Tag Archive for: Marathon

Sherriff’s Marathon Tackles Drought

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Sherriff’s Marathon Tackles Drought: With prolonged heat and drought conditions challenging turf managers up and down the country in 2018, Tim Attwood, sports field groundsman at Beaudesert Park School in Minchinhampton, Stroud, believes that his use of Sherriff Amenity’s Marathon fertilisers have helped his turf to endure this testing period.

Beaudesert Park stands in beautiful grounds high up in the Cotswolds, commanding magnificent views over the surrounding countryside. Founded in 1908 at Henley in Arden, Warwickshire, the school moved to its present site in 1918 and has become a thriving co-ed day, weekly and flexi boarding school for 450 boys and girls aged 3 – 13.

Sherriff's Marathon Tackles Drought

The school has excellent facilities which includes 15 acres of beautiful playing fields. Football is the main focus at the start of the spring term which is shortly followed by hockey. Rugby is the major sport in the autumn term and as you would expect, cricket is prominent in the summer.

Tim is the man charged with maintaining all of the sports pitches and after working with Sherriff Amenity for 15 years, he believes that his use of Marathon fertilisers is a tried and tested method which guarantees results.

“I’ve used Marathon fertilisers on sites where I have worked before and they have just always worked. They are also semi-organic which ticks a nice big box for me,” he says.

As Tim remarks, the range of Marathon fertilisers feature a patented organic complex base that provides the extended release characteristics needed to give gentle root development without producing excessive top growth. The slow release mechanism avoids soft growth that is more susceptible to disease attack whilst the high potassium content helps to harden turf against fungal pathogens and low temperature stress. The analysis has been further amended with ingredients to supply the correct balance of nutrients required by the turf.

With the analyses of each product in the range being geared to a specific growth stage or season, Tim incorporates three particular Marathon fertilisers into a year round maintenance programme.

Applying the product by using a spreader behind a compact tractor and at rate of 25g/m2, Tim firstly uses the Marathon Sport Spring 16.4.8 typically at the end of March. In the midst of a warm July he will then apply Marathon Sport Summer 10.0.15 followed by the Autumn mixture 7.0.21 in October.

“This programme keeps the pitches ticking over nicely throughout the year,” he says. “It greens up nicely, the sward seems to thicken and it lasts for a good long time. Even throughout this summer, which has been incredibly challenging with the weather, my sports field has maintained its health and colour. From what I’ve seen, there are a lot of sports fields round here which haven’t and I think the Marathon Sport products have gone a long way in achieving that.”

Sherriff Amenity’s extensive range of quality products are also perfectly complimented by the first class customer service provided by the company’s amenity specialists. Renowned for their technical knowledge, which is consistently enriched through industry leading training programmes, Sherriff’s amenity specialists are always on hand to ensure that customers are always getting the best results from their turf.

“I’ve known David Evans (amenity specialist for Wiltshire and South Wales) for a long time and I know that he would never push any products my way which are not appropriate for what I want to achieve. He genuinely wants the best for my turf and he’s always there for help, recommendations and support. For me, that is a big factor in choosing to work with Sherriff Amenity.”

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or visit www.sherriffamenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity

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Sherriff’s Marathon Key For Trojans

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Sherriff’s Marathon Key For Trojans: With sports pitches facing heavy usage at the Trojan Club in Eastleigh, Hampshire, head groundsman Dave Edwards needs to ensure the turf stands up to the rigours of winter sports. It is for this reason he chooses Sherriff Amenity’s Marathon Sport extended release fertilisers.

The Trojan Sports Club is a community-based amateur sports club which is run by the members, for the members and is open to all. The club receives no ongoing support from local or national sports authorities, and is totally reliant on member subscriptions, bar takings and fund-raising for its continued survival; and in a true case of Trojan by name, Trojan by nature – survive it certainly does.

Sherriff’s Marathon Key For Trojans

Trojan is one of the largest amateur sports clubs in Hampshire and has a long history of playing sport at a high level including rugby, hockey, squash, cricket and football. Tasked with ensuring the quality and safety of the sports pitches is Dave Edwards, who aside from the help of volunteers two days a week, tends to the large site alone.

Dave has been in the turf industry for the entirety of his career and after a nine year spell as a groundsman at AFC Bournemouth, he went onto positions at Iford Golf Club, Christchurch F.C and Meyrick Park Golf Club before accepting the role of head groundsman at Trojan two and a half years ago.

It was in his previous employment that he first became acquainted with Sherriff Amenity’s Marathon Sport extended release fertilisers.

“I had previous experience of using the Marathon range and especially when I was at the football grounds – I didn’t really use anything else. I thought they were good slow release products which lasted an incredibly long time. In my opinion there are a lot of slow release products out there which are hit and miss and it can be a bit of a lottery but I was impressed with the Marathon range. In summer, the pitches used to really kick on when using them for the end of season renovations, so when I started here I thought it made sense to start using them again.”

