Tag Archive for: Wales’

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

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Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales: Since its launch in September 2024, the Grounds Management Association’s (GMA) Pitch Advisory Service Wales is already reshaping the landscape of grassroots football, one pitch at a time.

Backed by the Cymru Football Foundation and funded by the Football Association of Wales, this game-changing initiative is delivering expert pitch advice and hands-on support to clubs across the country.

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

Transforming Grassroots Football Pitches In Wales

With over 200 playing surfaces supported already, and growing engagement from clubs, the initiative is helping to enhance facilities and improve playing conditions. Since its launch, the programme has already facilitated over 145 individual site visits from GMA pitch experts, with over 70 Equipment Fund Grants allocated, amounting to more than £1.2m in funding.

Building on a decade of success in England, where the service has transformed over 12,500 clubs and assessed nearly 50,000 pitches, the GMA is now bringing its proven expertise to Welsh football.

The programme’s impact has been wide-reaching, not just in the number of clubs engaged, but also in the potential improvement of overall pitch quality across the region. One club already seeing a significant impact is Cardiff Corinthians AFC, a grassroots football club near the River Taff that faced severe flooding after Storm Bert in November 2024. With matches frequently called off due to waterlogging, the club struggled to maintain its pitch.

A site visit from the Pitch Advisory Service team identified key areas for improvement, leading to a better understanding and adoption of an enhanced annual maintenance plan, and the club securing over £18,000 in funding for essential maintenance equipment, including a tractor, finishing mower and a turf groomer. With expert advice from the GMA, the club can now maintain its pitch effectively, reducing cancellations and improving the playing experience for the community.

Fiona Boyle, Juniors Secretary at Cardiff Corinthians AFC, said: “Before the Pitch Advisory Service Wales, we were constantly battling against the weather, and it felt like an impossible task to maintain a pitch that could withstand the elements. The support from PAS Wales has helped us to transform our approach to pitch management.

“Thanks to the advice and funding we received, we now have the right tools and the knowledge to keep our pitch in top condition. This has not only improved the quality of the pitch but also ensured that our teams can play consistently without disruptions. It’s made a massive difference to both our players and the local community, who rely on us to provide a safe, well-maintained facility.”

The work of PAS Wales is also to support the creating of a longer-term sustainability culture within Welsh grassroots football. Clubs are encouraged to think about the future of their facilities and how to plan for ongoing maintenance. The expert support provided helps clubs develop skills and knowledge that will have a lasting impact.

Dan Bradley, GMA’s Key Account Manager for Football in South Wales, added: “With football participation in Wales on the up, particularly among women, girls, and youth, too many community clubs are still having to cancel games due to poor pitch conditions. This is a huge frustration for players, coaches, and communities.

“Cancellations result in lost opportunities to play, wasted resources, and missed moments that are integral to grassroots football. The good news is that with the right support and guidance, the issues faced by clubs can be addressed and improved upon.

“We’ve already seen first-hand how small, strategic improvements can have a significant impact. Our goal is to empower these clubs with the knowledge and skillsets they need to deliver quality fit-for-purpose pitches that not only meet today’s demands but also support the long-term growth of football and create more opportunities for players to flourish.”

Currently, only 20% of grass pitches in Wales are rated as “good” or above, against the GMA’s Grounds Management Framework. With the Pitch Advisory Service now in place, the GMA aims to raise that standard significantly.

There are free toolkits available to help volunteer grounds managers optimise their playing surface throughout the season: thegma.org.uk/toolkit.

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KP Agri appointed as South Wales Corvus dealer

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KP Agri appointed as South Wales Corvus dealer: Agricultural machinery specialist, KP Agri, has been appointed as a Corvus Off-Road Vehicle dealer.

BOSS ORV, the Corvus UK distributor, who has been growing the Corvus dealer network since 2019, made the announcement. KP Agri is a family-run company based in South Wales. Started by Paul Benton in 2008 as a 29-year-old ‘man with a van’, following working for a local Claas dealer, the business grew quickly, and he took on premises with Kelly, his wife, and business partner.

KP Agri appointed as South Wales Corvus dealer

KP Agri appointed as South Wales Corvus dealer

Alongside other very strong franchises, KP Agri will be selling and supporting the Corvus range of off-road utility vehicles comprising the Corvus Terrain DX4 diesel models and the EX4 all-electric UTV. Corvus was the first European manufacturer of UTVs and describes their vehicles as high-quality, tough workhorses widely in use in agriculture, turf and groundscare, landscaping, forestry, and construction.

“We’re very pleased to have KP Agri join the Corvus dealer network,” says BOSS ORV National Sales Manager, Neil Everett. “They put a great deal of emphasis on not only the buying and selling of agricultural machinery but also the essential after-sales support with their excellent facilities and approach to customers.”

Paul Benton expressed the company’s view, saying “we’re proud to have been appointed as the official Corvus UTV dealer for South Wales. This is an exciting new franchise for us, and we’re thrilled to bring Europe’s leading UTV brand to our customers. As the first European manufacturer of UTVs, Corvus sets the standard for off-road work and adventure with cutting-edge engineering and reliability. We have a demo machine available and welcome customers to get in touch and experience the performance of Corvus UTV firsthand.”

For more information about BOSS ORV distributed machinery, you can call 01785 561046

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Origin Amenity Solutions Sponsors Wales in Bloom

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Origin Amenity Solutions Sponsors Wales in Bloom: Origin Amenity Solutions (OAS) is proud to announce its sponsorship of the City Category Award at the prestigious Wales in Bloom 2024 Award Ceremony, an event dedicated to celebrating bloom group’s achievements across Wales.

Wales in Bloom is a national element of the RHS Britain in Bloom Competition, working in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to promote environmental stewardship and community engagement through gardening projects whilst supporting and enhancing their local communities, parks, and green spaces.

