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THE LATEST HEADLINES FROM GMA AND THE INDUSTRY

FOOTBALL Pitch Preparation Fund helps bring grounds up to scratch

FOOTBALL PITCHES across the country are set to be enhanced thanks to a £7 million scheme from the Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation.

The Pitch Preparation Fund was set up in support of the game, which is currently facing unprecedented challenges because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is providing grants to clubs that have lost out on normal revenue streams during this difficult period and helping them to get their pitches ready for when it is safe to play football again, following Government advice.

The response to the Fund has been positive, with around 3,000 applications received in the two-and-a-half weeks the application window was open during May.

As a result, £7m of investment has been awarded to 2,902 clubs and organisations. This will allow 9,588 football pitches to be made match-fit, benefiting 33,153 football teams in the grassroots, non-league and women’s game, as well as every club in the Welsh Cymru Premier League.

As a result of the exposure of the Pitch Preparation Fund, the Football Foundation also received an increase of 176% in its regular facility grant applications during May 2020, compared with May 2019. This means even more football sites will be improved, over and above those receiving Pitch Preparation Fund grants. The Pitch Preparation Fund’s impact in numbers:

A total of 2,902 grants awarded

£7m of investment

9,588 football pitches improved

33,153 football teams benefitting

2,196 grassroots clubs awarded grants

706 clubs in the National League System awarded grants

1,138 grants will support women and girls’ football

All 12 Welsh Cymru Premier League clubs awarded grants

May 2020 saw a 176% increase in general Football Foundation applications when compared to the same period last year.

Robert Sullivan, interim chief executive officer of the Football Foundation, said: “We’ve been delighted by the response to the Pitch Preparation Fund when it launched just a few weeks ago.

“Our national game can’t take place without playing surfaces being in good condition so this £7 million of investment provided by the Premier League, The FA and the Government is an important helping hand for clubs across the country to get their pitches match-fit for when matches are allowed to start up again.”

Mark Bullingham, The FA’s chief executive officer, said: “This fund will help clubs to carry out vital work and prepare pitches for when it’s safe for the game to resume.”

The grants awarded will help with essential maintenance works towards grass pitches, including vertical decompaction, slitting, over-seeding, fertilising and weed-killing, as well as routine preparatory works such as grass cutting and the setting out and line-marking of pitches. For artificial surfaces, works eligible for help include deep cleaning, overmarking and FA pitch testing.

In addition to grassroots clubs benefitting from the scheme, 673 non-league, Women’s Super League and Welsh Cymru Premier League clubs have also been supported via the Premier League’s Football Stadia Improvement Fund.

Clubs and other organisations are also being given access to the Football Foundation Groundskeeping Community. This is a free online resource the Foundation developed with The FA and the Grounds Management Association, containing advice and guidance. Anyone can sign up at

thefa.hivelearning.com/ groundskeeping

COVID-19 ECB takes steps to aid return of cricket

THE ENGLAND AND WALES CRICKET BOARD (ECB) has created a five-step plan for the return of the recreational game in England, and has announced further funding to help the game to recover from the effects of the Covid-19 crisis.

The five-step plan takes into account Government guidance and moving from one step to the next is dependent on this guidance and on medical safety. Currently, the game is at step three, which allows groups of six to train together outdoors (regardless of household), providing they follow social distancing and hygiene measures. Essential grounds maintenance is allowed. When the game moves on to step 4, all grounds maintenance will be allowed and adapted gameplay can commence.

Meanwhile the ECB Board has approved a £35.7 million financial support package for professional and recreational cricket. In addition, recreational clubs will still have access to the £20m available through the cricket club support loan scheme, grants through the Return to Cricket scheme and a 12-month holiday on loan repayments.

ECB chief executive officer Tom Harrison said: “It remains our priority to get cricket started again this summer, from the grassroots to the elite level, and we will continue to work with Government to try and do so in a way that keeps people safe but that limits the ongoing impact of this crisis on our game.”

Find out more at www.ecb.co.uk

As things improve, adapted gameplay can begin

EVENT

Amenity Forum 2020 Conference to go ahead

THE AMENITY FORUM has announced that its 2020 Conference will go ahead on October 15 at the Kettering Conference Centre. The conference will also be made available online to registered delegates for those unable to attend in person.

Having liaised with the venue and all concerned, it is felt possible to run the event at the conference centre and all measures will be taken to ensure delegates’ safety.

