Tag Archive for: Scots

Scots Turf Donation Will ‘Change Lives’

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Scots Turf Donation Will ‘Change Lives’: A donation of football equipment from Scots Turf may seem like a simple gesture, but Motherwell Football Club Chief Executive Dawn Middleton is certain it will change the lives of the local community.

In partnership with New World Sport, Scots Turf donated footballs, bibs, markers, coaches’ notebooks and more following a second successful Scots Turf show. It has always been the aim of organisers Richard Heywood and Alan Thomson to give back to sport-focused charities in Scotland, and the Motherwell FC Community Trust is the first.

Scots Turf Donation Will ‘Change Lives’

Scots Turf Donation Will ‘Change Lives’

As the official charity of Motherwell FC, the Trust leverages the club’s brand and the unifying power of football to drive positive change in the local community. In 2021, a UEFA Social Return and Investment report revealed that the charity’s initiatives resulted in £13.64 million worth of health benefits, saving the NHS money on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, osteoporosis, mental health and more.

With no core income, the charity relies on fundraising and donations to operate. While you might think money is what’s needed, Dawn explains that football equipment is much more important than that.

“Firstly, I’d like to express our gratitude for the donation, which really makes a difference and does change lives,” Dawn began. “Sometimes people will say, ‘Oh, it would be great if you got money,’ but it’s not about money. This donation was far more valuable to us than money.

“It’s absolutely fantastic for us because equipment is expensive, and you can never have enough. Andy, our Head of Community Football does an excellent job, and coaches always ask him to spend money on equipment. It was great for us to be able to go back and supply it.

“The Trust supports a diverse range of 29 community teams, spanning from children born in 2019 to walking footballers in their 80s, women’s recreational football, and disability football. Each of these groups requires their own footballs, bibs, and markers, which often get lost or damaged. The donation from Scots Turf has significantly reduced the financial , burden on the Trust, ensuring the affordability of participation for all.”

The Motherwell FC Community Trust operates in one of Scotland’s most deprived areas. Due to increasing mortgage rates, food prices, and fuel costs, the community team experiences a lot of in-work poverty. Through donations, however, they have been able to limit the rise in community team monthly subscription costs to just 5p over seven years, which is invaluable for those participating.

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Scots Turf Organisers ‘Blown Away’ by Show Success

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Scots Turf Organisers ‘Blown Away’ by Show Success: With over 700 visitors and over 60 companies exhibiting, the second edition of Scots Turf demonstrated substantial growth and has built a platform for an exciting future.

The aim of this show was to build on the success of the previous year by offering more stands and educational opportunities for visitors to explore at Hamilton Park Racecourse. An increase in the number of exhibitors from 16 to 64 ensured a diverse range of products from leading industry names such as Campey Turf Care, AllGrass, Dennis, SIS Pitches, and John Deere.

Scots Turf Organisers ‘Blown Away’ by Show Success

Scots Turf Organisers ‘Blown Away’ by Show Success

The growing stand count, set to increase again for the third event, has proven the Scotland’s desire for a dedicated show, and Scots Turf Founding Committee member Richard Heywood is ready to continue the growth.

“It was fantastic to see such a broad selection of visitors from all aspects of our industry, and the feedback we received from everyone we asked was incredibly positive,” he said.

“We were blown away and delighted with the response we received from companies wanting to exhibit. Our target in year two was to attract 30 businesses. In reality, we ended up attracting over 60, with a waiting list of ten more, and I think that shows the positive impact we’re having in Scotland.

“I’d say this is our first proper year as a ‘trade show,’ and we were very much encouraged by seeing over 700 visitors coming through the gates, with around 500 arriving in the first hour.

“It really shows an appetite for something like this in Scotland, and we will be looking to grow year upon year, helping to establish this once again as an event that you need to put in your diary.”

Updates on Scots Turf 2025 will follow throughout the year, including initiatives to support Scottish charitable causes. While demand for stands is high, companies are invited to apply for next year.

