Tag Archive for: Join

Join Perennial for a firewalk at Hever Castle

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Join Perennial for a firewalk at Hever Castle: Perennial – the charity who supports those who work in horticulture – is excited to invite you and your team to participate in a thrilling firewalk fundraiser on 18 October 2024. Set against the stunning backdrop of Hever Castle, this unforgettable experience will challenge your team’s courage and strengthen your commitment to supporting the horticultural community.

The event starts at 3:00pm, allowing participants to experience the serene beauty of Hever Castle’s grounds before facing the flames.

Join Perennial for a firewalk at Hever Castle

Join Perennial for a firewalk at Hever Castle

With expert firewalk instructors on hand to provide comprehensive training, you can be confident that your team will be fully prepared to walk across hot coals and blaze a trail for a good cause.

By registering for £25 per person, with a fundraising target of £150, your business will directly contribute to Perennial’s essential services, which include health and financial wellbeing and training and development programmes for individuals in the horticultural industry.

For over 185 years, Perennial has been a reliable safety net for horticulturists in need. They understand the pressures of the job and are here to help when it matters most. Now, more than ever, it’s vital for both organisations and individuals in our sector to support Perennial. By doing so, we can ensure that our industry brothers and sisters are taken care of, no matter what challenges they face.

Neil Miller, Head Gardener at Hever Castle shares his enthusiasm “As a long-time supporter of the fantastic charity Perennial, I literally can’t wait to get my boots off and walk across hot coals for them at Hever Castle on the 18 October! We think it will be a really wonderful (and unforgettable) experience and would love as many of our horticultural friends as possible to join us on the day and raise lots of funds for a charity very close to my heart.”

“We are delighted to host our second firewalk at such a prestigious and historic location,” says Eleanor Steele, Community Fundraiser at Perennial “The Firewalk is not just about the thrill of the challenge; it’s about coming together as a community to support those who nurture the landscapes and gardens we all cherish. We encourage everyone to join us for an unforgettable evening that promises to inspire and make a real difference.”

Nathan Day, from Plan & Plant, who took part in Perennial’s 2023 firewalk shared his experience “Being able to challenge ourselves and prove that we can tackle anything was great, but to connect with like-minded peers was a lovely reminder that we are part of a wider endearing community. If you have the time or enthusiasm to help others, we highly recommend signing up for their next challenge!”

For more information and to register your business for this unforgettable experience, visit perennial.org.uk/firewalk. Let’s walk together for a brighter future in horticulture.

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New recruits join GMA Young Board of Directors

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New recruits join GMA Young Board of Directors: The GMA’s Young Board of Directors, sponsored by Reesink Turfcare, has recruited four new talented young grounds professionals to its ranks. The new additions will add fresh energy to the Young Board’s efforts to inspire the next generation of young people to join the sector.

Joining existing members are Meg Lay, Beth Gibbs, Liddy Ford and Jack Langley. Meg, who recently moved from Gloucestershire CC to Lord’s Cricket Ground, and Beth, who is part of Wellington School’s grounds team, join the Young Board fresh off the back of successes in the GMA Industry Awards 2023 where Meg won Newcomer of the Year and Beth won Young Groundsperson of the Year.

New recruits join GMA Young Board of Directors

New recruits join GMA Young Board of Directors

Liddy joins the Young Board with a background in horticulture as well as a BSc in sport and exercise science. Her current role is as a part of the grounds team at St George’s Park, the Football Association’s base for all 23 of England’s national football teams.

Jack joins having progressed from Assistant Grounds person to Deputy Head Grounds person at Ashton Gate Stadium, a multi-sport facility that acts as the home of Bristol City Football Club and Bristol Bears. The four new additions will use their varied backgrounds across sporting and educational facilities, and enthusiasm for grounds management, to represent the GMA in activity that aims to inspire young people to join the sector.

Work will begin with three of the new Board members, Meg, Liddy and Beth, representing the GMA as part of the all-female grounds team preparing the pitch at Emirates Stadium for Arsenal vs Tottenham in the Women’s Super League on Sunday 3 March 2024.

