Tag Archive for: Norfolk

Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions

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Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions: The Norfolk Arborist has gone from strength to strength since its formation in 2017, providing expert residential and commercial tree maintenance services throughout East Anglia. On the journey alongside owner Michael Lomax since day one is an FSI B22, which continues to handle every stump removal job with effective, reliable results week in, week out.

With a large portfolio of domestic clients and commercial contracts including the Ministry of Defence and several large landowners throughout Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex and Northamptonshire, no two weeks are ever the same for Michael and his team. One thing the team can always rely on is the performance of their FSI B22, which has been their go-to solution for stump removal in restricted-access, residential settings for the last eight years.

Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions

Norfolk Arborist thrives with reliable stump grinding solutions

“It’s incredibly versatile and easy to use, making it a popular choice with the team” Michael explains. “Being self-propelled means we can send one van, equipped with a chipper and the FSI B22 stump grinder, and the team will have everything they need to get the job done. We must have clocked up close to 1000 hours with this machine and, with the exception of the regular wear and tear replacements, we’ve had next to no issues.”

He emphasises, “The reliability of this machine has been extraordinary. We must have made our money back on it ten-fold over the years!”

The robust performance of FSI is not limited to the smaller jobs however. For larger domestic and commercial projects Michael turns to his local FSI Partner Stag Machinery, where he readily hires the powerful yet highly manoeuvrable FSI D30. “There’s not a lot the FSI D30 can’t do! We can tackle up to 120 two-foot stumps in a day, making it very productive and highly efficient. Not only that but the lighter footprint of this machine compared to others in this category means we can still transport the unit over residential lawns, patios and other sensitive areas if needed without risk of causing damage.”

Like many, Michael not only values the reliable performance of his equipment, but the back-up support and service received from their local FSI dealer. “Will at Stag has been brilliant, delivering a personal service and a quick response if we need anything. We like the fact the depot is local, and the ability to hire the FSI D30 as and when we need it means we can run our business and service the various needs of our clients, without the headache of managing and maintaining a really large fleet of our own.”

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Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition

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Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition: A drone image showing the beautiful but harsh conditions faced by greenkeepers throughout winter has been revealed as the overall winner of the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association (BIGGA) Annual Photographic Competition 2023 sponsored by Syngenta.

Thetford first assistant greenkeeper and BIGGA member David Ball’s image was chosen by competition judges as the overall winner, with the selection committee also taking into account the results of a public vote, held across BIGGA’s social media accounts.

Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition

Midwinter Norfolk morning wins photo competition

The image was taken by drone in January 2023 over Thetford’s 5th hole at around 7.30am. It shows sunlight breaking through the clouds as a layer of mist rolls into shot. The fairways and surrounding trees are crisp with a layer of frost.

David said: “We greenkeepers are privileged to experience these times of day that most people don’t get to see during their working hours. I was just lucky and in the right place at the right time on this beautiful morning. It is such an honour to win this award, so thank you to BIGGA and Syngenta.”

BIGGA’s annual photographic competition is a celebration of the wonderful golfing landscape and the role greenkeepers play in shaping it for golfers and the wider public to enjoy. Twelve images were selected in total for the annual BIGGA calendar, with winners also chosen in the separate categories of Greenkeeping, Landscape and Wildlife.

  • Landscape: Alistair Morrison, head greenkeeper, Durness Golf Club
  • Greenkeeping: Peter Meek, greenkeeper, Bath Golf Club
  • Wildlife: Elliot Walters, greenkeeper, Robin Hood Golf Club

You can view all 12 images selected to form the BIGGA desktop calendar on the BIGGA website.

A downloadable version of the calendar for use on your desktop background is available here.

BIGGA CEO Jim Croxton said: “BIGGA members work in some spectacular environments and each year the judges struggle to separate the entries, such is the quality of submissions. It’s always fascinating to see how the public votes when we post the finalists on our social media channels.

“David Ball’s entry stood out to us as it showcases the beautiful golf course at Thetford at a time that golfers will rarely see it – deep in the depths of winter – yet there are greenkeepers present, putting in the hard work that makes golf possible when warmer weather returns.

“Congratulations to all the winners and thank you once again to our valued sponsors at Syngenta.”

As overall competition winner, David has won a DJI Mini 2 SE Drone and a framed print of his image to be presented at BTME 2024, the greenkeeping community’s annual gathering in January.

Each of the category winners receive a £150 Love2Shop voucher.

BIGGA’s Annual Photographic Competition sponsored by Syngenta will return next year, so greenkeepers are encouraged to get snapping now to be in with a chance of winning more great prizes.

Registration for BTME 2024 and the associated Continue to Learn education programme is open. The event takes place from 21 to 25 January 2024 and you can find out more by heading to the BTME website, www.btme.org.uk

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Norfolk FA Sign Up Replay

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Norfolk FA Sign Up Replay: The Football Development Centre at Flegg High Ormiston Academy in Norfolk, known as the FDC @ Flegg, is one of three facilities run by Norfolk County FA. Elliot Pride, the FDC @ Flegg Development Officer oversees the full size 3G pitch at the site, managing everything from accounts, bookings and even getting hands on with maintaining the pitch. Assisting Elliot in keeping the surface looking and playing at its best are synthetic specialists Replay Maintenance.

“I’ve been here since we opened the facility 18 months ago and in that time, we’ve made great strides in getting the local community involved with football” explains Elliot. Term-time the pitch is used in school hours by the pupils, then at evenings, weekends and during school holidays Norfolk FA take over offering pay & play, walking football, County 5IVES and a range of pitch hire slots. “We’re lucky to be supported by a number of local clubs who use the pitch for training and matches. The pitch see’s roughly 25-30 hours of play per week, with that figure increasing year on year.”

Norfolk FA Sign Up Replay

A County Partner to Norfolk FA, Replay have been involved with the maintenance of the FDC’s since the original facility opened in Norwich eight years ago. “We were pleased with the work and results achieved with Replay there, when the installer-provided maintenance expired on the Flegg pitch we decided to formulate a contract with them to maintain all three centres.” The service agreement see’s Replay conducting six Revive® visits per year to remove contaminates and de-compact and rotate the infill which is then regraded and dressed back into the surface. This results in enhanced porosity and improved playing characteristics.

“Communication with Replay is great. I have a calendar showing the planned visits for the coming year which gives me plenty of notice to liaise with the school to ensure the pitch is free. On visit days, the operators are normally here by the time I arrive at 8am, getting on with the job and are normally away by midday. Following the visit, we then get a report detailing the work conducted, infill levels etc. We also receive weekly emails to submit our hours of play which then generates an ‘actual hours’ figure, from which we can work out how many hours of in-house maintenance we need to conduct.”

Final word from Elliot, “It’s great to have Replay in conducting a deeper clean every couple of months, topping up the brushing and debris collecting we do ourselves. Although the surface is relatively new, it’s important to consider that they only have a limited lifespan so working hard now to keep the pitch in good condition, should help to keep it safe and playable for years to come.”

For more information, visit: www.replaymaintenance.co.uk

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