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Come on Ian!

Come on Ian!

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Come on Ian!: Ian Darler’s extraordinary challenge of walking the distance from London to Qatar in time for the start of the World Cup is on track with the goal finally coming into view.

The Cambridge United Head Groundsman set himself the target of walking the 3228 miles to Qatar in aid of mental health charity SHOUT 85258 back in March and since then Ian has been clocking up the miles on a daily basis – many swallowed up cutting the Abbey Stadium pitch.

Come on Ian!

Come on Ian!

“It looks like I am still on schedule to complete the walk and Cambridge United are arranging for me to walk from Parkers Piece football monument in the centre of Cambridge to the Abbey Stadium on Saturday 19th November when we play Accrington Stanley,” explained Ian, who will have taken approximately eight million steps by the time he completes his walk.

 

Anyone wishing to support Ian in his fundraising can visit www.cambridgecharityfundraisers.com to make a donation.

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Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

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Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel: A year on from receiving their first Ranger EV as a birthday gift to dad Roger, Farmers Robert and Dave at Cannon Hall Farm are still utilising the Polaris Ranger around the 125-acre farm, now with their latest Ranger Diesel model.

Featuring on Channel 5’s Friday on the Farm and Summer on the Farm, the team have been extremely busy with the upkeep of their popular and ever-developing farm. The Ranger Diesel is on hand to help, delivered to Cannon Hall Farm back in January this year.

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

Cannon Hall takes on Ranger Diesel

Farmer Robert said: “We loved the EV around here – it was our first time with a Polaris vehicle and really showed us the quality of the brand. This year, having the Diesel has been another great experience – it’s so usable, it’s so flexible and it’s more than capable. We’ll often use the Ranger for extended periods and having the confidence in the diesel engine has been great, not to mention it’s fantastic when carrying heavy loads in the bed.”

The Ranger Diesel is proving itself to be the ultimate agricultural workhorse, being put to hard work from the get-go at Cannon Hall Farm. With its large cargo bed with 435kg capacity, the team at Cannon Hall Farm use it to transport animal food and supplies. This is a no mean feat with Cannon Hall Farm being home to hundreds of animals and reptiles, all with tailored, high-quality care.

Over the 125 acres of the farm, there’s a number of less-accessible areas that can’t be easily accessed by traditional 4×4 vehicles – this is where the Ranger Diesel comes into its own with the highest ground clearance in its class of 33cm, plus added features like electronic power steering to allow the team – including dad Roger – to ride around the farm all day without fatigue.

“The Ranger Diesel is really well made and the whole vehicle inspires confidence when driving, not just off road but also when travelling on the roads from field to field,” Farmer Rob continued. “It’s the most robust off road vehicle we’ve ever had at the farm!”

Not only proving to be an excellent helping hand for daily farm life, Dave and Rob have recently come up with a more unique way to use the cargo bed.

“The Ranger Diesel is handy for lots of different things but our favourite is as a bar on wheels, when we have events, concerts, etc. We’ve discovered that we can use the Ranger to store all the cold drinks and move them around, the waterproof bed is perfect for the job. Plus, when we run out, it’s only a quick drive back to refill – no more of those pesky wheelbarrows running back and forth!”

Farmer David said: “The Ranger Diesel has been a real game changer for us here at Cannon Hall Farm, we certainly put it through its paces and it has never let us down yet. It’s a well built machine that we know we can rely on, and its versatility is something we now couldn’t live without.”

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Kubota excels on historic estate

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Kubota excels on historic estate: Kubota’s ZD1211 zero turn mower is showing its versatility on a busy estate in South Wales which is a popular and picturesque events venue.

The Glanusk Estate, near Crickhowell, totals 3000 acres, of which 350 acres is parkland, much in demand for everything from weddings to festivals and as a set for film and television work. There’s also a busy caravan site and holiday cottages with stunning views, while the park boasts the second largest collection of oak trees in the UK.

Kubota excels on historic estate

Kubota excels on historic estate

Owner Harry Legge-Bourke has a long relationship with Kubota, having used a BX compact tractor with mowing deck for some 20 years.

“I was looking for a more versatile mower to work in the gardens and the areas of the parkland used for events, golf course and caravan park, and having seen a ZD at a local hotel, thought it would fit the bill,” he explains.

The manoeuvrability of the zero turn design is key, to work around obstacles such as electric hook up points in the caravan park and mow close to trees safely, Harry points out.

“It offers a good quality cut and I’ve specified a mulching kit for areas such as the caravan park, where it’s important to minimise clippings which otherwise might be walked into the vans, ” he adds.

With such a large and varied area of grass to maintain, Harry comments that the speed of the ZD1211 is its outstanding feature. Powered by a 25hp diesel engine with shaft driven two-speed HST transmission the ZD can travel at up to 17kph, making light work of long runs while turning effortlessly in its own length at the end.

