Tag Archive for: What

MM seed – just what the doctor ordered

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MM seed – just what the doctor ordered: Graham Wickes, owner of Lawn Doctor (Essex) LTD, has praised the quality of Limagrain UK’s grass seed after seeing phenomenal results across a variety of lawn and sports turf projects. 

Graham started his career in greenkeeping and while working at some prominent golf courses, including The London Club, he also found time to work towards his NVQ Level 2 and 3 in Sports Turf Management. Upon leaving the golf industry, to gain knowledge in building golf courses and football pitches, Graham began expanding his experience and expertise working for a sports turf contractor.

MM seed - just what the doctor ordered

MM seed – just what the doctor ordered

In 2008, he founded the Lawn Doctor and took all the principles of top quality greenkeeping and turf care in the sporting world to start creating healthy, lush lawns all over Essex. It initially started with residential projects and with clients impressed with his knowledge, attention to detail and the fabulous results they saw, that grew quickly before Graham then landed maintenance contracts at some bowls clubs and soon came to the attention of Bowls England who, recognising his skills, appointed him as their Greens Advisor for Essex. Bowling greens quickly led to football pitches and it was not long before he was building up an impressive portfolio as clubs, local authorities and private clients reaped the rewards of the hard work Graham puts in and the ongoing support he gives throughout the process.

The business has gone from strength to strength over recent years and this is, partly, due to his insistence on using only the highest quality products.

“It is my business and I strive to be the very best,” he said. “To be the best I have to use the very best products. Whenever I am pitching for a project or providing a quote, I always explain that I use the most premium grass seed and first-class products on the market.”

Graham first became familiar with Limagrain UK after a specific seed mixture was recommended to him.

“I was previously using another brand for my seed mixtures which I thought was great to be honest, but I always like to look for improvements, even when things are going well and I’m glad I did. I started speaking to another contractor and he was raving about Limagrain’s seed mixtures, so I decided to try it for myself. I was amazed at how quickly it came through and the colour it had was brilliant even without a feed.

“From then on, I decided to start using the Elite Green mixture from Limagrain for the bowls greens and I had fantastic results straight away. The first season I used this seed I had far superior germination to the previous brand I was using. The greens were in the best condition they had ever been.”

Limagrain’s Elite Green mixture, from the company’s Designer seed range, produces a fine, dense, hard-wearing surface with high disease resistance. It was Graham’s first experience of Limagrain’s seed in a sports turf environment, and he did not stop there.

In 2019 he decided to overseed with Limagrain’s MM60 mixture when renovating the pitch at Braintree Town FC. MM60 is the UK’s leading winter sports renovation mixture and can be attributed with playing a key role in many of the finest sporting venues you see today. The 100% Ryegrass formula, which is perfect for divot repair, is renowned for its extremely fast germination and its high wear tolerance. It produces fantastic aesthetic qualities, and its high disease resistance provides ultimate protection.

MM60 is also treated with HEADSTART® GOLD, which is a further development of the well-recognised Headstart treatment and has been developed using the latest scientific findings and field experience. It is a natural revolutionary grass seed treatment that ensures rapid germination. It is perfect for enhancing performance on sports fields, golf courses, lawns and amenity turf and Graham quickly found it was indeed a seed he could rely on.

MM seed - just what the doctor ordered

MM seed – just what the doctor ordered

“When I first arrived at Braintree, the goal mouth areas were totally bare – there was no grass at all. I overseeded the whole pitch with MM60, and I told the chairman that I was determined to keep grass in the goal mouth areas all season. He laughed and wished me luck because it had apparently never been done before.

“A year later and the goal mouth areas still had grass coverage and the condition of the pitch has attracted the attention of larger League Two clubs, looking for suitable match locations for academy games and also The FA who have offered it to international associations as a training location for youth international fixtures.”

In addition, Lawn Doctor (Essex) Ltd are on the list of Essex CFA contractors to help and assist clubs with the Grass Pitch Improvement Strategy (formerly Pitch Improvement Programme).Graham thinks the use of MM60 can be seen as a significant contributor to his success in these areas.

“The beauty of Limagrain seed is knowing that it works. To my clients I proudly inform them that I use the most premium products and the Limagrain seed backs this up. As a contractor, seeing the grass coming up within seven days after putting it down is great – it is also what your customer wants to see. I’ve not used another brand of seed since.

“It’s not just the quality of the seed but it’s the service and quick delivery which is also part of the package. Getting a product within 3 or 4 days is particularly important to me because it enables me to keep to schedules.

“Everything just works incredibly well with Limagrain UK.”

For further information, please contact Limagrain UK on 01472 371471 or visit the company’s website www.lgseeds.co.uk/amenity – you can also follow the company on Twitter: @MM_Seed

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Well-being Wednesday: what is stress?

