Tag Archive for: shines

GroundsFest Academy Shines a Light on Irrigation

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GroundsFest Academy Shines a Light on Irrigation: The latest free GroundsFest Academy event once again proved a huge success, this time focusing on Irrigation Maintenance in partnership with Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS).

Held at the impressive Throws Farm Research and Technology Centre in Great Dunmow, Essex – the heart of OAS’s research and development activity – attendees were treated to a day packed with hands-on learning, expert demonstrations, and practical advice. The facility, which boasts trial areas, greenhouses, and advanced turf analysis equipment, provided the perfect backdrop for a day dedicated to improving irrigation knowledge and techniques across the turf and amenity sectors.

GroundsFest Academy Shines a Light on Irrigation

GroundsFest Academy Shines a Light on Irrigation

The CPD-accredited event guided participants through the fundamentals of irrigation systems, installation best practices, troubleshooting, and the latest innovations in irrigation technology. Sessions were designed to be practical and interactive, allowing attendees to get hands-on experience and take away knowledge that could be directly applied at their own sites.

Peter Robin from Origin Amenity Solutions, who led several sessions, said: “My purpose today was to help people understand how to make their irrigation systems better. A lot of sites have old systems that aren’t performing as they should, leading to issues like dry patch and poor turf uniformity. With a better understanding of hydraulics, people can make small tweaks that make a big difference.”

The event attracted a wide range of attendees from across the UK — from schools and sports clubs to golf courses and local authorities — all eager to build their knowledge and share experiences.

Christian Bath, Grounds and Gardens Supervisor at Haileybury School, attended to build confidence in maintaining both new and ageing irrigation systems: “We’ve recently had a new system put in alongside an old one that’s not working so well. Today really helped me understand the troubleshooting side — how to identify problems at the source and resolve them without unnecessary disruption. These events are so valuable because they encourage networking and show that others are facing the same challenges.”

For Joshua Weir, Greenkeeper at Llantrisant & Pontyclun Golf Club, the accessibility of the

GroundsFest Academy stood out: “Being free opens it up to a much wider audience because not every club or individual can afford to travel or pay for events. I’ve got a book full of notes and once I explain how well the day went, I’m sure my boss will send me to more Academy events.”

The sentiment was echoed by Esteve Sanchez, Groundsperson at Fulham Football Club:

“Right now, at Fulham FC we have are having a massive extension of irrigation, and so it is good to enhance our irrigation knowledge. I think this is a brilliant initiative from GroundsFest – these Academy events help bring the industry together and build knowledge on several different topics.”

John Hall from Hertfordshire Bowls agreed: “Today was a fantastic learning curve. We’ve gained a much better understanding of the systems we use and how to eliminate problems. Networking with others has been educational in itself – it can even help you save money by understanding how to do things better.”

Reflecting on another successful event, Bradley Tennant, Director of Education at the GroundsFest Academy, said: “We’ve had a really good mix of people attend today, from football and golf clubs to bowls clubs and landscaping companies. It’s fantastic to see the diversity in the industry and the enthusiasm to keep learning. It’s been another brilliant day for the GroundsFest Academy – and we’ve got an exciting 12 months ahead, so watch this space!”

With each event continuing to attract strong numbers and positive feedback, the GroundsFest Academy is firmly establishing itself as one of the most valuable free learning resources in the grounds care and landscaping sectors — giving professionals and volunteers at every level the chance to expand their skills, share knowledge, and strengthen the future of the industry.

For more information, please visit www.groundsfestacademy.com

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

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GreenBest Shines at BTME 2025

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GreenBest Shines at BTME 2025: BTME 2025 provided the perfect platform to share the exciting news of GreenBest’s recent acquisition by ICL.

The GreenBest team recently attended the prestigious Bigga Turf Management Exhibition (BTME) 2025, held in Harrogate. The event turned out to be a fantastic opportunity to connect with the turf management community, showcase their range of products, and share exciting company news.

GreenBest Shines at BTME 2025

GreenBest Shines at BTME 2025

Positioned at Stand 100 in Hall 1, the GreenBest booth attracted significant attention from attendees, helping to generate new prospective leads while allowing the team to reconnect with existing distributors and customers. GreenBest’s Bespoke Fertiliser services alongside their popular Velvit Fertilisers and other stocked ranges were proudly showcased.

BTME also provided the perfect platform to share the exciting news of GreenBest’s recent acquisition by ICL. This transition signifies an exciting new chapter for both companies. GreenBest remains a British-owned, managed, and operated company, with products continuing to be manufactured in the UK.

The acquisition by ICL offers GreenBest access to the highest-quality ingredients and additional investment into their production facilities. With support from Cleveland Potash Ltd and ICL Growing Solutions, GreenBest is poised to enhance their production capabilities, further improving the quality of their products and enabling the delivery of innovative and reliable solutions.

The Bespoke Fertiliser services, along with the Velvit, SmartLawn, and Florifeed brands, remain at the core of GreenBest’s offerings. This acquisition reinforces the strengths of both GreenBest and ICL, allowing them both to better serve their customers’ needs.