The Marathon range is characterised by a balance of nutrients, the analyses of each product being geared to a specific growth stage or season. With five existing products in the Marathon Sport range – Autumn, Pre-Seed, Spring, Summer, Lawn Mini Pack– there truly is a solution for every requirement, no matter what the time of year.

Across the four rugby pitches, Dave’s maintenance programme sees him start the season with the Summer mixture 10.0.15, which he applies at 35g/m2 before turning to the Marathon Sport Autumn 7.0.21 to ensure good grass coverage over winter. Just through these two applications, Dave believes that it is all he needs to ensure the turf stays strong and healthy all year round.

“The products are very good in respect of providing the turf with a lovely colour and they are extremely hard wearing – it keeps the grass looking healthy but toughens it up as well which is what we need for the amount of usage. The pitches are used approximately 6-7 days a week through the winter and the slow release gives us great longevity, it doesn’t tail off after a few weeks.

“Overall, I would say that the Marathon Sport fertilisers are great value for money without a shadow of a doubt. The customer service I receive from Sherriff Amenity is also fantastic; I always get products on time and my representative David Evans is full of advice and very supportive.”

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or visit www.sherriffamenity.com

For more news and insightful views, you can follow Sherriff Amenity on Twitter @SherriffAmenity

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Marathon A Success At Hamilton Park

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Marathon A Success At Hamilton Park: Stephen Fyles, track manager at Hamilton Park racecourse, has reported significant improvements since switching to a variety of Marathon Sport extended release fertilisers from Sherriff Amenity.

With a glowing CV including roles at Aintree, Epsom, the Jockey Club and now Hamilton Park, it’s safe to say that Stephen knows a thing or two about preparing a horse racing track to the highest possible standard. Along with three other members of staff, Stephen oversees the meticulous operations at the 4.8 hectare site which includes the maintenance of the track and all surrounding lawns and grounds.

Marathon A Success At Hamilton Park

Hamilton Park’s race season consists of 18 days a year throughout the summer months which Stephen says is the most intense time in the grounds team’s diary. Then there are non-race events such as functions, Christmas parties and weddings which the team also have to prepare for. As you would imagine, the track faces a great deal of stress and wear so choosing the correct products in his maintenance programme is essential.

“I came into this role three years ago with the mind-set of giving the existing fertiliser programme a chance,” he says. “I gave it two years but unfortunately I was finding holes in the regime – we were losing track pace, recovery times and generally were just not seeing the results I wanted.

“I had seen the Marathon fertilisers in action in a previous role at Epsom and knew what I could expect from them. Therefore I made the switch last year and they have worked incredibly well.”

For a number of years, turf managers have reaped the benefits of Sherriff Amenity’s range of Marathon fertilisers – the Marathon Sport range of extended release fertilisers provide long-lasting, balanced growth on golf fairways, tees, surrounds, sports fields and ornamental lawns maintained at a height of 10mm and above.

“We went with an all Marathon feed for the track over the course of the summer with four feeds and the results have been fantastic. It’s been a very positive year – the track has stood up to the heavy use and at the same time it is helping me meet the requirements of our soil analysis tests because at the moment the phosphate levels in the soil are high so it requires us to have a low phosphate fertiliser to stop them from getting locked in.”

Stephen chooses to use Spring 16.4.8; Summer 10.0.15 and Autumn 7.0.21 and applies them anywhere between the recommended rate of 20 – 35g/m2 dependent on conditions. In conjunction with the Marathon base feeds, Stephen regularly applies long-lasting iron liquid in the form of Sherriff Amenity’s GoGreen Energy and GoGreen Plus.

Marathon A Success At Hamilton Park

Containing seaweed, plant sugars, simple carbohydrates and trace elements that have been specially selected to give optimum results when grass is stressed, GoGreen Energy is a concentrated bio-stimulant, formulated to assist plant health and relieve stress symptoms. For instant greening of turf many turf managers choose GoGreen Plus which is a unique complex iron sulphate that may be used as a stand-alone product or more flexibly, as a tank-mix partner.

“The programme started with an application of the Marathon Sport Spring 16.4.8 in March to give it a good push because we carried out a good chunk of renovation work in the spring which wasn’t exactly the best of growing seasons. However, within four weeks we pretty much had full recovery on the track and then went with the Marathon Sport Summer 10.0.15 at the end of May which pushed us through our most intense period. It is during these summer months that the track is particularly under stress and this year, with the lack of rain, I was expecting it to be a challenge to keep the surface to where we wanted it, but I genuinely have no complaints.

“We applied Marathon Sport Autumn 7.0.21 in the last week of July to set us in good stead for our biggest fixture of the year – Ladies’ Night, and have chosen the same formula for the end of October to bring us into winter in good shape. As well as the Marathon products we have been applying GoGreen Energy and GoGreen Plus at six-week intervals just to keep the turf healthy and give it some natural goodness.