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Well-being Wednesday: what is stress?: We all know what it’s like to feel stressed, but it’s not easy to pin down exactly what stress means. When we say things like “this is stressful” or “I’m stressed”, we might be talking about:

  • Situations or events that put pressure on us – for example, times where we have lots to do and think about, or don’t have much control over what happens.
  • Our reaction to being placed under pressure – the feelings we get when we have demands placed on us that we find difficult to cope with.
Well-being Wednesday: what is stress?

Well-being Wednesday: what is stress?

There’s no medical definition of stress, and health care professionals often disagree over whether stress is the cause of problems or the result of them. This can make it difficult for you to work out what causes your feelings of stress, or how to deal with them. But whatever your personal definition of stress is, it’s likely that you can learn to manage your stress better by:

  • managing external pressures, so stressful situations don’t seem to happen to you quite so often
  • developing your emotional resilience, so you’re better at coping with tough situations when they do happen and don’t feel quite so stressed

Is stress a mental health problem?

Being under pressure is a normal part of life. It can help you take action, feel more energised and get results. But if you often become overwhelmed by stress, these feelings could start to be a problem for you.

Stress isn’t a psychiatric diagnosis, but it’s closely linked to your mental health in two important ways:

  • Stress can cause mental health problems, and make existing problems worse. For example, if you often struggle to manage feelings of stress, you might develop a mental health problem like anxiety or depression.
  • Mental health problems can cause stress. You might find coping with the day-to-day symptoms of your mental health problem, as well as potentially needing to manage medication, heath care appointments or treatments, can become extra sources of stress.

This can start to feel like a vicious circle, and it might be hard to see where stress ends and your mental health problem begins.

Why does stress affect me physically?

You might find that your first clues about being stressed are physical signs, such as tiredness, headaches or an upset stomach.

There could be many reasons for this, as when we feel stressed we often find it hard to sleep or eat well, and poor diet and lack of sleep can both affect our physical health. This in turn can make us feel more stressed emotionally.

Also, when we feel anxious, our bodies release hormones called cortisol and adrenaline. (This is the body’s automatic way of preparing to respond to a threat, sometimes called the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ response). If you’re often stressed then you’re probably producing high levels of these hormones, which can make you feel physically unwell and could affect your health in the longer term.

www.mind.org.uk

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What a signing!

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What a signing!: Port Vale have made some terrific signings over the years although not many have given greater service than the 17-year-old groundsman they took on in May 1979.

Hard-working, knowledgeable, hugely dedicated to the club….oh, and best avoided if the Vale have just had a game called off.

That doesn’t happen very often, which is testament to the skill and experience of Steve Speed who has been defying the elements at the Vale for 41 years.

He doesn’t have the advantage of a modern pitch at 70-year-old Vale Park, but it takes pretty much an act of God to get a game off at the Vale, and even then it’s a close-run thing.

‘Speedy’, as the head groundsman is better known to colleagues and Vale fans, was poached from the city council, as he recalled in a Sentinel interview.

“I was training at the old Meir aerodrome to be a park keeper, but then the parks department reorganised and I was going to be sent to the closest job to home, which would have meant being a grave digger.

“As a 17-year-old I didn’t fancy that. I saw an advert in the paper for an assistant groundsman at Vale, got an interview and started on a bank holiday.”

Dennis Butler was in charge at the time, the first of 15 managers who have had cause to be grateful to Speedy’s expertise.

The club’s owners over the years have also appreciated what an asset they have got, a head groundsman who sometimes reports in at 4am to try to get a game on – and then has been the last to leave, keys jangling, at matchday’s end.

Of course there have occasionally been disagreements along the way, perhaps most famously when Bill Bell came up with a publicity stunt.

As Steve would recall: “We have about an acre-and-a-half of grass banking at the back of the Railway Stand which is a nightmare to keep short.

“So, tongue in cheek one night, I said to the chairman it was a pity we couldn’t get any sheep. He got talking to someone in the pub and a week later he told me he could get six or seven for the summer.

“It worked really well. They were eating all the grass and all we had to do was keep their trough filled up with water.

“The problem was Sky Sports got to hear about the sheep at Vale, not realising they were just at the back of the stand.

“The chairman decided it would be great publicity and told me to get them on the pitch for a few pictures.”

Steve, it’s fair to say, voiced his objections, but to no avail. Instead, legend has it that Mr Bell removed a cigar from his mouth and uttered the memorable line, “Speedy, round ’em up!”

Steve added: “We had these sheep running all over the pitch and Sky got their pictures. But could we get the sheep off afterwards? No chance.