Aimee Davey, Marketing Manager at GreenBest, reflected on the importance of BTME: “Industry shows such as BTME are important to GreenBest. They help to enhance our brand presence, liaise with new and prospective customers, and support our current distributors. We’re thrilled with the outcomes of BTME and look forward to being back at the Harrogate Convention Centre in 2026.”

A highlight of BTME 2025 was a seminar presented by Daisy Lacey BSc (Hons) MBPR (FACTS) during the Continue To Learn Programme. Her talk, titled “How Are Fertilisers Made and Where Do They Come From?”, captivated attendees by exploring the origins of fertiliser materials—Mined, Made, Grown, and Recycled. Attendees also had the chance to gain one CPD point from the seminar.

GreenBest confirmed that they will be exhibiting at BTME 2026, scheduled to take place from 20th-22nd January 2026. ICL and GreenBest’s plans to innovate, grow, and strengthen their relationships within the turf management industry continues throughout 2025 and beyond.

For more information, visit www.greenbest.co.uk

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John Deere military event shines light on machinery careers

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John Deere military event shines light on machinery careers: John Deere has seen an influx of applications to its Military Hiring Programme after hosting a bespoke event for service leavers involving dealers from across the UK.

Held at the company’s UK headquarters in Langar, Nottinghamshire, the event gave armed forces personnel the chance to have detailed discussions about what the next stage of their career could look like working with one the world’s biggest machinery manufacturers.

John Deere military event shines light on machinery careers

John Deere military event shines light on machinery careers

The ground-breaking resettlement programme for military service personnel offers new career opportunities working on some of the world’s most advanced agricultural and professional groundscare products.

Members of the armed forces have been identified as ideal candidates to bring their unique skill sets and experience to technician roles within UK and Ireland dealerships as many have already worked with systems and products similar to those used by John Deere.

Those who enrol onto the programme are put into contact with an individual from the John Deere network who have resettled themselves, who will guide them through the next steps which includes free training courses before finding employment with a John Deere dealer.

“What was really successful about the day was the amount of conversation between military personnel and dealers,” says Allan Cochran, Branch Training Manager for John Deere.

“Everybody wanted to talk, everybody wanted to engage with the event, and I think everyone that was there, both military and dealers, got something out of it.”

The event drew a positive number of applications to the Military Hiring Programme, with 23 ex-servicemen now waiting for the next step to start their new career with John Deere.

The Military Hiring Programme has drawn interest from across the country, with attendees travelling from not just the surrounding Midlands, but also from as far as Cornwall and Scotland.

“To have people coming from all the country is really great to see,” says Allan. “We have dealers in all corners of the nation, and with the largest proportion of people wanting to resettle wherever they are based now, we can make that happen.”

As well as dealers and staff, attendees also had the opportunity to listen to those who had been through the Military Hiring Programme themselves and were now a part of the dealership network. Ex-servicemen Martin Frodsham, Will Foster and Mike Rogers spoke about their journey and what their career has been like since leaving the armed forces and becoming technicians.

Attendees also heard from John Deere instructors who showed them the machines that they would be working on should they apply to join John Deere, with a focus on precision agriculture and what the future looks like for agricultural technology.

The event was supported by ten John Deere dealers, including Thomas Sheriff, Cornthwaite Group, Ripon Farm Services, Ben Burgess, Tuckwells, Farol, Tallis Amos Group, Hunt Forest Group, Smallridge Bros, and Masons Kings.

Interested service members and ex-service members can apply to the Military Hiring Programme at any time online by visiting www.deere.com/JDMHP, or contact John Deere for more information.

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Lantra Shines a Light on Land-based Careers

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Lantra Shines a Light on Land-based Careers: The spotlight is on land-based and environment careers during this year’s National Careers Week, showcasing the breadth and diversity of opportunities that exist in this exciting area.

Lantra, the leading awarding body for the land-based and environment sector, is highlighting that a career in this area is varied and open to all. From career seekers to career changers, there are entry-points and pathways for people from all backgrounds, and all walks of life, which are highlighted on the Lantra careers web resource.

Lantra Shines a Light on Land-based Careers

Lantra Shines a Light on Land-based Careers

Stephanie Stevens, Careers and Engagement Manager at Lantra commented: “There is a challenge in making young people, particularly, aware that the land-based and environment sector exists – never mind the range of jobs that fall under farming, looking after trees, landscaping and so much more!”.

“Lantra is delighted to be celebrating #NationalCareersWeek, following our recent attendance at What Career? Live. We want to support and empower individuals to take the next step in their career by finding out more about pathways like apprenticeships, further education, and the many vocations the sector has to offer”.

Lantra had a presence for the first time at the busy What Career? Live event which took place on the 1 and 2 March. The careers team were joined by Ollie Brisbourne, who works for a virtual fencing business and is an active member of the Newport Young Farmers Club in Shropshire, who also spoke at the event.

