PORTFOLIO APRIL 2015
Trust under the recent Nature Improvement Area funding scheme. Compostable materials are recycled in the community orchard to be used as a mulch throughout the park and there is a drive by The Friends of Cotteridge Park to encourage local residents to recycle their Christmas trees each year. On average, more than 400 trees are chipped every year with the resulting materials returned to the informal paths and beds in the park.
ABOUT QUADRON SERVICES Founded in 1993, Quadron is an award-winning green space management company priding itself on the quality of its work and proactive approach towards cultivating sustainable green communities. Quadron provides grounds maintenance services to a number of local authorities and housing associations throughout London, the Midlands and the South West. The company currently maintains 68 Green Flag accredited parks and has been recognised with three BALI Principal Awards in the last two years. www.quadronservices.co.uk
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PORTFOLIO 2015 / Pro Landscaper
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Quadron employs a full time park keeper on site and the incumbent, Richard Turner, has held the post since 1990. This highly visible and familiar presence gives local residents a sense of continuity and security. Like all of Quadron’s park keepers, Richard has undertaken additional training including the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Level 2 Award in Conflict Resolution and Personal Safety. This is designed to enable staff to recognise confrontational situations and protect themselves. Richard is supported by three mobile staff who mow an area of approximately 500,000m2 fortnightly. There is a further staff of around six people who assist with larger community events in the park, such as the annual Cotteridge Community Festival of Music, Arts and Dance (CoCoMAD). Quadron helps prepare the park for the event, organises road closure for the festival procession and provides a team during and after the event to ensure the wellbeing of the public, clear litter, empty bins etc. On a day-to-day basis, Quadron’s responsibilities include inspections of furniture,
sports pitches and play areas by 10am. Other regular duties include litter picking, leaf clearance, shrubs and bedding maintenance, and hedge cutting. Quadron does not carry out arboricultural work, however, which is done by another contractor. All equipment is inspected on a when used basis and staff receive small plant induction training before being allowed to use it. Cotteridge Park serves a diverse area of Britain’s second city with a range of facilities to suit differing demographics. For more information on ‘the best little park in Birmingham’, visit http://cotteridgepark.org.uk. 1 The annual CoCoMad Festival (Cotteridge Community Festival of Music, Arts & Dance) attracts around 5,000 visitors each year. Quadron supplies a team of around six extra staff to help prepare the park, organise the road closure for the festival parade and ensure the park is returned to a clean and tidy condition afterwards 2 Some of the park’s mature trees 3 Birmingham City Council’s constituency parks manager (right) lends a hand with litter picking following the CoCoMad Festival 4 Quadron’s long-serving Park Keeper, Richard Turner, is a familiar face to users of the park. www.prolandscapermagazine.com
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