Geoff Webb, CEO of the GMA, is delighted to welcome the four new members to the Young Board:

“We established the Young Board of Directors in 2011 with the aim of encouraging more young people to consider careers in grounds management. Since then, a number of the founding members have gone on to achieve great things, including John Ledwidge, Head of Grounds and Landscapes at Manchester City FC, Ryan Golding, Head Groundsman at Leeds Rhinos, and Nick Phillips, Training Center Manager at Tottenham Hotspur FC.

“Beth, Meg, Liddy and Jack, bring fresh ideas and energy, and it’s clear that we’ve brought some exceptionally talented young professionals onto the existing team. We’re delighted to welcomethem all to the Board and are excited to see them contribute to our work on inspiring the next generation to join the sector.”

Gillian Haverson, Marketing & Communications Manager at Young Board sponsors, Reesink Turfcare said:

“Reesink is thrilled to offer its continued support for this great initiative and the excellent work done by the GMA Young Board of Directors. It’s always exciting to see women flourishing in this industry and we look forward to working with each of the new members. With this new injection of enthusiasm, we’re confident the GMA Young Board can only go from strength to strength.”

Beth, Liddy and Meg will all be in action as part of the trailblazing all-female grounds team preparing the pitch at Emirates Stadium for Arsenal vs Tottenham in the Women’s Super League on Sunday 3 March 2024, which will be free to view on the BBC.

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Van Vuuren Turf Harvesters Join Campey Range

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Van Vuuren Turf Harvesters Join Campey Range: Campey Turf Care Systems has added the Dutch-made Van Vuuren Turf Harvesters to their industry-leading staple of machines.

Van Vuuren has been the leading supplier of machinery for the turf industry since 1988, with their technological innovations offering turf growers optimal results under any circumstance.

Van Vuuren Turf Harvesters Join Campey Range

Van Vuuren Turf Harvesters Join Campey Range

Lee Morgado Sales Director of Campey is delighted to be adding the Van Vuuren equipment to the Campey line-up. “We’ve known the company a long time and have a good relationship with them. Together, we can provide the sales, service and back-up network to drive the whole range, in particular the The TurfTick® 2316 Universal Stacker and BigTick® 1040 turf harvester, forward in the UK and Ireland.”

The TurfTick® 2316 Universal Stacker and BigTick® 1040 turf harvester follow the traditional Campey attributes of being reliable, widely compatible, easy to maintain and user-friendly whilst excelling in their operation.

TurfTick® 2316 is the ultimate single-operator, Universal Stacker. Compact, proven, economical, and durable, it is ideal for turf growers with a harvesting capacity of approximately 900m2 per hour. Due to its compactness, the TurfTick® 2316 offers less downtime compared to other automated turf harvesters. This results in high production efficiency and low operating costs.

The high weight of the machine makes it possible to harvest a constant thickness of turf rolls, even under challenging conditions. In addition, several pallet sizes are stackable, with an optional injector for seven pallets.

The BigTick®1040 is durable, heavy in weight, and has a solid design. It is the best and most economical solution for harvesting high-quality large turf rolls. With the speed of operation offered by the BigTick®1040, a high production capacity of 2400 meters per hour is achieved.

A big turf roll has a maximum width of 40 inches (1m). Harvesting two 20-inch (0.5m) turf rolls is possible by installing the optional centre colter disk. This turf harvesting machine delivers consistent thickness and compact large turf rolls using top-quality blades to ensure first-class turf rolls.

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Join Perennial in creating a culture of mental wellbeing

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Join Perennial in creating a culture of mental wellbeing: Since last year, over 55 individuals from 33 companies have successfully qualified as Mental Health First Aiders as part of Perennial’s pilot programme, offering an invaluable first point of contact for those in their workplace that may be struggling.

Trained to have an understanding of mental health and the factors that can affect wellbeing, as well as the practical skills to spot the signs and symptoms, these MHFAiders® are there to step in, reassure and support their colleagues.

Join Perennial in creating a culture of mental wellbeing

Join Perennial in creating a culture of mental wellbeing

However, according to Clare Downs, Head of Preventative Services there is still the opportunity for more employers to step forward and join Perennial in tackling the issues and widening the conversation around mental health.

