Tag Archive for: Calls

Head groundsperson calls for more apprenticeship opportunities

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Head groundsperson calls for more apprenticeship opportunities: This National Apprenticeship Week, Leeds Rhinos Head Groundsperson Ryan Golding is urging employers, including sports clubs and organisations, to invest in apprenticeships and help secure the future of the grounds management industry.

Data from the Grounds Management Association (GMA) shows the industry will face an employment crisis if more isn’t done to attract and train the next generation of grounds care professionals.

Head groundsperson calls for more apprenticeship opportunities

Head groundsperson calls for more apprenticeship opportunities

National Apprenticeship Week

National Apprenticeship Week, which takes place from 10th – 16th February, is an annual event that raises awareness about apprenticeships and the long-term recruitment solutions they can offer employers.

Ryan began his career at Leeds Rhinos as an apprentice, initially working under former Head Groundsperson Jason Booth, who had also started as an apprentice at the club.

Data from the GMA shows around 40% of the current grounds management workforce are over 50 and up to 15% of those employed in the industry are planning to retire in the next 3 years.

The GMA is the not-for-profit organisation that supports volunteer and professional groundspeople, including those looking to get started in the industry. The GMA’s NextGen programme aims to inspire more young people to get involved in grounds management. As a former member of the GMA’s NextGen, Ryan was recently awarded a Pioneer Mark by the GMA, recognising his work to help young professionals build their careers in grounds management.

Ryan says: “I’m delighted to have received a Pioneer Mark from the GMA, bringing through the next generation is a huge passion of mine – and apprenticeships are central to this.

“I wouldn’t be where I am today without an apprenticeship. Grounds management is a brilliant career, and we need more young people coming through to fill the gaps that are opening up. Apprenticeships can help clubs and organisations find and develop ambitious young professionals.”

“If you don’t have an apprenticeship scheme in place, there’s support available, including from the government. You can also check out the GMA website for more information on training and career pathways.”

For more information about hiring an apprentice, go to www.apprenticeships.gov.uk

To learn more about career and training in grounds management, go to: www.thegma.org.uk

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RHS Wisley calls on Otterbine

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RHS Wisley calls on Otterbine: RHS Garden Wisley has chosen Otterbine to provide its flagship garden with sustainable irrigation.

Otterbine’s 25HP Polaris Giant Fountain was installed at RHS Garden Wisley in Woking as part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s project to create a new rainwater capture lake, providing great quality irrigation to one of the largest plant collections in the world.

RHS Wisley calls on Otterbine

RHS Wisley calls on Otterbine

In today’s climate, water can be a scarcity and harvesting rainwater supports the conservation of this vital resource. The water has to be good enough quality to use though which is where Otterbine’s 25HP Giant Polaris fountain steps in.

Matthew Pottage, curator of RHS Garden Wisley, explains: “The Giant fountain is installed in our new lake which is connected to our garden irrigation system. The lake collects winter rainwater for summer irrigation and the Otterbine aerating fountain makes the water good enough to use.”

Otterbine’s fountains have the highest oxygen transfer rates in the industry and the Polaris is the brand’s largest floating fountain. The geyser-like spray of the Polaris throws water droplets into the air where they attach to oxygen molecules that can then be absorbed into the lakewater.

Matthew, who oversaw the aesthetic of the new landscape and horticulture around the lake, explains there were additional reasons for choosing the Otterbine Giant Fountain: “The Wisley is one of the UK’s most visited and best-loved gardens, attracting around a million visitors each year and we wanted to use the opportunity to create a new atmosphere and beautiful place for visitors to enjoy and relax at Wisley.

“The lake is designed in an ornamental fashion and the fountain’s visual beauty and the fact that it muffles noise disruption from a nearby road helps bring a sense of theatre and peace to the space,” says Matthew.

Another benefit of the Otterbine Polaris Giant fountain is its unique launching system that eliminates the need for cranes during installation in most applications, despite its size. Miles Water Engineering was responsible for the build of the lake and the subsequent fitting of the fountain. “The whole thing was easy and efficient. We are very grateful for that,” Matthew comments.

Installing the new rainwater capture lake is not the only change to the grounds that RHS Wisley is undertaking. Matthew says: “We are planning a massive new landscape of grasses and perennials with Piet Oudolf, a world-renowned planting designer.”

To find out more about how the Otterbine range of aerators and fountains can help your lakes and ponds, contact Reesink on 01480 226800, email info@reesinkturfcare.co.uk or visit reesinkturfcare.co.uk.

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Calls to sign Parks Protector Pledge

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Calls to sign Parks Protector Pledge: Green space charity Fields in Trust has issued a General Election manifesto and is calling on candidates to sign a six-point Parks Protector Pledge, promising to champion and protect local parks and green spaces which are much loved by their constituents.

The manifesto sets out the role that elected representatives can play in delivering the health, wellbeing, environmental and community benefits that parks and green spaces provide; yet not everyone gets an equal share. Fields in Trust’s Green Space Index reveals 2.6 million people across Great Britain live more than a ten-minute walk from a local park or green space.

Calls to sign Parks Protector Pledge

The Green Space Index shows that, although Britain has a total of 216,160 hectares of publicly accessible local parks and green spaces, less than 6% of this space is legally protected with Fields in Trust. With public sector cuts leading to pressure on parks and green spaces, candidates are asked to endorse legal protection of green spaces and help prevent more being sold off or developed.

The charity is highlighting the urgent need to secure and maintain parks and green spaces that we currently have and is calling for all candidates in the General Election to sign a pledge, if they are elected, that they will champion the important public service parks and green spaces provide locally, and advocate for policies that safeguard parks and green spaces across the country. Electors are invited to quiz candidates on their approach to parks and green spaces and encourage them to sign the pledge at www.fieldsintrust.org/pledge

Fields in Trust Chief Executive, Helen Griffiths, said: “There is overwhelming evidence that parks and green spaces contribute health and wellbeing benefits to our communities. We are calling on election candidates to advocate for policies which protect and support parks and endorse local efforts to help maintain and improve the green spaces in their constituencies.
“There is an urgent need to ensure the current level of park and green space provision is maintained and review what more can be done to legally protect vulnerable spaces for future generations to enjoy, because once lost, they are lost forever.”

Fields in Trust’s research demonstrates clear health and wellbeing advantages, including a saving of £111 million each year to the NHS from regular use of parks and green spaces; the charity is concerned that many people who don’t have a park or green space nearby could miss out on these benefits. It is also likely that future loss of parks and green spaces will disproportionately impact the most disadvantaged and underrepresented communities.

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