Tag Archive for: Volunteers

Volunteers hosted at MKM Stadium

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Volunteers hosted at MKM Stadium: In a first-of-its-kind event, the Grounds Management Association (GMA), Hull City FC and East Riding FA have come together to welcome over 60 local grassroots volunteers to the MKM Stadium.

This behind-the-scenes experience offered participants a unique insight into professional grounds management and enabled grassroots volunteers the opportunity to learn more about the skill and techniques utilised to maintain an elite playing surface.

Volunteers hosted at MKM Stadium

Volunteers hosted at MKM Stadium

Attendees, who are all part of East Riding’s ‘Pitch Partners’ programme, were given a guided tour of the stadium, oversaw different aspects of pitch testing and were provided insight into the science behind pitch care. There was also the opportunity to learn about the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service and how it supports grassroots organisations such as clubs, local authorities and educational institutions to ensure that playing surfaces meet the highest standards possible.

Chris Hunter, GMA Regional Pitch Advisor said: “This event really shows how important it is for everyone involved in sport, from volunteers to professionals, to come together and share ideas. To see so many grassroots volunteers here today has been fantastic. An event of this scale would not have been possible without the work of all the stakeholders involved.

“It’s not often that these individuals, who work so hard behind the scenes to make sport possible, get to experience the professional side of grounds management. We’re grateful to Hull City and all the partners for providing such an enriching experience and showcasing the importance of community.”

The ‘Day in the Life of Hull City’s Head Grounds Manager’ not only highlighted the practicalities of maintaining grass surfaces but also enabled the community-focused attendees to network with like-minded volunteers as well as professional grounds people and grounds care experts.

Representatives from the Football Foundation were on hand to provide information about potential funding grants and further avenues of support that could be taken away to help community clubs across the region.

Adam Lowthorpe, East Riding County Football Association Chief Executive Officer said: “It is with great delight that we have been able to welcome so many volunteers from across the breadth of our county to this fantastic workshop today. Our collaboration with the Grounds Management Association and Hull City AFC is another significant step in our attempts to provide more high-quality grass football pitches for people to play on and enjoy grassroots football in East Riding.”

Aaron Tong, Head Groundsman at Hull City, said: “Grassroots football is close to my heart, and it was a pleasure to host the event at our stadium and give something back to grassroots in the community. We showed them our equipment and a few of the jobs we do on the pitch, shared our matchday operations and post-match procedures, as well as giving them a stadium tour. They asked questions on what to do in different scenarios and asked for our advice on their pitches. We hope they found our outside perspective useful and that everyone left having learned something new.”

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Volunteers help get Wembley pitch match fit

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Volunteers help get Wembley pitch match fit: Two volunteer groundskeepers were given the experience of a lifetime by helping prepare the world-famous Wembley pitch ahead of the Lionesses’ game against the Netherlands.

The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation ran a competition as part of the Get Your Pitch Match Fit campaign that celebrates the importance of grass pitches and the groundskeepers who maintain them for the grassroots game.

Volunteers help get Wembley pitch match fit

Volunteers help get Wembley pitch match fit

Trevor Chenery and Tony Hesketh are volunteer groundskeepers at Halesworth Town Juniors FC in Suffolk and Acton Ealing Whistlers AFC in West London respectively. Between them, the Clubs have received over £129k in grant funding from the Foundation to get their pitches looking and playing their best.

Wembley Stadium’s Grounds Manager, Karl Standley, was on hand to offer expert advice, show them what’s involved in getting the hallowed turf match ready and help them put the finishing touches on England’s most prestigious pitch.

Trevor said: “Every football fan dreams of stepping out onto the Wembley pitch, so to be able to do that has been a dream come true.

“Groundskeeping is a real labour of love and today I’ve seen that it’s exactly the same for the top groundskeepers in the country. There’s so much I’ve learnt that’ll help me take my own pitch to the next level.

“I’d like to thank the Football Foundation for all the advice and funding I have received so far by using PitchPower and of course for the incredible opportunity today.”

The pair were selected at random from users of PitchPower – the Football Foundation’s free web app for inspecting and improving grass pitches.

Through PitchPower, anyone responsible for a grass pitch can inspect their pitches and receive bespoke advice from experts at the Grounds Management Association on how to improve them. After receiving these recommendations, PitchPower users have the opportunity to apply for grants of up to £12,800 per pitch through the Foundation to put them into action.

Tony said: “Before using PitchPower, we regularly had to call off games because our pitches just couldn’t handle any form of bad weather.

“Now, not only are our fixtures able to go ahead as planned, but our players actually enjoy the games more because they get to play on quality playing surfaces. That transformation wouldn’t have been possible without PitchPower and the funding we received from the Football Foundation.