Ollie said: “Agriculture is modernising day by day, with technology becoming a more benefiting factor throughout. My job has allowed me to maximize the benefit of my understanding of the farming industry and farmers themselves, to offer support within the use of Nofence and the data provided.

This system enables fencing virtually, working with GPS and mobile signal to keep livestock within the virtual boundary, benefiting both animal welfare, habitat management, and a variety of other farming systems.”

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Dennis E-Series shines at San Siro

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Dennis E-Series shines at San Siro: Two models in the Dennis E-Series battery-powered range are setting the standard in Italy by maintaining the pitch at the world-famous San Siro stadium.

San Siro is the home stadium of two of the most successful Italian Football League clubs: A.C. Milan and F.C. Internazionale (Inter), and in addition to hosting the matches of Milan and Inter, it welcomes concerts of many of the most renowned Italian and international artists.

Dennis E-Series shines at San Siro

Dennis E-Series shines at San Siro

Giovanni Castelli has been the Agronomist at San Siro since the Italia 90 World Cup. He oversees a team of 6 groundstaff and is responsible for every pitch operation. Under his remit, Giovanni also decides on which machinery should be used at the San Siro, and he explained his reasons for choosing the Dennis ES-860 and ES-34R.

“From ordinary maintenance to the extraordinary, our main goal is to have a perfect pitch for every game,” he said. “There isn’t any room for mistakes and if you don’t want to make mistakes then you need the best machines – for innovation, quality, and performance.

“We looked at other battery-powered mowers, but the Dennis E-Series was the best. With the E-Series you get a better cut – you can set the clip rate, and you can also cut in difficult conditions, when it is raining or when the pitch is very young.

“Another reason for switching to the E-Series was to become greener,” continued Giovanni. “Milan is a city where the green culture has influenced the architecture, production technologies, and transport, and we decided to be part of this evolution. The San Siro is the most important theatre – not only in Milan but the whole of Italy and we must be a pioneer of the green conversion and lead the way.

“Last but not least we have many tourists who visit the stadium every day and the experience of the peaceful, empty stadium is an incredible moment. With the Dennis E-Series that silence is safe and doesn’t disrupt the tourist experience.

“The work we do in San Siro helps other teams improve the pitches all over Italy and I would recommend the E-Series to every club in the country.”

For many years, turf professionals have been choosing Dennis Mowers for their superb cut quality and reliability, and anticipation quickly started building when the company announced its new battery-powered range.

Leaving no stone unturned, Dennis Mowers spent three years working with carefully selected partners to develop a range of quality battery-powered equipment befitting of the Dennis badge. The aim was to provide a reliable and long-lasting solution with the ultimate performance that helps professionals meet sustainability and environmental initiatives, reduce carbon footprint, emissions, running costs and noise without any range anxiety.

After an E-Series demonstration, Giovanni selected the ES-860 and the ES-34R.

Dennis E-Series shines at San Siro

Dennis E-Series shines at San Siro

The ES-860, 34” battery powered turf management system delivers maximum versatility and the range of 13 interchangeable cassette options provide a solution to many day-to-day maintenance tasks such as cutting, scarifying, brushing, slitting and verticutting.

Furthermore, traditional G860 cassettes will also fit the ES-860, meaning that customers will not have to purchase additional cassettes.

The ES-34R is a 34″ (860mm) battery powered twin blade rotary mower. It is ideal for fine turf mowing and cleaning up operations in stadia and training facilities. Utilising the contra rotating hardened steel blades and low chute ensures maximum collection performance.

A robust LCD keypad screen is an integral feature of the handlebar console on every model in the ES range. This provides the operator with a multitude of information options including speed, clip rate, service checks, lifetime running reports and battery information.

Antonio Di Nunzio, the Head Groundsman at the San Siro, is also a big fan of the Dennis E-Series.

“We have two of the biggest clubs in Italy playing on this pitch and we have a high frequency of matches – approximately one every two days over the season. Therefore, we need the best machines to combat the high usage.

“We’ve always used Dennis mowers at San Siro – we had the petrol versions and now we have switched to their electric models. I’m really happy with them for several reasons. They allow us to work without the noise of engines and there are less vibrations which make them easier to control, more comfortable, and less stressful to work with. The quality and result of finish is always good because you can set the machines to exactly the way you want them.”

The San Siro grounds team purchased the E-Series models through Pratoverde, a Dennis and SISIS Italian distributor, and Antonio said their support has been invaluable.

“Pratoverde were instrumental in our decision to purchase the Dennis E-Series machines. We have a great relationship; they offer us good support and are always quick to answer any questions we may have.”

To hear what Giovanni Castelli says about the Dennis E-Series, visit https://youtu.be/5rnrhHk3zx8

To Hear what Antonio Di Nunzio says about the Dennis E-Series, visit https://youtu.be/2BWpIc90o6E

For further information or a no obligation demonstration, please contact Dennis 01332 824 777 or visit www.dennisuk.com

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

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

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