Origin Amenity Solutions Sponsors Wales in Bloom

Origin Amenity Solutions Sponsors Wales in Bloom

A voluntary organisation, Wales in Bloom, plays a crucial role in encouraging communities to take pride in their surroundings. By supporting the RHS “It’s Your Neighbourhood” campaign, which this year attracted 130 entries from across Wales, Wales in Bloom reinforces its mission to “Help Communities Grow” by inspiring voluntary efforts to improve local environments.

OAS is honoured to support such an important initiative, recognising the significant impact that Wales in Bloom has in fostering community spirit and enhancing the natural environment. The City Category Award, sponsored by OAS, was presented at the Wales in Bloom Annual Award Ceremony 2024, held in Abergavenny on Friday, 13th September. The ceremony was hosted by Abergavenny in Bloom, and OAS co-presented the award alongside Peter Barton-Price, Chairman of Wales in Bloom.

Peter Barton-Price, expressed his gratitude for the support of OAS, stating, “We are delighted that Origin Amenity Solutions sponsored the Wales in Bloom Main City Category Award this year.  Their commitment to environmental sustainability and community engagement aligns perfectly with our mission. The support of companies like OAS is invaluable in helping us achieve our goals.”

OAS also supplies Euroflor Flower seed mixes, which have been incorporated into numerous neighbourhood schemes throughout Wales, creating colourful and visually appealing green spaces and promoting biodiversity. This collaboration with Wales in Bloom reflects OAS’s dedication to supporting initiatives that enrich local communities and contribute to the overall well-being of the environment.

Wales in Bloom continues to work in partnership with the RHS, voluntary sectors, bloom and environmental groups, the tourism sector along with industries such as Transport for Wales to promote sustainable practices and community involvement. The City Category Award, sponsored by OAS recognises the outstanding efforts of cities across Wales and highlights the importance of collective action in creating vibrant, biodiverse, and sustainable communities.

For more information on Wales in Bloom and how your group could get involved email campaign@walesinbloom.org for further details.

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GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds

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GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds: After seeing the machine at SALTEX 2021, South Wales Sports Grounds organised for a demonstration model of the Infiller to be shipped over from GKB HQ on the basis that if they were impressed with it, they’d keep it… and they did!

Adding to a vast and varied fleet of equipment for the construction and maintenance of both natural and artificial surfaces, the GKB Infiller has dramatically improved the speed of infill spreading, whilst retaining the quality of finish.

GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds

GKB infiller heads to South Wales Sports Grounds

South Wales Sports Grounds (SWSG) undertake contracts for a range of clients from local authorities to schools and independent sports clubs, everywhere between West Wales and Gloucester. Maintenance Manager Matt Dennison explains how they decided to take a look at the GKB Infiller, after noticing their previous machine was slowing down the process of dispensing and topping-up infill.

“We’re very particular about how we install an artificial/3G pitch, using the best tools and techniques to produce the best results” explains Matt. “We wanted a machine that was simpler to use and that would ultimately make the job quicker and more efficient. As soon as we received the Infiller in December, from our local dealer Hopkins Machinery, it was evident straight away that it ticked all the boxes.”

Suited to all types of infill material, the Infiller provides a quick and accurate spreading solution. The metering valve can be adjusted manually or hydraulically to suit the depth and type of infill required. The specification is completed by a large 3m3 hopper. “One big key point for us is that you can rotate the seat to spread the sand in front of the wheels of travel, ensuring the infill gets down into the fibres before they’re flattened.”

Along with sand, Matt intends to use rubber in the Infiller and indicates that the machine and the team have a busy synthetic season ahead. “So far, it’s done two artificial constructions and is now about to do another.” He concludes, “Because it’s so easy to operate, we’ve now got a number of our operatives trained up with it, who all can’t wait to benefit from the speed and accuracy we can now achieve in getting the job done.”

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Wales’ First Female Head Greenkeeper

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Wales’ First Female Head Greenkeeper: Lucy Sellick has been appointed head greenkeeper at Wenvoe Castle Golf Club – the first time ever a Welsh golf club has a female head greenkeeper.

According to Wales Golf, Lucy is now one of only two female head greenkeepers in the whole of the UK.

Lucy began her career at Virginia Park Golf Club in Wales in 1991 – as it was built by her next door neighbour. She then moved to Celtic Manor in 2000, and had been the deputy course manager at Saltford Golf Club in Bristol since 2008.

“I’d like to thank all the clubs that invested in me to get me to the level I am now,” she said.

“I started on an apprenticeship scheme which is still available now, and then earned greenkeeping qualifications.

“I still love the job now, 27 years after I started, and come to work with a smile on my face every day. I think every greenkeeper leaves their job on a Friday and looks over their shoulder and thinks ‘I did that and it looks good’.”

Speaking of her future work at Wenvoe Castle, Lucy said: “Hopefully the course will speak for itself once this hot spell is over! I’m a golfer and will produce something I want to play on, and fingers crossed the members will be happy with it too.”

On being one of very few women working in greenkeeping, Lucy added: “I have slightly thicker skin than most people and you do have to prove yourself to people – get in that bunker next to the guy and out-shovel him!

“I’d encourage other women to pursue a career in greenkeeping. It’s too good an industry to miss out on because of people’s opinions of what we can do. Up to two years ago I never knew another female in the industry – we’re proving we can do it. Just give it a go!”

“She went from her local course in Caerphilly, to Celtic Manor ahead of the Ryder Cup, then England before returning to Wales to take the top greenkeeping role at Wenvoe Castle.

“As she looks round at her ‘office’, the rolling, tree-lined course which she is responsible, she encourages other women to get involved in the special industry of greenkeeping.”

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