“Today has been great and I hope to take some of Karl’s advice back to our pitches at Acton Ealing Whistlers AFC to ensure all our players can enjoy their football!”

Karl Standley, Wembley Grounds Manager and Football Foundation Supporter, said: “Having a quality playing surface is vital, whether you’re playing in the World Cup final or Sunday League with your friends.

“The grassroots game couldn’t function without volunteer groundskeepers giving up their time for clubs across the country and I’m proud to help the Football Foundation shine a spotlight on the vital role they play.

“Thanks to the support of the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Foundation will be investing £21 million a year to get grass pitches across the country looking and playing their best.

“I’d encourage anyone responsible for a grass pitch to keep an eye out on the Foundation’s social channels for tips and tricks on how to maintain their grass pitches and sign up to PitchPower to start their grass pitch transformation journey.”

To help more people enjoy all the benefits of grassroots sport, the Foundation has set the target of reaching 20,000 ‘good’ quality grass pitches across the country by 2030.

For more information, head over to the Foundation’s website:

https://footballfoundation.org.uk/get-your-pitch-match-fit

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Toro winners selected as volunteers

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Toro winners selected as volunteers: To be selected is a honour like no other and two previous winners of the Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards have been successful in gaining a place as a volunteer at the 150th Open at St Andrew’s in July.

The 2018 winner Daniel Ashelby from Reddish Vale Golf Club and last year’s winner Matthew Milligan from Rudding Park will help prepare the Old Course’s famous fairways for the international event at the home of golf.

Toro winners selected as volunteers

Toro winners selected as volunteers

When it comes to the opportunities that come with winning the decades old competition – and to shine a light on the fact that there is still time to make nominations into the 2022 event – we talk to Daniel Ashelby about what’s happened to him since being crowned champion four years ago.

“Since winning I’ve gone onto be head man at Hartford Golf Club in Cheshire and now I’m working at my dream club. Both roles have given me some absolutely fantastic experiences. At Hartford, during the pandemic, I was running the course by myself and that taught me to trust my instincts and put so much of what I’d learnt over the years into practice.”

Attending Massachusetts Winter School for Turf Managers as part of his prize for winning the Student Greenkeeper of the Year Award set off a passion for education and Daniel is now in his final year of his degree in golf course management.

With educational, international, all-expenses-paid prizes for the winners, runners up and nominators, there’s nothing to lose by nominating your best candidates into the 2022 competition.

And of course the future opportunities for the winners are endless, as Daniel says: “All the networking, learning experiences and personal development that transpire from winning the award have contributed greatly to me being in this position now.

“Being selected as a volunteer for The Open is literally a dream come true. Only those who have the right attitude, skills, ambition and qualifications succeed, and I do think winning the award had a role to play in this. There’s a correlation to the type of people I’ve met on the journey and the paths I’ve been put on that have led here. They go hand in hand.”

So what about those lecturers and employers who think they have a shining star in their midst? What would Daniel say to those those people who have the power to change one of their students or employees lives?

“Just do it. Putting that person’s name in the hat is the first step to opening up a world of possibilities and opportunities,” he says. “And if you’re thinking about nominating somone you’ve nominated before, do that too! Don’t let them feel knocked back if it didn’t work out the first time. Since then that person has grown up, evolved and has a better chance than ever before.”

Nominations into the 2022 Toro Student Greenkeeper of the Year Awards can be made now until 31 May online at BIGGA. This year’s finals will be held on 5-6 September.

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Introducing BIGGA’s volunteers

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Introducing BIGGA’s volunteers: The Open 2019 is heading to Sandwich in Kent this July and the British & International Golf Greenkeepers Association has revealed which members have been selected to join the volunteer support team that will help maintain playing standards throughout the event.

Each year The R&A requests BIGGA’s assistance with the championship and this will be the fourth time a volunteer team of BIGGA members has attended an Open at Royal St George’s, having also helped out in 1993, 2003 and 2011.

Introducing BIGGA's volunteers

Introducing BIGGA’s volunteers

BIGGA members who join the support team are given unprecedented access to golf’s greatest championship, supporting every match with bunker-raking duties.

The bunkers at Royal St George’s are among the most famous in golf, with the giant ‘Himalaya’ on the 4th hole proving an intimidating test, not just for the golfers who land in the hazard, but also the members of the support team who will tidy up the sand afterwards.

Every full BIGGA greenkeeper member is eligible to apply for a place on the team and over the years there have been incredible memories made by support team members.

Phillip Snellin of Donaghadee Golf Club was a team member at Royal Portrush in 2019. He drew the final match of the championship and had a money-can’t-buy view as Shane Lowry and Tommy Fleetwood battled it out for the Claret Jug.