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Scots Turf Gets Bigger and Better for 2024

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Scots Turf Gets Bigger and Better for 2024: Following the resounding success of its inaugural year, the Scots Turf Show is returning to Hamilton Park Racecourse, promising an expanded exhibitor list and more education opportunities.

The second edition of Scots Turf will take place on 6th March 2024 at Hamilton Park Racecourse, featuring exhibitors such as Campey Turf Care, AllGrass, Dennis, SIS Pitches and John Deere.

Scots Turf Gets Bigger and Better for 2024

Scots Turf Gets Bigger and Better for 2024

One of the most notable enhancements for 2024 is the substantial increase in exhibitors from an initial 16 to an impressive 50. This growth speaks volumes about the event’s popularity and ability to attract key players in the turf industry. The expanded exhibitor line-up ensures a diverse array of products, services, and expertise on display, making Scots Turf a comprehensive hub for all things turf related.

Alongside fellow Scots Turf Founding Committee member Alan Thomson, Sales Manager SIS Pitches, Campey Product Specialist Richard Heywood, has worked hard to bring this event to Scotland and is excited to see its early success and where it can go in the future.

“The Scots Turf Show was designed to bring the trade to the Scottish Turf community, and it has quickly done that with a lot of success,” Richard said.

“Whilst it is primarily for Scotland, it’s an event that is open to everyone, and I think the developments we’re making demonstrates the show’s progress.

“As we enter our second year, the increased number of exhibitors reflects the growing importance of this event in the industry, and we’re already excited for our advancements in 2025, where we will increase the area for indoor exhibitors.”

Scots Turf holds particular significance for the Scottish Turf community, serving as a pivotal platform for networking, knowledge exchange, and industry collaboration. The event brings together professionals, suppliers, and enthusiasts from various corners of turf management and provides a valuable opportunity for the grounds community in Scotland.

Feedback from the previous year has been taken onboard about the seminar programme, and the Show will again strive to provide the most relevant, valuable and comprehensive educational opportunities to those attending.

Registration is free via Eventbrite, with the first 500 guests receiving a bacon sandwich and tea/coffee on arrival.

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The Scots Turf Show a success

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The Scots Turf Show a success: The 1st of March 2023 was the date everything changed for Turf Professionals in Scotland. The first Scottish turf event for almost 15 years, opened its doors at Hamilton Park Racecourse, and the visitors began to pour in an hour before official registration had even opened.

Connecting the industry

The trial show was devised by 17 of the industry’s most influential companies, to give something back to the Scottish turf community and to connect with the Industry, by providing a local turf event, accessible to a vast swathe of groundsmen and greenkeepers from all areas of sport, that had never had the opportunity to attend a local industry event.

The Scots Turf Show a success

The Scots Turf Show a success

David Roxburgh – Head Groundsman – Rangers Football Club

“Something needed to happen here in Scotland, I think it’s been great. The fantastic turnout here hasn’t surprised me because I think Scotland has been desperate for something like this. It needs a big show, and I think this could possibly be the forerunner of something great.”

The number of registered visitors had risen above the target of200with 287 attending on the day.

The itinerary of early morning bacon rolls, and coffee was a welcome diversion while the visitors signed in and was followed by an introduction to the idea behind the show by Alan Thomson of AllGrass and Richard Heywood of Campey Turf Care Systems. The guests were immediately engaged with two 20 minute speakers, Gary Smith senior agronomist from the STRI, quickly followed by Joe Shaw from SIS Pitches, before heading out into the spring sunshine for the outdoor exhibition area.

After a couple of hours of interaction with the exhibitors, the group enjoyed a lunch in the hospitality suite overlooking the magnificent race track at Hamilton Park. Then it was back to the marquee for two more short seminars, one from Kelly Marie Clarke agronomist from Origin and finally an introduction to Hamilton Park itself by Ashley Moon, Managing Director of Hamilton Racecourse who said, “We are delighted to welcome the Scots Turf Show to Hamilton Racecourse and work alongside such excellent partners”.

It is important to the companies behind this event to gauge the response of the visitors going forward, with a view to expanding the event significantly next year.