Professor John Moverley, chairman of the Forum, said: “We can assure delegates that all precautions will be taken. We recognise some delegates may still have reservations about attending in person.’’

Entry is £85+VAT for members and £95+VAT for nonmembers. An early-bird discount of £10 will be applied for bookings made before September 1. Online attendance is £45+VAT for members and £50+VAT for non-members.

Find out more by contacting admin@amenityforum.net

NEWS IN BRIEF

Reesink Turfcare launches care plans

Reesink Turfcare has launched three maintenance plans which will be rolled out through its branches in Scotland, the South East and East Anglia. The Gold, Silver and Bronze plans cover scheduled servicing and every machine covered gets an annual health check. The Gold plan covers all servicing, breakdowns and replacement spare parts at a fixed price for the duration of the contract. Find out more at

www.reesinkturfcare.co.uk New Etesia dealership announced Family business Rod Gaskin has been appointed as a new Etesia dealer, distributing the firm’s products from its depots in Hampshire and West Sussex. The company, which specialises in agricultural, grounds care and garden equipment, will offer Etesia’s full product range, which includes ride-on mowers, scarifiers, brush cutters, green technology and pedestrian mowers. Find out more at

www.etesia.co.uk

Hayter thanked for PPE donations

Health and care facilities have thanked Hayter, and its parent The Toro Company, for its donations of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and headbands for face shields during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr Sarah Dixon at South Street Surgery, Bishop’s Stortford – near Hayter’s base in Hertfordshire – said: “We are extremely grateful and this will help ensure we are able to continue to safely see patients.”

www.hayter.co.uk

COVID-19 STRI reveals Project Pathfinder

STRI has announced the launch of ‘Project Pathfinder’, which forms part of the UK Government’s emergency Covid-19 innovation strategy.

The project will provide sports facilities and green spaces affected by the Covid-19 crisis with stage one consultation advice for free up to August 2020. If required, STRI will also deliver roadmaps to give facilities business plans to assist with their longer-term financial stability.

This initiative is available to any sports or green space facility that is currently experiencing issues directly or indirectly due to the Covid-19 crisis. This may involve advice on turf grass maintenance practices with reduced staff, planning applications, potential cost savings, or longer-term options to put facilities on a stronger financial footing such as redevelopment or land sales.

By funding this project, the Government has recognised the

PEOPLE

Reesink Turfcare has announced the retirement of its national sales manager, Jeff Anguige, who has been with the Toro UK distributor (and its predecessor Lely UK) for 21 years.

Jeff, 63, began working in the industry 46 years ago, straight after leaving college. He learnt about the business working at golf and grounds dealerships as well as at turf machinery manufacturers such as Ransomes. In 1999 he joined the then Toro UK distributor Lely UK, with headquarters at St Neots, Cambridgeshire, as national Toro sales manager, responsible for spearheading sales of its golf course and sports turf maintenance machinery.

Jeff has seen many big changes huge health and mental wellbeing benefits sports facilities provide to the UK. However, many of these sports facilities are especially vulnerable since the Covid-19 outbreak, which has impacted revenue and long-term business survival. STRI aims to assist as many sports facilities as possible to help them on the road to recovery.

STRI consultant Kelly-Marie Clack said: “Project Pathfinder will provide a lifeline to sports facilities which are impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic. Our services will fill the gap in knowledge for facility managers who need to rapidly adapt to new financial and practical pressures. This is truly a unique opportunity to reach out and offer advice to all sections of our industry, regardless of budget or location.”

To take part in Project Pathfinder, please complete this short and simple survey at www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/

Jeff Anguige retires from Reesink Turfcare

stripathfinder throughout his time in the industry. Among the biggest, he says, is the way in which clubs now buy their machinery. He says: “When I started, people tended to get their cheque book out and buy one piece of equipment at a time, outright. Now the majority of customers invest in fleet deals on finance. It gives the option to have more machines straightaway for the same level of investment, as well as the latest technology to maintain playing surfaces. The upscale is huge, as is the improvement in quality of playing surfaces. It’s certainly a very different market to when I started, and very much for the better.”

NEWS IN BRIEF

LTA announces park tennis drive

The Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) has launched a major drive to boost participation in tennis in parks across the UK, supporting local authorities with a range of measures to help open up the sport to more people. The programme includes an interestfree Easy Access Loan Scheme to help support local authorities or operators to develop park tennis facilities, with loans of up to £250,000 for improvements such as resurfacing courts, adding new courts or floodlights and replacing fencing. Scott Lloyd, CEO, said: “As courts open back up following the easing of restrictions, the LTA is determined to work with local authorities to safeguard park tennis venues.”