“We can cut four acres of gardens in an hour for example, which helps us keep on top of mowing when we are so busy,” he comments.

The Kubota mower is also handy for topping off the park between events, and with the varied mowing requirements, the ability to swap cut height from 25-127mm just by using a convenient dial also comes in for praise. The three-blade rear discharge rotary deck cuts effectively in the wet, a useful quality in the green and lush region.

Although the zero turn lever steer design was a departure for Harry and his team, they have quickly got used to it, he comments.

“It’s very good to drive, and very comfortable with its well-padded seat. All the controls fall easily to hand.”

There’s one other factor that has brought Harry back to Kubota for this latest purchase and that’s the brand’s renowned dependability.

“The mower is built to industrial standards and that gives peace of mind. Our experiences with previous Kubota machines have shown how reliable they are and the ZD has the quality to last us for many trouble-free years.”

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GGM Group get on their bikes

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GGM Group get on their bikes: A Lancashire business has demonstrated that it will always go the extra mile for charity, as the team at Groundscare specialist the GGM Group have committed to a year of activity to support the North West Air Ambulance.

The activity kicks off with a company-wide sponsored cycle, with staff getting on their bikes and riding between their two depots in Haydock and Colne along the Leeds-Liverpool canal on Friday 12th August.

GGM Group get on their bikes

GGM Group get on their bikes

Over 20 team members, from across all departments, will take on the 95km route, finishing off with a well-deserved team bbq to celebrate.

The business, which operates across the North West and Yorkshire, is following in the footsteps of last year’s highly successful charitable efforts, where the organisation raised over £10,000 for charities across the North West, and is keen to build on this success and keep the momentum running.

Managing Director Chris Gibson explain more:

“Every year we aim to carry out a number of physical challenges to raise funds for our company charity and it’s a huge highlight in our calendar. We’ve previously completed the Yorkshire Three Peaks and in 2020 we didn’t let lockdown dampen our spirits, carrying out a charity walk and cycle ride in socially distanced stints. We’re very much looking forward to this year’s event and it’s great so many team members want to get involved.”

The event will raise money for the organisations chosen company charity of the year, the North West Air Ambulance, to help raise much needed funds during these difficult times.  Since the charity launched in 1999, it operates 365 days a year and they have responded to over 24,500 missions across the Northwest and must raise over £9.5m each year to remain operational.

The GGM Group consists of two businesses across two depots. PSD Groundscare is the national distributor of specialist landscaping equipment including award winning innovative manufacturers Eliet and Koppl. GGM Groundscare is a specialist supplier of tractors and high-quality professional land-based equipment for commercial and domestic use. Servicing the North West and Yorkshire, it supplies a range of products from leading franchises including Kubota, Baroness and Amazone.

Chris Gibson concluded:

“I am hugely proud of what our staff have committed to do and it is teamwork in the truest sense. Not everyone regularly cycles, yet they have committed to taking part in this challenge for our charity. As a family business, it’s fantastic for us all to come together.

“It’s a key part of our ethos at The GGM Group to give something back to the local community and North West Air Ambulance provide an essential service. Amazingly they receive no government or NHS funding so every penny we raise for the charity makes such a lifesaving difference.”

To support the team and make a donation visit the Justgiving page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/the-ggm-group

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Government responds to GMA on Red Diesel

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Government responds to GMA on Red Diesel: HM Treasury has responded to the Grounds Management Association’s recent letter calling for a change to the guidance on rebated fuels entitlement.

Within two weeks of receiving the GMA’s letter, HMRC updated its guidance on Using rebated fuels in vehicles and machines, to add ‘land maintained by a community amateur sports’ to the list of those able to use red diesel following the regulatory change on 1 April 2022.

Government responds to GMA on Red Diesel

Government responds to GMA on Red Diesel

The GMA welcomes this clarification but has concerns that although this is good news for Community Amateur Sports Clubs (CASCs) registered with HMRC, it falls far short of benefitting the wider sporting community.

GMA CEO, Geoff Webb says:

“The HMRC’s policy reform paper made clear in its impact statement that there would not be a withdrawal of an entitlement to use red diesel in areas such as sports, yet the guidance does not reflect that commitment.

“We are delighted that the HMRC has updated its guidance to make clear that amateur sports clubs can continue to benefit from the fuel rebate. This will benefit over 7,300 clubs.

“But it doesn’t go far enough as education establishments, professional sports clubs, and the many contractors who maintain sports and leisure grounds across different settings will be hit hard in the pocket at a time when they are facing significant cost increases.

“We will continue to engage with policymakers to seek an exemption for all sports and not just the few. These businesses need sufficient lead time to phase out equipment that uses red diesel to power specialist vehicles and machinery, and we will continue to push the case across all sports at all levels for a reinstatement of the entitlement.”

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