“They wanted to stay on this lovely lush grass not go back to walking up the back of the stand. We were chasing them everywhere, it must have taken us an hour to get them off the pitch. To be fair, I have seen a few midfield players here who didn’t move as fast.”

He’s usually too busy to see 90 minutes of a home match, but is a regular at away games to keep an eye on the club he has served with distinction across six decades.

Vale’s owner, Carol Shanahan, is pleased to nominate him in the Service to Sport category at the Sentinel/City of Stoke-on-Trent Sports Personality of the Year awards.

She says he has done a wonderful job on the Vale pitch: “He looks after it with no mod cons. He has a mower and a nine-mile walk that he does regularly. His pride to keep that pitch in tip top condition is exemplary.

“He is very much part of the fabric of Port Vale. So, the club has been through all levels of turbulence over those 41 years but he has kept that pitch pristine.

“Despite any reputation to the contrary, I’m pleased to say he has a wonderful smile and I’m delighted to have seen it a lot this season.

“When Robbie Williams’ management rang me about the concert here, I wouldn’t have said yes unless Speedy said so.

“I am very happy to nominate him for this award.”

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What Happens In Amenity Management Impacts UK Citizens

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What Happens In Amenity Management Impacts UK Citizens: This is one of the statements made by the Amenity Forum Chairman in the Voluntary Initiative’s recently released Annual Report.

It covers the 12 months running up to June 30th 2018 and demonstrates the wide range of activity and development of this unified voice for the sector on all aspects of weed, pest and disease management. Organisations signed up to the Forum and committing themselves to best practice continues to grow and covers all areas of this diverse but highly important sector. http://amenityforum.co.uk/resources/2018-annual-report/

What Happens In Amenity Management Impacts UK Citizens

In reporting on key achievements, John Moverley, the Chairman, is keen to focus on what lies ahead and the need for everyone to embrace the Forum’s objectives. In the report, he says, ‘This has certainly been a year full of change, challenge and opportunity and all is set to continue at even greater pace. There is much going on at policy level with the Government publishing its 25 year environmental plan and ongoing consultations about its implementation and impact’.

In looking forward, the Forum identifies the following key priorities:
• Continuing activity to further increase understanding of our sector, not just by the public but by key stakeholders and all involved
• Further developing understand of Integrated approaches and what they really mean
• Ensuring the sector can maintain its current ability to manage weeds, pests and diseases and maintain the high standards and safe use of all sports surfaces and amenity areas
• Continuing to increase those engaged in continuing professional development and develop and promote strongly the importance of Assured standards

John says ‘The UK amenity sector sets a very high standard and is proud of its achievements. The Forum will continue to seek that all involved are at such standard and that everyone understands the importance and vital nature of this sector’

This year’s Forum annual conference and exhibition has the theme ‘Change, Challenge and Opportunity’. It has become very much a must attend event for all involved in or with an interest in amenity management and well known for the high quality of its speakers. It will be held once again at the Pirelli Stadium, Burton upon Trent, on Tuesday, October 9th. Delegate rates are kept as low as possible at £75 + VAT for supporter organisations and £85 + VAT for others. However there is a £10 discount for early bird registrations before September 1st.

GKB Combinator Does What It Says

GKB Combinator Does What It Says

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GKB Combinator Does What It Says: Landscape and sports surface contractors Mumby Landscapes have taken delivery of a new GKB Combinator. Based at Deeping Gate just north of Peterborough, the company undertakes projects over a wide geographical area and initially purchased the Combinator for a project in Wales. Working with grass seeding, natural and artificial turf, Mumby Landscapes Ltd. regard the GKB machine as an essential addition to their range of specialised landscaping equipment.

“We tried the Combinator last year and were immediately impressed. It’s very well made and does everything it says. It’s an easy machine to work with and matches all our expectations.” Says Mumby’s Director, Mark Dew. The Combinator is a multifunctional fraise mowing machine with the option of three types of blade or chisel used in conjunction with the CombiRotor. It offers the capability of fraise mowing the surface layer of a natural sports pitch, or the natural grass and surface layer of a hybrid grass pitch without damaging the remaining synthetic fibres. You can also use the rotor shaft for scarifying and there is also a special brush for synthetic turf which enables you to remove sand, cork and rubber infill. Material removal is by way of conveyor belts and the working depth of the Combinator is easily controlled with the pendulum system of the conveyor rollers.

GKB Combinator Does What It Says

“The Combinator is such an all-round machine it’s ideal for our type of landscaping and sports pitch contracting,” says Mark. “We currently have plans for a joint venture in artificial pitch maintenance and the Combinator will be used for rubber and sand surface work. We’re confident the machine will stand the rigours of what’s ahead.”

For more information, visit: www.gkbmachines.com

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