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Look for the Standard

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Look for the Standard: Following its launch, the Amenity Standard is receiving widespread and enthusiastic support from all sides of the amenity sector and is already being incorporated into tender documents and specifications going forward.

The Amenity Standard, when held and displayed, demonstrates that all operational activities undertaken are at the highest professional standards and fully comply with all regulations, code of practice and good practice guidance.

Look for the Standard

Look for the Standard

The key reason for introducing this UK wide standard is to provide assurance to the public and all users of an amenity space. Displaying and holding the Standard means that the organisation and individuals undertaking the operations are members of an approved assurance scheme. The assurance scheme is audited fully before being recognised by the Amenity Standard. Holding the Standard demonstrates that all the work undertaken is of the highest professional level and meets all legislative requirements and fully follows the code of practice and good practice guidance.

Currently not all aspects of amenity management have assurance schemes recognised but work is on going to ensure this will be the case very soon. Seeking out the Standard provides reassurance on quality standards and confidence that the essential work being done is at a professional level with safety as a key objective.

Professor John Moverley, Independent Chairman of the Amenity Forum said ‘’Our aim is to ensure that all involved in amenity management operations meets the requirements of the Standard and we wish for all involved to look for The Standard and its logo to provide full assurance of the quality of operations and commitment to best practice. As I often say, what happens in amenity management impacts upon every UK citizen every day and the introduction of the Standard provides assurance to the public of adherence to requirements to provide safe, healthy amenity areas fit for purpose.

We are delighted with the way those involved have welcomed the Standard and it has strong support from all national governments in the UK. Integrated approaches are core to this, making use of all methods available to achieve optimum results’’

Alan Abel from Complete Weed Control, said ‘’We are proud to hold the Amenity Standard and show our commitment to best practice, integrated approaches and meeting all requirements. We urge all seeking to employ operators to ensure the organisation involved meets the Standard requirements and is a full supporter of the Amenity Forum.  The Amenity Standard is designed to give assurance to all who use such facilities that operations are carried out to the highest professional levels of best practice giving assurances equivalent to seeing the Red Tractor when buying food’’

For further information about the Standard, visit the website, www.theamenitystandard.co.uk . Public facing information on what happens in amenity management and how it is done can be found at www.getbritainmoving.uk

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The growing role of PGR’s

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The growing role of PGR’s: Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s) are a longstanding programme component for those maintaining all types of amenity grassland and managed amenity turf.

Clipless NT® from Headland Amenity’s is a Trinexapac-ethyl PGR, which is typically applied from mid-April on outfield or course turf and mid-late May on fine turf. Alex Hawkes, Headland’s Sports Turf Manager explores how PGR’s work and how many are now finding additional benefits of their use.

The growing role of PGR’s

The growing role of PGR’s

PGR’s effectively block the production of gibberellic acid – the plant hormone responsible for cell elongation. By lowering levels of the hormone within the plant leaf, PGR’s reduce cell elongation and vertical growth and, instead, redirect the energy within the plant to generate enhanced root development and lateral growth. In its simplest capacity, it can contribute towards a sward that requires less frequent mowing, saving manpower and associated machinery costs. They can be particularly useful for reducing mowing in difficult or dangerous areas such as steep banks.

Because growth is redirected from vertical to horizontal, PGR’s are often employed by greenkeepers and groundsmen alike to increase the density of a given area. Moreover, they have also been shown to optimise the conditions for seeding operations – particularly those in or near competitive swards. With the regulated growth and lower energy consumption of the existing plant, nutrition from the soil profile is optimised for germination and establishment of the new seedling.

At Trent College in Nottingham, Head of Gardens and Grounds Peter Flewitt trialled Clipless NT® in this capacity, on the schools four cricket squares. “In our environment, we are able to renovate the squares much earlier in the growing season than perhaps other local clubs or the county grounds would. We applied Clipless NT® at the end of July, a week before we started our renovations and we nicknamed this area our ‘old grass’. We were interested to see if by regulating the growth here, the new seed sown in the vicinity would germinate better due to lower competition – and it worked well.”

Peter continues, “We left the ‘new grass’ to grow through and the difference in their comparative growth speeds was evident – particularly when we mowed for the first time that it was just this new grass being cut. With the Clipless NT®, used in conjunction with H-Cote™ (slow-release fertiliser) we were able to then manage and sustain the healthy, dense sward we achieved in our renovations through the autumn and winter period when our workload shifts focus onto our winter sports areas. With the wet winter we had, the Clipless NT® application kept growth in check meaning we didn’t have to take any mowing equipment out onto the soft ground at any stage.”