“Essentially, the Marathon products are giving me a balanced feed at the same time as giving us what we require going forward. They have worked well in low temperatures and the site has looked amazing all year.”

For further information, please contact Sherriff Amenity on 01638 721 888 or visit www.sherriffamenity.com

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Emma Kilby’s Marathon Success

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Emma Kilby’s Marathon Success: Emma Kilby, Technical Area Sales Manager for ICL, has not only beaten three types of cancer but she has also just completed the London Marathon and in the process has raised over £3,000 for Children with Cancer UK.

Emma’s battle with cancer started when she was just 16. She was again diagnosed with cancer on two other occasions but after a long and difficult battle, enduring months of operations, chemotherapy and radioactive iodine, she pulled through. Her struggle with this terrible disease didn’t allow it to get in the way of life however – she finished her studies at university, got married and gave birth to two beautiful daughters.

Emma Kilby's Marathon Success

Emma wanted to give something back and made the decision to run the London Marathon in a bid to raise funds for Children with Cancer UK.

Almost 4,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK. That’s ten every day. Children with Cancer UK is the leading national children’s charity dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer. They fund life-saving research into the causes, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer and they work to protect young lives through essential welfare programmes.

This year’s London Marathon was officially the hottest on record and Emma ran the 26.2-mile race in gruelling temperatures of 24.1C and recorded a time of 5 ½ hours.

“I’ve been training for 16 weeks and we trained in extremely cold weather conditions,” said Emma. “Nothing prepares you for the heat we were running in on Sunday but I never felt that I was going to quit. It just wasn’t an option. The spirit of the day was indescribable, as is the pain that accompanies it. The crowd and the adrenaline really help you to cross the finish line.

“For me, it was a personal challenge and a mental challenge too because it has been on my bucket list ever since I was ill. There were times when I wasn’t even able to walk from all the treatment I was receiving so for me to be able to run a marathon was a huge, emotional achievement.

“It has taken its toll though! I’ve been extremely tired and I haven’t been able to eat properly since the race. It takes a mile per day for your body to recuperate so it will take about a month to totally recover.”

Emma is now back to work after raising an incredible £3,300 for Children with Cancer UK and says that she is overwhelmed with the amount of support she received.

“I got to the finish line and I had over 120 messages on my phone from people within the industry and from friends and family.

“I just want to say a really massive thank you to everybody for all of their support and generosity because it would not have been possible without them. It is unbelievable to see the amount of money that I have raised so far for such a great charity. It was a privilege to run for CWCUK which is close to my heart and it is good to know that this money will help the charity to determine the causes, find new cures and provide care for children with cancer.”

There is still time to make a donation to Emma’s worthy cause. Please visit – https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emma-kilby

For further information, please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie

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Emma’s Marathon Run

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Emma’s Marathon Run: Having beaten three types of cancer, Emma Kilby, Technical Area Sales Manager for ICL, is taking part in the 2018 London Marathon in a bid to raise funds for Children with Cancer UK.

Emma was just 16 years old when she was first diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. After 6 months of chemotherapy followed by 20 days of radiotherapy, she defeated this dreadful disease. She went on to finish her studies at university, got married and gave birth to her first daughter in 2010.

Emma's Marathon Run

However, just before her daughter’s first birthday Emma noticed another lump in her neck. After numerous visits to the GP and many hospital appointments, she was diagnosed with differentiated papillary thyroid carcinoma. Her battle with cancer had started all over again and she underwent a total thyroidectomy and neck dissection (removal of 27 lymph nodes).

Six weeks after surgery, she was told that not only did she have thyroid cancer but also an aggressive form of large B-cell lymphoma. Having to deal with one form of cancer would be enough for anyone but having to deal with it all over again while also trying to raise a young family was almost too much to bare. After a long and difficult battle, enduring months of operations, chemotherapy and radioactive iodine, she pulled through.

Less than 12 months ago she gave birth to another beautiful baby girl after being told that she may never have anymore. Slowly but surely she has pieced her life back together.

“Having cancer as an adult is hard enough to deal with; we have the ability to comprehend and rationalise what we may ultimately have to deal with,” says Emma. “The thought of any parent having to explain to their diagnosed children the nature of this horrible disease breaks my heart just to think about it. This is why I decided that I was going to run the Virgin London Marathon for the Children with Cancer UK charity, and maybe, just maybe, my contribution can lead to the prevention of the needless suffering that so many young children have to deal with on a daily basis.”

Almost 4,000 children and young people are diagnosed with cancer every year in the UK. That’s ten every day. Children with Cancer UK is the leading national children’s charity dedicated to the fight against childhood cancer. They fund life-saving research into the causes, prevention and treatment of childhood cancer and they work to protect young lives through essential welfare programmes.

Emma added: “Thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you will help me raise money for this great charity.”

To make a donation to Emma’s worthy cause please visit –  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/emma-kilby

Please contact ICL on 01473 237100 or visit www.icl-sf.co.uk or www.icl-sf.ie if you are in Ireland.

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