Lands cape & Ame ni t y
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Product News 03 February 2018 03 Special Feature
w w w . l a n d s c a p e a n d a m e n i t y. c o m
Play & Activity supplement
Institute of Groundsmanship pilots pitch grading framework The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG), the membership organisation for thoseinvolved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK, is piloting a new approach to the ‘measurement’ of the standard of football pitches at grassroots level. The new Pitch Grading Framework will not only highlight the level of an individual playing surface quality but also the appropriate training and education, and the recommended levels of qualifications needed by those who maintain it. In terms of calculating the standard of a pitch, each level of the Framework has certain parameters and, after measurement, the overall result/ level of a pitch will be calculated. It is a system that has been used successfully within cricket by the IOG and the England and Wales Cricket Board for over ten years. The recommended appropriate
training and education will match each level of the Framework. For instance, for pitch maintenance at the Basic level (volunteer), an IOG Level 1 course (or equivalent) would be the minimum training recommended. Training/ education would increase through the levels with IOG Level 5 (or equivalent) being recommended for individuals maintaining pitches at the Elite level. At all levels, the experience of those in situ will be taken into account and catered for individually. Working closely with the Football Foundation and Football Association Pitch Improvement Programme, regional pitch advisers from the IOG-led Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme (GaNTIP) are now piloting the Framework to identify any potential improvements before the scheme’s full implementation in November, when it is envisaged that each
grass sport will have its own specific pyramid.
A range of highly-experienced people have been consulted leading up to the pilot, including Sport England’s Framework Agronomists as well as leading professionals, volunteers and organisations attached to the groundscare industry. IOG
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Its founder, Charles Wicksteed died in 1931 but his firm is going strong and is one of the UK’s leading designers and manufacturers of children’s outdoor play and sports equipment, exporting far and wide, and still pushing the latest technologies to create play equipment that entices a new generation of children into the outdoors. “For 100 years now, Wicksteed has been giving children fun,
Wicksteed has acquired an excellent reputation for its customer service, with an example being the restoration to working order of one of our rocking horses, thought to be approximately 70 years old, which was recently unveiled at Wicksteed Park,” commented
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Inside Knowledge
BIGGA reveals major changes for BTME 2019 The 2017 BIGGA Turf Management Exhibition was the 30th event to take place at Harrogate Convention Centre and the organisers used it to announce a restructure that will see the size of the exhibition floor space grow by up to 25% for 2019. Harrogate Convention Centre will continue to host BTME as the event’s hub shifts to the main auditorium entrance, further down King’s Road.
laughter, and a good time. Ever since Charles Wicksteed bent a piece of radiator piping to make the first swing, Wicksteed has done its best to make sure children enjoy themselves. One of the most important aspects of Wicksteed’s success has been the loyalty and dedication of those working in the Company, five of whom have been with Wicksteed for over 40 years. There are also several staff with 25, or more, years of service.
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“The system is not designed to identify what is missing; it is to identify where support and development is required, and the initial feedback from the National Governing Bodies of Sport which have viewed the concept has been nothing but positive.”
Wicksteed celebrates 100 years of excellence In a year when we remember 100 years since the end of WW1, iconic children’s playground designer & manufacturer, Wicksteed Playgrounds, is also celebrating reaching the incredible milestone of 100 years of providing fun and entertainment for generations of children past, present and future!
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GaNTIP director Jason Booth, said: “This really is an exciting time for the future of groundsmanship and to be part of it at the beginning is great for GaNTIP and the programme’s team.
BIGGA says the move opens up different exhibition spaces, creating an improved, structured journey for the visitor and brings a whole host of possibilities for innovation and creativity.
Reaching this landmark is an exciting time for Wicksteed, to reflect on its incredible heritage but also to look forward to what will continue to be offered in the world of outdoor play, sport and fitness for the next century!
In 2019 BTME will no longer utilise Halls A and M. Halls B and C will be retained, but the King’s Suite, Halls D and Q and Studio One will become the main exhibition spaces, with the primary entrance to the exhibition coming through the Harrogate Convention Centre’s main entrance.
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The Continue to Learn education programme will remain in the
Charlie Howard, Managing Director, Wicksteed Playgrounds.
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Queen’s Suite, but the new layout will mean the education programme will now be situated at the centre of the entire visitor experience, rather than at the very rear of the facilities used. Meanwhile, the impressive modern auditorium will be utilised for the key educational and celebratory events during the week. BIGGA Chief Executive Jim Croxton said: “We’re delighted that BTME has grown to the extent that it can no longer be contained within the four traditional exhibition halls that we have utilised. “The move to alternative facilities within the centre enables us to retain all that is good about BTME, the premier turf management event in Europe, while presenting an improved visitor experience and allowing all our exhibitor base to take the space they need to show their wares. It is critical that all events evolve to suit the needs of their stakeholders and I’m thrilled we have the opportunity to do so with BTME 2019.” BIGGA
Creating the perfect setting for a Ryder Cup
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Sweepers, Collectors, Blowers & Vacuums Putting the spotlight on maintenance equipment
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Hedge & Verge Mowers Jane Carley looks at remote technology
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