Barry McCulloch – Course Manager Caldwell Golf Club commented “It’s something that I’ve been looking forward to for quite some time and hoping that it did happen. It’s been good to come along and support the event. The venue they have picked is probably one of the best areas in Scotland because it’s very easily accessible, you can come from all over the country. You just have to look at the numbers that showed up today to see why it’s a great venue. 50% of my workforce has never been to a turf show, so that is another reason we came along today. It’s good for the younger guys to come and see some of the machinery and get a different perspective of things.”

Jim Dawson – Head Groundsman – BT Murrayfield

We would usually have to travel to events down South to see machinery or even have a chat with other groundsmen. So, today has been good for networking. I’ve met a lot of people here, from football to rugby, golf and horse racing.

I think this could take off. We are all very positive about the event, and I’m very happy for them to be talking about expanding it. I like having the option to attend the seminars, then getting to see some of the machinery in action and meeting the reps as well.”

Alan Thomson from AllGrass is absolutely delighted with the response on the day. As one of the main drivers he explains “From a concept back in 2019 over a McDonald’s Coffee to seeing the reality of such a fantastic event. Don’t get me wrong we are not reinventing the wheel here but simply putting it on a different path and a path that can continue to build excitement for the Scottish and beyond markets. ‘Connecting the Industry’ this is something that Richard and I believe we can do and hopefully with the many ideas for the future we can achieve this.”

So, The Scots Turf Show appears to have been an overwhelming success and looks like it may be here to stay.

Save the date – 6th March 2024

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Scots Turf Show Scotland’s inaugural event of 2023

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Scots Turf Show Scotland’s inaugural event of 2023: The 1st of March 2023 marks the inaugural year of a major new turf care event in Scotland, with The Scots Turf Show opening its doors at Hamilton Park Racecourse.

Devised by 17 of the industry’s most influential companies, The Scots Turf Show strives to give back to the Scottish turf community by providing a local event.

Scots Turf Show Scotland’s inaugural event of 2023

Scots Turf Show Scotland’s inaugural event of 2023

It is thought that almost 50% of the grounds industry in Scotland, be they groundsmen or greenkeepers working in football, rugby, golf or at schools or councils, have never attended an industry event.

A primary reason for this is the time and cost of travelling to existing exhibitions in England. This had to change for Alan Thompson of AllGrass Turf Care, who had the original idea behind reviving a Scottish Turf event.

“Back in 2019, I went to Richard Heywood at Campey Turf Care with an idea to create an event in Scotland that gave back to the Scottish market,” Alan explained.

“There used to be Scots Turf, and we’ve not had it for roughly 15 years, and as a result, almost half of the Scottish turf industry has missed out on educational opportunities and seeing machinery that could help them in their day-to-day work.

“Clubs can’t afford to let their staff go to current events, which means two days away from Scotland, financially they can’t do it, and there are various other reasons.

“We held a trial event in 2019 with seven companies at Falkirk Tryst Golf Club and had 118 people turn out. The clubhouse was probably only big enough for 50, so it was great to see that there was something there.

“After a delay due to Covid. We got back to the vision of how big we could make this. We had to bring it back to earth a little because we’d love to have 40 companies there and make it a big grand event, but we want to grow at a steady rate that works for the visitors and companies involved.

“So, this is another step. There’s a market, and there is a demand. This year we have a fantastic venue at Hamilton Park Racecourse. There’s plenty of parking, an onsite hotel, various marquees and live demonstrations outside.

“As well as the 17 companies, we’ll have seminars in one day consisting of twenty-minute sessions, so people stay engaged. We have devised everything to benefit those attending, and we’re looking forward to their support so we can continue to provide this for them.”

A significant difference between this event and others already on the industry calendar is it is purely financed by the companies, which in 2023 includes Campey Turf Care, AllGrass, Dennis, SIS Pitches, John Deere and more.

This allows for every discipline of turf care to be covered in a focused one-day event that engages visitors and makes it financially viable for whole teams to attend.

Please RSVP by 20th February to scotsturfshow@gmail.com to register your attendance.

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