an hour before delivery and again when they’re on-site. It’s seamless every time.”

The MM40 sand’s medium-fine texture and superior drainage make it the ideal choice for Haileybury’s pitches, ensuring a stable and safe playing surface for students and athletes alike.

With a history dating back to 1840, Mansfield Sand is a trusted name in sand-based solutions. The company’s state-of-the-art technology and rigorous quality standards have earned it a reputation for excellence across the sports industry. MM40, in particular, is a preferred choice for high-profile sports facilities and stadiums, thanks to its consistency, purity, and performance.

“Mansfield Sand has been crucial in helping us maintain the pitches at Haileybury,” Andy added. “The quality of their product means we can rely on it to keep our pitches performing at their best, no matter the sport or season.”

For Andy, the partnership with Mansfield Sand is an essential part of his strategy for maintaining Haileybury’s grounds to the highest standard.

“The MM40 has been fantastic for both drainage and pitch health,” he said. “It’s reliable, consistent, and it works. When you’re managing a site as large as this, having a dependable product and supplier makes all the difference.”

As Haileybury continues to uphold its reputation for sporting excellence, Mansfield Sand’s MM40 is playing a vital role in ensuring the pitches meet the demands of both athletes and the environment.

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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Green-tech Supports Woodland Restoration at Rockyfold Wood

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Green-tech Supports Woodland Restoration at Rockyfold Wood: Rockyfold Wood, situated within the Kentchurch Estate in Herefordshire, recently suffered an outbreak of Ash Dieback. Large areas of infected trees had to be felled, leaving the site in need of restocking.

A key challenge of this project was the presence of local deer populations, which posed a threat to young saplings. To safeguard the newly planted trees and give them the best chance of thriving, protective measures were required.

Green-tech Supports Woodland Restoration at Rockyfold Wood

Green-tech Supports Woodland Restoration at Rockyfold Wood

The Project

To effectively restore the woodland and ensure the successful establishment of new trees, Pryor & Rickett Silviculture collaborated with Kilmaha Ltd. to lead the replanting efforts.

Pryor & Rickett Silviculture is a well-respected forestry management company that provides sustainable woodland solutions across the UK. Their work involves long-term planning, biodiversity enhancement, and commercial timber production. Working alongside Kilmaha Ltd, a forestry and countryside management company,  they were tasked with restocking the site while ensuring the new trees had optimal protection from deer browsing.

Products Used

To support healthy tree growth, the team turned to Green-tech, the leading supplier of tree protection materials and the largest distributor of Tubex tree shelters. Green-tech provides shelters and stakes that offer a controlled micro-environment, reducing environmental stress and preventing deer browsing damage.

To maximise tree survival rates and create a thriving woodland, the following products were selected:

  • Tubex 1.5m tree shelters – Chosen for their reliability and effectiveness in shielding young saplings from browsing deer, which aids tree establishment and enhances survival rates while fostering optimal growing conditions.
  • Stakes – Used to securely position the shelters and ensure stability during early tree development.

Green-tech involvement.

Tom Whitchurch, Senior Forest Manager at Pryor & Rickett Silviculture, comments, “We sought competitive quotes and ultimately chose Green-tech as our supplier due to their strong industry reputation, competitive pricing, and high standard of customer service. Our sales advisor, George, provided expert guidance, ensuring that the right products were selected for the project’s specific requirements.”

The Outcome

The Rockyfold Wood restoration project has successfully restocked the woodland, ensuring a new generation of trees can establish and thrive. The use of Tubex tree shelters has provided essential protection against deer, securing the long-term success of the replanting efforts. This initiative restores a vital part of the Kentchurch Estate and contributes to sustainable forestry practices and biodiversity enhancement.

This project demonstrates the value of sustainable woodland management and highlights the strong partnership between Green-tech, Pryor & Rickett Silviculture, and Kilmaha Ltd in delivering high-quality, long-lasting solutions for UK woodlands.

“Green-tech is my go-to supplier for plant protection and landscaping materials. George and his team deliver high-quality service and always come back with solutions to any problems or queries I may have. They price competitively and dispatch efficiently.” Tom Whitchurch, Senior Forest Manager at Pryor & Rickett Silviculture

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NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon

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NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon: As part of #GroundsWeek 2025, the Grounds Management Association (GMA) NextGen group will host a Schools Into Stadia event on Thursday 20 March at the iconic All England Club.

This initiative aims to inspire the next generation of grounds professionals and showcase the exciting opportunities within the sector.

NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon

NextGen To Inspire Future Talent At Wimbledon

The GMA NextGen group, sponsored by Reesink UK, is comprised of talented young grounds professionals who represent the grounds management industry. Acting as ambassadors for the GMA, their mission is to encourage more young people to consider a career in grounds management.

With workforce development becoming a pressing priority, this event highlights the importance of engaging with younger generations to secure the sector’s future. The proportion of under-35s involved in the industry has risen significantly in recent years, from 19% in 2022 to 31% in 2024. Events like Schools Into Stadia play a crucial role in sustaining this positive trend by informing young people about careers in grounds care.

Jack Langley & Meg Lay, GMA NextGen Co-Chairs, said: “We’re delighted to be able to host another Schools Into Stadia event as part of #GroundsWeek 2025. The success of the previous two events has been incredible, and we’re incredibly grateful to Wimbledon for hosting us this year. This initiative is a great opportunity to showcase the rewarding careers young people can have in the grounds management industry. We’re excited to inspire the next generation of grounds professionals and highlight the role they play in maintaining some of the UK’s most iconic spaces.”

During the event, a group of local secondary school students will experience the day-to-day responsibilities of a grounds person at the world-renowned All England Club. They will also learn about the career paths available in the grounds care sector and the impact these careers have on sports, recreation and community spaces.

Neil Stubley, Head of Courts and Horticulture at The All England Lawn Tennis Club, and GMA Board Member, said: “We are very excited to be welcoming local students to Wimbledon as part of this year’s School Into Stadia event. Initiatives such as Schools Into Stadia ensure that as an industry, we are continuing to promote pathways and careers in grounds management, which is crucial to establishing the next generation of Grounds Managers for years to come. As a year-round team of 18 Groundstaff, we are looking forward to hosting students at SW19 and teaching them how we look after our 18 Championship and 20 practice courts both in and outside of The Championships.”

#GroundsWeek, taking place from Monday 17 to Sunday 23 March 2025, celebrates the vital work of grounds staff across the UK and highlights opportunities to get involved in this rewarding profession. The week is a chance to raise awareness, share stories, and inspire the workforce of the future.

For more information about #GroundsWeek 2025 and how you can support the initiative, visit thegma.org.uk/groundsweek/.

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Avant Tecno UK to Showcase Leguan 265 at Executive Hire Show

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Avant Tecno UK to Showcase Leguan 265 at Executive Hire Show: Avant Tecno UK is set to make an impact at the Executive Hire Show 2025, the UK’s premier event for the hire industry, taking place on 12-13 February at the Coventry Building Society Arena.

Exhibiting on stand NPP8, Avant Tecno will be showcasing the highly anticipated Leguan 265 – a game-changer in all-terrain access equipment.

Avant Tecno UK to Showcase Leguan 265 at Executive Hire Show

Avant Tecno UK to Showcase Leguan 265 at Executive Hire Show

 

The newly launched Leguan 265 sets a new standard in performance and efficiency. Designed to deliver superior all-terrain capabilities, it boasts an impressive 26.5m maximum working height, 13.6m maximum outreach, and a 250kg lift capacity.

As the fastest 27m spider lift on the market, the Leguan 265 fully extends its booms to maximum working height in just 1 minute and 35 seconds. Its rugged track system, exceptional ground clearance, and the industry’s lowest centre of gravity provide unmatched stability and manoeuvrability on challenging terrains. Whether operating on uneven ground, slopes, or confined spaces, the Leguan 265 offers reliability and ease of use for a wide range of applications.

Designed as part of Leguan’s innovative product line alongside the well-regarded 195 and 225 models, the Leguan 265 features a unified design, identical user interface, and standardised components, making it an excellent addition for fleet operators looking for efficient, easy-to-use machines. With a 45% gradeability and Leguan’s Elevated Driving Position (EDP) function, this lift is built for professionals who require extra height without compromising on performance and efficiency.

In addition to the Leguan 265, visitors to the Avant Tecno stand can find out more about the full range of Avant compact loaders and Leguan spider lifts. Avant loaders are renowned for their exceptional versatility, with over 200 attachments available for industries such as construction, agriculture, property maintenance, and landscaping. Their compact design, agility, and efficiency make them a valuable addition to any fleet of equipment.

Leguan spider lifts, engineered for stability, durability, and ease of use, continue to gain popularity in the access industry. Designed to tackle demanding work environments, Leguan lifts offer innovative features that ensure safe and efficient operation across various job sites.

The Executive Hire Show 2025 presents the perfect opportunity to see the Leguan 265 and explore how Avant’s compact loaders and Leguan’s spider lifts can enhance operations.

For more information, please visit www.avanttecno.com/uk

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