Tag Archive for: Seminar

GroundsFest Academy’s Free Robotics & Green Innovations Seminar

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GroundsFest Academy’s Free Robotics & Green Innovations Seminar: The GroundsFest Academy is set to host another free educational event on 31 July 2025, focusing on the latest robotics and sustainable technologies in the groundscare and landscaping industries.

Taking place at Lantra House, Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, this CPD-accredited day brings together leading experts from Husqvarna, Turf Tank, and Lantra to explore how innovation is reshaping outdoor spaces.

GroundsFest Academy's Free Robotics & Green Innovations Seminar

GroundsFest Academy’s Free Robotics & Green Innovations Seminar

Attendees will gain hands-on experience with robotic mowers, battery-powered machinery, and automated line-marking technology, alongside expert-led talks and practical training sessions.

Topics include:

  • The benefits of robotic mowing systems and how to implement them
  • Sustainable machinery solutions and green technology trends
  • Live robotic line marking demonstrations
  • Career guidance and training course insights from Lantra

The event runs from 09:00 to 15:30, and is completely free to attend, with CPD points and certificates provided to all participants. Lunch and refreshments will also be provided.

Bradley Tennant, Director of Education for GroundsFest Academy, commented:

“The GroundsFest Academy is about bringing innovation and education together in a way that’s practical, engaging, and completely free to access. This Robotics and Green Innovations day is a chance for professionals to get hands-on with the technology that’s changing our industry, while also gaining CPD points and valuable knowledge to take back to their teams or their own projects.”

The GroundsFest Academy is made possible thanks to the ongoing success of the main GroundsFest event, with profits being reinvested directly back into the industry. This commitment ensures that professionals at all levels have access to free, high-quality training opportunities throughout the year – helping to support long-term growth, innovation, and education across the groundscare and landscaping sectors.

Register for your free place at www.groundsfestacademy.com

You can also follow GroundsFest on X, Facebook and Instagram @GroundsFest for much more news, reviews and insightful views

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Successful Synthetics Seminar at Loughborough University

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Successful Synthetics Seminar at Loughborough University: Loughborough University recently played host to the Synthetic Surfaces Seminar, organised by Syn-Pro by SISIS, part of the Howardson Group.

The event brought together over 60 delegates eager to enhance their understanding of synthetic sports surfaces, covering a comprehensive agenda from environmental impacts to maintenance practices.

Successful Synthetics Seminar at Loughborough University

Successful Synthetics Seminar at Loughborough University

The day kicked off with registration and networking, followed by a warm welcome from Jason Briggs of the Howardson Group. Jason set the stage for a day packed with insightful presentations and practical demonstrations.

The first speaker, Professor David James, Group CEO of Labosport and Technical Chair of SAPCA, highlighted the Benefits of Synthetic Turf Sports Surfaces, emphasising their durability, reduced maintenance costs, and all-weather playability.

Following this, Alastair Cox from the European Synthetic Turf Council presented on Managing the Environmental Impact of Synthetic Pitches, including EU regulations, field design, and maintenance strategies. This session was particularly well-received, with attendees appreciating the focus on sustainability and compliance.

Hayley Wilson from SIS Grass then discussed Considerations When Installing a Synthetic Surface, providing valuable tips on choosing the right materials and ensuring long-term performance.

Derek Field of Musco Lighting wrapped up the morning sessions with a talk on Changing Over to LED Lighting, highlighting the cost benefits and eco-friendly aspects of modern lighting solutions for sports facilities.

After a complimentary BBQ lunch and networking session with industry trade representatives, the delegates split into outdoor groups for hands-on demonstrations. Topics covered included Line Marking with Fleet Line Markers, Goal Post Safety & Maintenance by Harrod Sports, and the Performance Differences in Maintaining 3G Pitches by SISIS and Labosport.

The seminar continued with a presentation from Alastair Cox on The Future of Hockey Pitches, before a discussion on the future of 3G and Hybrid pitches, where the experts shared their insights on upcoming trends and innovations in synthetic surfaces.