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JCB help on the menu

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JCB help on the menu: JCB has launched an international aid initiative in the communities around its factories to help people in need of food as a result of disruption caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

The company’s catering staff in the UK and India are preparing more than 37,000 meals a week for distribution around towns and villages located close to its plants. The initiative is the idea of Lady Bamford, wife of JCB Chairman Lord Bamford.

JCB help on the menu

JCB help on the menu

In the UK, staff are busily preparing 2,000 cottage pies a week for distribution in the North Staffordshire area. The first of the cottage pies arrived at The Hubb Foundation in Burslem, Stoke-on Trent for distribution today (Thursday, April 2ndd), to children and families in need of support across the city. JCB also plans to expand the initiative to cater for the homeless.

The first meals arrived in specially prepared containers with a message, which reads: “Lovingly prepared by JCB’s chefs for our local community.”

The scale of the operation in India is even bigger, where the Coronavirus has caused huge disruption to people’s lives. Forty-five JCB staff have been mobilised to cook more than 35,000 meals a week in the company canteens for communities around JCB’s factory locations in Delhi, Pune and Jaipur.

Today Lady Bamford said: “The world is facing an international crisis and now, more than ever, it’s important for communities to pull together and help some of the most vulnerable people in our society. The JCB teams in the UK and India are doing an amazing job to prepare so many meals for distribution to people who are most in need right now.”

In the UK, distribution of the meals will be widened in the coming days and weeks to cover the homeless, NHS frontline employees, vulnerable families in Rocester, Cheadle and Uttoxeter, the elderly and those suffering from mental illness.

The Hubb Foundation offers free activities, spaces and food to children and their parents across    Stoke-on-Trent during school holidays.

Carol Shanahan, founder of The Hubb Foundation, said: “Our activities are limited due to the national restrictions, but the team was determined to provide meals in these unprecedented times.

We are indebted to JCB for their support. The food will be delivered to our base at Port Vale Football Club and then distributed through our network of staff, volunteers and local businesses who are collaborating with us to a make difference in the city.”

The Hubb Foundation is planning to send out 5,000 meals over the Easter holiday, with the support of JCB.

Meanwhile, India is currently in national lockdown until April 14th and tens of thousands of the country’s 45 million migrant workers have been heading back to their villages after losing their jobs as businesses in the cities were forced to shut temporarily.

Thousands of migrant workers are also choosing to remain in the places where they work but with no income, they have no means to buy food.

To help alleviate the harrowing situation, JCB is providing food parcels to the most vulnerable in the areas around its factories. The food being distributed includes a vegetable curry, rice, green vegetables and chapatis and provides a meal of 1,000 calories. A team of JCB volunteers is working with local authorities to ensure the aid reaches the most vulnerable in society.

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Great products for the great outdoors

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Great products for the great outdoors: Leading manufacturer of outdoor equipment and power tools, Makita UK has expanded its line of cordless power equipment with an impressive range of new garden machinery tools, specifically aimed at the outdoor sector.  

Building upon its vast experience in cordless technology, Makita has added to its line up with a wide range of equipment that now offers professionals over 70 cordless outdoor power equipment (OPE) tools within its innovative LXT battery platform. The platform is designed with professionals in mind, to provide beneficial solutions against petrol products to offer lower noise and vibration levels, reduced maintenance and zero emissions, whilst providing the levels of power and torque professionals need to tackle the many outdoor tasks and applications they face on a day to day basis.  

Great products for the great outdoors

Great products for the great outdoors

By adding to the existing range, these higher specification, new products ensure there is a tool for any job, that matches the daily demands of working outdoors, including: 

Brushless Lawn Mowers 

The lawn mower range includes one new aluminium deck (DLM533) and three new steel deck models (DLM462, DLM530, DLM532). Powered by two 18V Li-ion batteries in series to supply energy to the powerful 36V DC motor drive system, these machines can be fitted with four batteries to give contractors extended cutting time. With a manual battery selection, simply flick the switch to change over to the second pair of batteries when the initial set has discharged. 

