U P D AT E
NEWS
AWARD
SALTEX
RANSOMES’ SUFFOLK FA GROUNDSMAN OF THE YEAR WINNER
LOOKING TO THE FUTURE EVERYONE AT SALTEX hopes that you, your colleagues, businesses, and your families are keeping safe and well during this worrying time. Recognising the challenges in front of us, we wish to assure you that planning for SALTEX 2020 is still in full swing. After consultation with our partners, we are hopeful that the situation we face today will have passed and that SALTEX will take place on 4 and 5 November. We understand though that this is an evolving situation. SALTEX has faced many challenges in its 74-year history and everyone associated with the exhibition has always shown resilience.
BECCLES TOWN FOOTBALL Club has won the Ransomes Jacobsen-sponsored Suffolk FA Groundsman of the Year competition for the second consecutive season. Lead judge Ben Connell said: “I’ve been taking part in the judging for seven years, and the standards are getting better and better. I’ve seen the pitches improve over that time and I’d put that down to the dedication of the groundsmen and the support and advice they get from the Suffolk FA and the GMA.” Steve Alabaster from Ransomes Jacobsen added: “I’m astounded by how much work the volunteers put in, especially when they have to finance the majority of the work themselves. Some of these guys have hardly got anything at all, and they’re producing fantastic surfaces.”
SALTEX 2020 is still on track
SALTEX 2020 will be a great opportunity for the industry to reunite and look ahead to the future as the show celebrates its 75th anniversary. In the meantime, we have taken the necessary measures to ensure that our team can continue the work required to deliver SALTEX this November, while at the same time planning for every eventuality.
OBITUARY
Peter Walker MBE WE ARE SAD to report the death of Peter Walker MBE. He was 84, writes David Hart. Peter was invited to succeed the late Wilfred Wooller as president of the Wales Branch, during which time he was most supportive. He was educated in Cape Town and arrived in the UK as a teenager. An enthusiastic and talented
cricketer, Peter turned up one day when Glamorgan CCC was practising. His bowling impressed the county captain Wilf Wooller who encouraged his talent, eventually selecting him as an allrounder in the team. Peter remained with Glamorgan throughout his career and helped Glamorgan win the County Championship. He
was at one time president of Glamorgan CCC. He played three games for England and, following a successful playing career, became a respected radio commentator and administrator. Branch members always found him friendly and he had a very impressive knowledge of cricket wicket preparation.
Left to right: Ben Connell (Ipswich Town FC), Steve Alabaster (Ransomes Jacobsen), Jodie Allard (Su�olk FA), Tim Parker (Parkers Pitches), Shaun Soloman (Beccles Town FC)
OBITUARY
TERENCE CURTIS 1935 - 2020 TERRY JOINED THE GMA in 1975 and I first met him in 1981 when I started attending Coventry Branch meetings, writes Malcolm Reeves. He had a number of jobs before he was appointed head
KEEP IN TOUCH
greenkeeper at Brandon Golf Course, Coventry, in the mid ‘70s. He worked there for over 20 years before he retired. Terry served as Branch secretary and chairman, and was Branch
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representative at the Midlands Region. He was also regional chairman and helped to establish the Leicester Branch. He was passionate about the role of grounds managers and would stand up for them in
any discussion. He was also a keen outdoor bowls player and loved athletics. Terry is survived by his widow Norma, daughters Annetta and Lesley, five grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
www.thegma.org.uk GROUNDS MANAGEMENT 5