Professor Paul Fleming from Loughborough University concluded the formal presentations with a session on Good Maintenance Practices During Various Weather Conditions, offering practical advice on keeping synthetic surfaces in top condition all year-round.

The day ended with a lively Q&A session, allowing delegates to pose their questions directly to the panel of experts. Reflecting on the event, Jason Briggs said, “We’ve had over 60 delegates today that have all been very keen on learning more about synthetic surfaces.

These days are all about people wanting information – such as the latest legislation for synthetic surfaces and the maintenance of machinery and surfaces. It’s all about learning as much as you can and being one step ahead in the industry, and establishing where synthetic is going.”

Delegates expressed their appreciation for the seminar. Bradley Tennant from International Greenkeepers for Hire said, “These events are really important to help give back to the industry. There is a lot of misinformation out there, especially around synthetic pitches and maintenance, so it is nice to see experts delivering the correct knowledge to the end user.”

Sean Clixby, Chair of Trustees for Broughton Community & Sports Association, added, “We are in the final stages of building our own 3G facility, so the seminar was perfect timing. I thought it would be a good opportunity to come and get the advice and talk to people who are experts in the field, take the advice back and put it into practice. I would definitely recommend this seminar to other people.”

A video round-up of the day can be viewed by visiting https://youtu.be/DTtPSQdg74k

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Syn-Pro by SISIS on 01332 824 777 or visit www.synprobysisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Syn-Pro on Twitter or Instagram @synprobysisis and like the company’s Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/SynPro-by-SISIS.

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Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

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Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme: Dennis and SISIS recently concluded their annual bowling green maintenance seminar programme, and by all accounts it was another huge success.

Committed to educating greenkeepers and raising the standards of bowling greens, Dennis and SISIS have long supported the sport of bowls. Their bowling green maintenance seminars continue to go from strength to strength with delegates praising them for helping make an improvement to their greens.

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

The 2023 programme saw renowned Turf Consultant Alan Lewis kick-start each seminar. In his presentation, which focussed on renovations and maintenance, Alan discussed best practice including tips on brushing, scarifying, spraying, verticutting, aerating and watering.

The experienced Stuart Yarwood, North West Technical Manager for DLF and Johnsons Seeds, then advised attendees on how to choose the correct grass seed and top dressing before the focus turned to mowers.

Delegates stepped on to the green to hear from Andy Walker, Field Support Manager for Dennis and SISIS, on how to get the best performance from a mower. In this popular ‘Mower School’ feature, Andy drew upon his 40 plus years of experience to provide tips on everything from operation to the maintenance of mowers.

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

After a complimentary lunch, an on-green demonstration was carried out and all delegates got to see many of the maintenance tips both Alan and Andy mentioned in their presentations performed by a range of Dennis and SISIS turf maintenance equipment.

The seminars were rounded off with the popular ‘Turf Clinic’ question and answer session, where delegates got the chance to ask some of their own questions to the experts.

It was the first ever seminar for Peter Jones from Ponciau Park Bowling Club in Wrexham, after recently taking over the maintenance from the local authority.

“We found as a club, probably due to budget constraints, that the green had been neglected so we have started to have more member involvement,” he said. “Today has been very informative, I picked up lots of tips, and I wish more of our members could have attended.”

Brian Sullivan, from Hargrave and Huxley Bowling Club in Cheshire, said: “The seminar was very detailed and there was so much information to take in. It was informative, enlightening and I learnt a lot.”

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Dennis & SISIS conclude bowls seminar programme

Echoing Brian’s thoughts was Jonathan Brown from Broughton Holdings in Stafford. “It was great from start to finish and there were so many excellent speakers. I particularly found the machinery set-up session to be beneficial and it was brilliant to see some equipment in action.”

Further information about the range of bowls maintenance products available from both manufacturers can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and SISIS @SISISMachinery. You can like the Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK and www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest Dennis and SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers and www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery.

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

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Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar: For more than 10 years Dennis  Sisis have held pre-season  indoor seminars so it was fantastic,  after an enforced absence since  2020, have it back in the calendar.