“The last two holes were among the best things that have ever happened to me,” said Phillip. “It was awesome. Walking down the 18th, I’ve never experienced anything like that. The songs, the atmosphere, the hair stood up on my arms big time and there’s no words that can describe it.”

BIGGA Chief Executive Officer Jim Croxton said: “The Open is, in my view, the finest tournament in the sport with the beautiful links courses that host the event being critical to that. Royal St George’s is a special venue and I’m thrilled that once again members of BIGGA have the chance to play a small part in presenting it for the world’s best players.

“Following two very difficult years in terms of weather, I know that Course Manager Paul Larsen and his team have put in an extraordinary amount of work to ensure the links will be in prime condition.

“I’m extremely proud that once again The R&A has called upon BIGGA’s professional members to assist with the maintenance of the course throughout the championship. The Open is a long week but everyone at BIGGA is looking forward to giving our all and ensuring the 149th Open is Royal St George’s best one yet.”

The BIGGA Volunteer Open Support Team will be provided with accommodation, food, refreshments and uniform for the event. Members of the support team may also be called upon at short notice to assist Course Manager Paul Larsen and his team with early morning preparation work and divoting duties. With early tee times and golf played until nightfall, the week is intense and physically-demanding.

The 149th Open takes place from 16 to 19 July 2020. Thank you to everyone who applied to be part of this year’s team.

Here are the BIGGA members who will be assisting the home greenkeepers for the duration of the event:

Robert Acheson, Thornock Park GC; David Ball, Thetford GC; James Bonfield, The Hertfordshire G&CC; Tom Bromfield, Trentham GC; Andrew Brown, Boundary Lakes; Mark Cleverley, Hollywood GC; Jason Connoughton, Yeovil GC; Daryn Curtis, Royal Mid-Surrey GC; James Dawson, Oulton Hall GC; Julian Drake, Neath GC; Nicholas Edwards, The Wisley; Michael Elderfield, Sandy Lodge GC; Edoardo Fauro, Walton Heath; Ryan Fiander, Lees Hall GC; Stuart Fry, Old Thorns GC; Craig Gibson, Essendon CC; Jorge Grandio, Royal Wimbledon GC; James Hampson, Llanymynech GC; Craig Hempseed, Mortonhall GC; Kevin Hensman, Rowlands Castle GC; Alastair Hollingsbee, Etchinghill GC; James Hook, Woodspring G&CC; Dale Housden, Drayton Park GC; Adam King, Radley GC; Antony Kirwan, Romford GC; Matthew Kitson, Royal Mid-Surrey GC; John Le Cappelain, Royal Jersey GC; Chris Low, Olton GC; Matthew Mackenzie, Ellesborough GC; Steven Mapes, Coventry GC; Michael Mead, Littlehampton GC; Peter Meek, The Wisley; William Merritt, Beacon Park GC; Ashley Millar, Churston GC; Harry Misselbrook, Harewood Downs GC; Ryan Neale, Blackwell GC; Joshua Raper, Golf Club Hosel E.V.; Laura Sayer-Hall, Ardfin GC; Tom Silcock, Macclesfield GC; Will Simmonds, The Richmond GC; Niels Sorensen, Randers Golf Klub; David Stewart, Walmley GC; Nick Street, Crews Hill GC; Ollie Tanton, Royal North Devon GC; Amy Thomas, Barton-on-Sea GC; Scott Thomson, Wetherby GC; Gary Tonge, Tain GC; Jeremy Ward, Rotherham GC.

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Volunteers ‘Disheartened’ After Pitch Vandalism

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Volunteers ‘Disheartened’ After Pitch Vandalism: Volunteers at an amateur football club have been left “disheartened” after vandals rode across their pitch on off-road motorcycles.

After going to check the pitch at Breightmet Wanderers’ Dolan Park on Sunday morning, a member of the club spotted long tyre trails across the turf.

The pitches, off Newby Road, have been left open to the public since the team took ownership of them around two years ago but club secretary Andy Fearnley said they might have to be closed off following the “frustrating” vandalism.

He said: “It’s something I don’t want to do because it’s there for the community to use but it’s just a shame when something like this happens. We’re looking at closing it to the public if we have to.”

The pitch is used by nine teams, with age groups from under 8s to 17s playing games at Dolan Park. It is kept in shape by a team of volunteers from the club.

Mr Fearnley explained that, while the damage to the pitch was not extensive, it has caused concern.

He said: “On Saturday we had three sets of teams playing there, the under 8s, 9s and 10s, so if this had happened a day before then all of the games could’ve been cancelled.

” It’s not a major amount to fix depending on the weather but it’s all voluntary so when you turn up and see this it’s awful.”

He added: “There’s a difficult balance between providing a maintained pitch for our players and appreciating the need for a local community outside area but this makes me want to put barriers up.”

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