Find out more at www.lta.org.uk

Intelligent One switches to US brand name Robotic line marking company Intelligent One has changed its name to the US brand title, Turf Tank. The move will also see the renaming of the GPS line marker which will now be known as the Turf Tank One. The Danish company has also announced a software update with a number of new features as well as improvements to usability and reliability. Find out more at www.prosportukltd.com.

New Pellenc dealer announced

Baggleys Machinery in Norfolk has been appointed as an authorised Pellenc dealer. The firm will distribute the full range of Pellenc battery-powered equipment, which includes chainsaws, blowers, hedgecutters, pole saws, grass strimmers and mowers. The firm says it has already seen demand for the products from local authorities, hospitals, universities and contractors.

Find out more at www.pellencuk.com.

SPALDINGS Honda range

Honda brushcutters, walk-behind mowers and lawn tractors, and a new range of cordless electric hand tools, are now available to grounds care professionals through Spaldings in Lincolnshire, following the firm’s appointment as a national dealer covering the UK and Ireland.

In addition to 25cc and 35cc fourstroke petrol brushcutters and the multi-function Honda Versatool – a push-and-click powerhead available with several different attachments – the Honda products now stocked by Spaldings include newly introduced battery-powered hand tools and walkbehind mowers.

The professional grade cordless hand tools include the Honda HHT 36 AXB brushcutter supplied with a threetooth blade and nylon strimming line, ‘handlebar’ grips and a double shoulder harness. It weighs just 6.5kg before fitting the 36 volt, 6.0Ah Lithium-ion universal battery that is also used for Honda’s new 60cm hedge trimmer.

When powering the HHB 36 AXB leaf

TORO Internet of Turf

Toro’s Internet of Turf brings together five of Toro’s key technological products and services which, when connected online, help reduce operating costs, enhance safety and produce better quality playing surfaces.

Combining Lynx central control irrigation system, Turf Guard wireless soil management system, GeoLink precision spray system, myTurf Pro asset management system and NSN technical support, the Internet of Turf brings together for the first time accurate information on all aspects of turf care management from one access point. blower, the battery pack is worn on the user’s belt to minimise the weight of the blower, which comes with two interchangeable nozzles and variable fan speed to deliver the best airflow to shift dry, wet and heavy debris.

With the cordless rotary mowers, users get proven features from Honda’s petrol-fuelled IZY machines, including a pressed steel deck, but with a newdesign quiet and efficient brushless electric motor powered by a 4Ah, 6Ah or 9Ah Lithium-ion battery.

There are two IZY-ON models – a 41cm (16in) push mower and a 46cm (18in) self-propelled with single-lever change over between mulching and bag collection.

They complement a comprehensive line-up of domestic and professional petrol mowers starting at 46cm (18in) and culminating in several 53cm (21in) models with mulching and rear roller variants.

For maintaining larger areas with within 60 miles of its Lincoln retail outlet Honda’s Miimo ‘set and forget’ robotic lawn mowers and the HF 2417 from Honda’s premium range of lawn tractors.

These have been upgraded for this year with a four-speed ‘cruise control’ transmission and new high-back seat with armrests to complement a new digital instrument panel and the mobile device holder and battery-charging USB port.

http://spaldings.co.uk

minimum effort, Spaldings offers

AGROVISTA AMENITY Huwa-San TR50 and TR3

Grounds teams returning to work can use Huwa-San TR50 and TR3 to help minimise the risk of infection from coronavirus at work. Based on stabilised hydrogen peroxide, the product quickly inactivates coronavirus and is safe on all surfaces with no-rinse application.

Huwa-San also has efficacy against bacteria, mould, spores, fungi and mycobacteria, and is biodegradable, breaking down to oxygen and water.

The hydrogen peroxide solution found in Huwa-San TR50 has increased stability thanks to the application of innovative ionic

silver stabilisation technology. This means that the product is powerful yet non-residual. It is also noncorrosive and biodegradable, as well as approved by the Health and Safety Executive as a constantdose biocide for the control of legionella.

Dan Hughes, head of commercial for Agrovista Amenity, said: “Huwa-San is an effective solution for the current climate. Its flexibility also means that it can be used across the board – in irrigation tanks, on hard surfaces such as machinery, and for handcontact surfaces such as steering wheels, tools and equipment.”

www.agrovista.co.uk/ amenity