All Twin 18V, the new models include an electric brake and a large grass box with a useful level indicator, as well as a built-in mulching option and weather–proof cover. By adding to the existing three models in the range, professionals can choose the model to suit the scale of their lawn groundwork, from smaller domestic lawns right up to areas of 2,300m2. 

Brushless Hedge Trimmers 

Ideal for tackling mature growth, thick branches and hedges, two new single sided hedge trimmers offer improved and safer handling, thanks to the single blade, lightweight design and two-handed start up. The 18V DUH604S and DUH754S both feature three speed settings, a reverse switch to clear the blades if branches get jammed and automatic shut off if the machine is not operated for 60 seconds after being turned on. The blade profile has been designed for smother cutting, whilst low vibration and high power allows operators to work efficiently, even on large hedges, with less fatigue.  

Brushless Linetrimmers and Brush Cutters 

Providing access to varied shrubland and undergrowth, the new Twin 18V Linetrimmer (DUR369L) and Brush Cutter (DUR369A) models provide an excellent alternative to manoeuvring heavy and cumbersome machinery. Both operate using a 1kW motor – equivalent to a 33cc 2-stroke engine machine and include automatic torque drive technology (ADT), which adjusts the RPM according to the density of the weeds, plus active feedback sensing technology (AFT) which shuts down the tool to protect the user if the rotation speed suddenly slows down. Alternatively, the new UR101CZ and UR201CZ models are equivalent to the DUR369 products, however these are designed for use with Makita’s backpack battery rather than connecting individual batteries to the machines, making these models better suited for contractors who require longer run-times for larger areas.      

Portable Battery Pack 

The PDC01 battery backpack provides ‘portable fuel’ enabling operators to continue to work and reducing the frequency required to replace batteries. The backpack neatly holds four 18V LXT batteries for use with the 18V adaptor or twin 18V adaptors that attach to the tools, in order to create a portable power supply – which is ideal for use with high-drain products. Unlike other backpack battery systems where the entire unit needs to be recharged, the Makita system uses interchangeable 18V batteries, enabling operators to double or quadruple the run time of their work depending on the tool being used. Simply replace the batteries when the first sets are empty and then carry on working whilst recharging your initial battery sets! 

Commenting on the new releases, Mark Earles, Business Development Manager for garden machinery at Makita said: “We are delighted to offer outdoor professionals even more choice with this exciting new line-up. All the new releases are powered by Makita’s Lithium-ion LXT battery technology, the biggest battery platform in the world. With over 200 products within this system, operators can seamlessly interchange between projects and equipment, so whatever challenge the great outdoors presents, professionals can be confident that using Makita will get the job done.” 

All products are available to order.

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Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London

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Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London: Husqvarna Automower® has been tasked with a very special assignment, keeping the lawns at the Tower of London in tip top condition.

As reported this week in the Evening Standard, Husqvarna Automower® has been deployed at the Tower of London to ensure the capital’s oldest lawns are well maintained as we head in to spring.

Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London

Husqvarna Automower® at the Tower of London

The first battery powered machine was installed last year, and due to its success, its fleet was expanded earlier this year to include three new residents.

Purchased by The Tower of London’s Ground’s maintenance contractor, Ground Control, two Husqvarna Automower® have been installed on the lawns surrounding the castle moat, and will be deployed each morning, come rain or shine.

Husqvarna Automower® 535 AWD has also been installed on the lawn of the White Tower and will work throughout the night to avoid disturbing the resident ravens. The AI-enabled robotic mower has been designed with all-wheel drive and can manage rough terrain and slopes with an incline of up to 70%.

Made in the UK, the robotic mowers will replace the ride-on diesel mowers previously used by Ground Control.

They will provide head gardener, David Williams, with a more environmentally friendly way of keeping the prestigious lawns in outstanding condition and contributes to Ground Control’s Green strategy of 50% of all of hand tools being battery operated by 2025.

They also produce less noise than regular mowers and have the ability to work day or night, rain or shine. The machines are environmentally friendly and are controlled via the Husqvarna Fleet Services and Connect app.

Husqvarna UK Professional Manager, Kevin Ashmore said: “It’s fantastic for us to showcase Husqvarna Automower® at such a prestigious and prominent attraction in our country’s capital. Lee Squires, David and his team will see huge benefits from the installation, not only environmental but in time saving, allowing his team to spend their time on other tasks.”

To mark the installation, the Tower of London has challenged followers to name their new resident. To put your suggestion forward, visit the Tower of London’s Twitter page.  

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