The “Cricket Pit­ Maintenance in a Changing Environment” Seminar at St Albans School Woohham Trust,  one of the regular hosts, offered the 200 delegates a feast of knowledge and a genuine sense of normality.

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

Feast of knowledge at Dennis & SISIS seminar

The programme was devised by the school’s Head of Grounds, Ian Smith and for the morning session at least, hit delegates like a sledge hammer.

The extremely polished Robert Ja‑ , of Howardson Group, was the Master of Ceremonies and he did an excellent job all day of keeping to time and pit­ ing in comments and questions to ensure a smooth running show.

A weather forecast for 2050 and information that abstraction licenses may be revoked or restricted in 2028 offered a glimpse into the future that turf managers would perhaps describe euphemistically as “challenging”.

The weather forecast came from Met Office meteorologist Aiden McGivern who delivered his paper via video. He admitted that the projections he had included were two years old but that already some of the extremes in temperature had been rea­ched.

He talked about regularly topping 40 degrees in the UK – a level that created a new British record last summer – but that it would become a common occurrence. Aiden also said that temperatures in India would hit the high 40 degrees, and that there would be bans on outdoor working whi­ch would impact farming and, of course, sports turf maintenance.

Aiden was followed by Andrew House, of the Environment Agency, who broke the news about the changes to extraction licenses whi­ch will be brought in in 2028. Anyone hoping that this might result in a more beneficial outcome for turf managers would undoubtedly be viewed as optimistic at best.

Ton Hanson, Managing Director of Environmental Solutions International, and George Warren, Anglian Water’s Integrated Water Management Lead, looked at what we might be facing over the next few years and what water might be available to the amenity sector, or not, as the case may be.

With the picture painted it was time for two well known faces to come up with solutions.

Alex Vickers, now a turf consultant but with 25 years of experience at TGMS and as Director of the MSc programme in Sports Surface Te­chnology at Cranfield University, and Dr Christian Spring, the STRI’s Group Principal Scientist, spoke on “Root Zones for a Changing Climate” and “Pests and Diseases of the Future” respectively.

Complete with red bucket and a sponge Alex was able to illustrate how water operated in rootzone while Christian identified whi­ch diseases and pests would thrive in hotter dryer summers and wetter winters.

The morning was a well balanced and thoughtful session and perhaps was a case of better off knowing what we are likely to be facing in the short, medium and long term, than innocently thinking that everything would remain mu­ the same and that the weather we have been experiencing lately is nothing more than a blip.

After lunch­ provided by the s­chool catering staff , the afternoon session ki‑ ed off with Dr Iain James, the ECB’s Head of Facilities Services. Iain spoke on “What Does Sustainability Mean for Grass Roots Clubs?” and covered everything from recycling old kit whi­ch carried old sponsors names to stripping parts from no-longer-used mowers.

There could be no better duo to deliver the final formal talk “Cricket Pit­ Preparations – difference between north and south” than Vic Demain, Head Groundsman at the Durham CCC, the most northerly Test ground in the world and Karl McDermott, who was Head Groundsman at Hampshire CCC, the most southerly Test Ground in England, and now Head Groundsman at Lords.

Vic and Karl know each­ other inside out and were able to josh and joke while offering the assembled gathering some insights into both their jobs. In Vic’s case the earlier and earlier start to the season is an added factor while Karl spoke of the complications created by the slope when watering the most famous ground in cricket.

The day ended with a Q&A Session with Vic and Karl, as always, sharing their knowledge on a wide range of subjects.

Sponsors for the day were Turf Matters; Stuart Canvas Group; DLF Seeds; RT Machinery; Boughton; SIS Grass; Grounds Training; Mansfield Sand; Origan Amenity Solutions; Turf Tank and White Horse Contractors.

A glimpse into the future at Dennis and SISIS Seminar

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A glimpse into the future at Dennis and SISIS Seminar: Dennis and SISIS recently hosted their popular cricket pitch maintenance seminar where 200 delegates had the opportunity to enhance their understanding of future hopes, needs and goals.