“We are absolutely delighted that so many different horticultural employees, from grounds maintenance to managers to HR personnel, have become trained MHFAiders® and champions of the importance of health and wellbeing within the workplace and beyond. But we also know from our research and experience that mental health issues remain one of the biggest contributors to ill health within the industry.+ We welcome organisations to join us in continuing to raise awareness, support more staff to be trained and influence the wider horticulture community to help create a culture of positive mental wellbeing for all.”

As one recently trained MHFAider® says, “We are at work a lot of hours each week and probably spend more time with our colleagues than our family and friends. I want all my colleagues to feel they have a safe and open environment to speak to a person, who can listen and not judge – and hopefully help them understand and find the support they need.  Since doing the course, I think it should be mandatory along with physical first aiders within a business.”

If you are an employer with over 30 employees who proactively wants to increase their team’s mental health and wellbeing, please contact Helen Waddington to find out more about this pilot programme at hwaddington@perennial.org.uk.

Free limited places are now available for training courses being held during May, July, October and November 2023.

Perennial’s pilot programme is delivered in partnership with Mental Health First Aid England.

+ Perennial’s Health & Wellbeing Survey (2021) found that mental wellbeing was among the biggest perceived challenges for people working in horticulture.

  • 85% of people’s mental wellbeing was poor or below average
  • 26% of people listed depression, anxiety, and stress as critical issues
  • 22% said they did not recognise when they were unable to cope or how to deal with these circumstance

For the full findings visit perennial.org.uk/survey

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Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team

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Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team: Members of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) will gain an unrivalled behind-the-scenes look at preparations for the BMW PGA Championship this September after being selected to join the Wentworth Club’s greenkeeping team for the duration of the event.

Supplementing Wentworth Club’s inhouse greenkeeping team will be 24 volunteers from across the greenkeeping association. The volunteer BIGGA members will fully integrate with the Wentworth greenkeeping team and take on important maintenance tasks to help prepare the course for play each day.

Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team

Greenkeepers selected to join Wentworth team

Wentworth Club Courses and Grounds Manager Daniel Clarke said: “We value our relationship with BIGGA highly and given every member of the Wentworth greenkeeping team is a part of the association and has access to the training and education it offers, we know how committed and capable these volunteers will be as we prepare the West Course for the DP World Tour’s flagship event. Over the years the BMW PGA Volunteer Support Team has evolved from being a helping hand to now being an instrumental part of the in-house greenkeeping team and I’m excited to welcome them all to Wentworth Club in September.”

The BMW PGA Volunteer Support Team is just one of a number of exclusive and career-defining initiatives made available to members of BIGGA, the UK’s only dedicated membership association for golf greenkeepers. Head to www.bigga.org.uk for more information.

The BIGGA members who have been invited to join the Wentworth team as volunteers for the duration of the BMW PGA Championship are:

  • Wayne Aris, Langley Park GC
  • Callum Atkinson, Prestbury GC
  • Tom Barnett, Drayton Park GC
  • Euan Bogle, Lanark GC
  • David Bruce, The Gleneagles Hotel
  • Martin Coe, China Fleet CC
  • Luke Fitzpatrick, The Buckinghamshire GC
  • Calum Forsyth, Carrbridge GC
  • Jack Hall, Lutterworth GC
  • James Hook, The Bristol GC
  • Greg Jones, JCB G&CC
  • Ryan Lindsay, East Sussex National GC
  • Daniel Long-Greatorex, JCB G&CC
  • Thibault Marcazzan, Le Touquet
  • Charlie Munn-Cocks, Camberley Heath GC
  • Stanley Murphy, Ealing GC
  • Scott Patrick, Prestwick St Cuthbert GC
  • Daniel Rigby, Chigwell GC
  • Andrew Sellars, The Grove
  • Matthew Shaul, Ashby Decoy GC
  • Tom Silcock, Prestbury GC
  • Ben Sixsmith, Ganton GC
  • Philip Slater, West Herts GC

Ross Traill, Kilmarnock (Barassie) GC

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