Hosted at St Albans School Woollam Trust, the seminar was designed to help attendees plan and adapt their maintenance programmes in an ever-changing environment. It brought together an audience consisting of cricket groundspersons representing grass roots, contractors, schools, local clubs, and international test venues.

A glimpse into the future at Dennis and SISIS Seminar

A glimpse into the future at Dennis and SISIS Seminar

Following an introduction by Howardson Group Area Sales Manager Robert Jack, Met Office Presenter Aidan McGivern produced a theoretical weather forecast for 2050 and revealed what conditions we could expect to see in the UK if global greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise. By showing what the weather could look like by 2050 at certain times of year, Aidan helped delegates relate to how different their experiences might be under a changing climate.

In the next section of the seminar Tony Hanson (Environmental Solutions International), Andrew House (Environment Agency), and George Warren (Anglian Water) utilised their wealth of experience to offer invaluable advice on how to reduce the impact of water restrictions on sports surfaces.

Turf Consultant Alex Vickers then delivered a presentation on the topic of rootzones in a changing climate. As ever, Alex entertained the audience while explaining this important subject in a relatable way.

Christian Spring, Principal Scientist at the STRI (Sports Turf Research Institute), was up next to explore the potential pests and diseases groundspersons can expect to encounter in the future.

The halfway point provided delegates with a complimentary lunch and a chance to speak to seminar sponsors – Cricketworld.com, Stuart Canvas, SIS Pitches, DLF and MM Seeds, RT Machinery, Boughton Loam, Grounds Training, Mansfield Sand, Origin Amenity Solutions, Turf Tank, White Horse Contractors and Turf Matters.

As the audience settled back down, Dr Iain James, Head of Facilities Services for the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), took to the stage to discuss what sustainability means for grass roots clubs. Karl McDermott, Head Groundsperson at Lords, and Vic Demain, Head Groundsperson at Durham CCC, then proceeded to investigate the difference in cricket pitch preparations between the north and south.

The day concluded with a Q&A session in which attendees could ask the expert speakers for advice about their own projects or any issues that they may have.

Commenting on the seminar, Nick Lockhart, Cricket Professional/Head of Grounds at Felsted School said: “It was informative, thought-provoking, and of great interest. It has given me a lot of things to think about for the future, in terms of climate change, irrigation and pest control. There is no doubt that this seminar will have helped a lot of people today.”

As well as soaking up the education, Andy Moody from Moody Grounds Maintenance felt it was a great networking opportunity. “Over the years I have been to a few of these Dennis and SISIS events and I always encourage the people that work for me to come along as well. Sometimes we can be very lonesome people in the grounds maintenance industry, so days like this are a great opportunity to meet other likeminded people.”

There was one presentation, which struck a chord with Christian Brain, Head of Grounds at Cheltenham College: “The speakers were brilliant and there were some really good topics which gave us a look into the future to find out what is coming our way. Looking at water issues going forward was particularly beneficial for me. The site we’re on doesn’t have a great deal of irrigation, so that is a real concern. Therefore, looking at what we can potentially do going forward to try and solve those issues, was a real highlight for me.”

Turf Consultant Keith Kent said: “I’ve come to the seminar today because I have always found the Dennis and SISIS events to be so good. I’m working at Loughborough University at the moment and I’m carrying out some cricket pitch maintenance, which is something I have never done before after spending my entire career in football and rugby. There have been some entertaining and stimulating speeches today and it has been well worth the journey.”

A vide of the day can be viewed – https://youtu.be/QggZT7aXl-o

Further information about the range of maintenance products available can be found by visiting www.dennisuk.com / www.sisis.com.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Dennis on Twitter @DennisMowers and SISIS @SISISMachinery. You can like the Facebook page – www.facebook.com/DennisMowersUK and www.facebook.com/SISISMachinery. You can also view the latest Dennis and SISIS videos by visiting www.youtube.com/DennisMowers and www.youtube.com/SISISMachinery

For the latest industry news visit turfmatters.co.uk/news

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Follow us on Twitter and Instagram for fun, fresh and engaging content.

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