May 2026 The cutting crew
Notts County benefits from Dennis battery mowers For Notts County Grounds Manager Matthew Hallam, switching to Dennis ES34R battery mowers has delivered practical benefits across matchday operations, working conditions and surface management.
One of the clearest advantages has come after games, when the ES-34R is used to clear debris from the pitch.
“After games, we use the mower to clean up all the dead grass and material moved around by players’ studs,” says Matthew.
“With the old petrol machines, we had issues with the media asking us to turn them off because they were too noisy. With the battery
Hallam, who has been at the club for seven years and manages four staff across two sites and four pitches, says the move from petrol to battery was initially driven by sustainability, but the day-today gains quickly became just as important.
machines, that problem has completely gone. We can clean up without any disruption.” The quieter operation has also improved conditions for the grounds team, with lower noise, less vibration and reduced air pollution. The ES-34R has also become an important part of the club’s approach to presentation and plant health. Hallam also values the machine’s controls and battery monitoring, which help make day-to-day work more precise and professional.
“The move to electric was mainly for sustainability being greener and more environmentally responsible,” he says. “But it also made a massive difference operationally.”
Twenty-five years ago, a unique partnership between the Premier League, The FA and Government formed the Football Foundation. Thanks to the ongoing support of funding partners, the Foundation has invested over £1 billion towards achieving this goal, delivering the grassroots sports facilities that communities up and down the country need and deserve. Pictures from grassroots clubs across the country show where many journeys in football begin, including that of Football Foundation Supporter and Manchester City Football Group Director of Grounds and Landscapes John Ledwidge, who started out as an apprentice groundsman at Coventry City.
From pedestrian models through to trailed mowers Page 16-22
The decision to invest in Dennis was reinforced by a longstanding relationship with the brand. Dennis Mowers Enquiry 29
The Football Foundation celebrates 25 years of funding grassroots pitches The Premier League, The FA and Government’s Football Foundation is celebrating the impact of its funding on grassroots pitches, the first pitches where many journeys in football begin, both on the pitch and behind the scenes.
Grass Cutting Machinery
From those early days in the Midlands, Ledwidge’s career has taken him to some of the biggest clubs in English football. What began as an apprentice groundsman’s role has taken him through some of English football’s biggest clubs, including Aston Villa and Leicester City, before arriving at Manchester City. Today he serves as Director of Grounds and Landscapes for City Football Group, overseeing the pitches used across the organisation’s global network of clubs and facilities. John is also a proud supporter of the Football Foundation, backing its work to improve grassroots facilities across the country.
grassroots football and helping more people across the city get involved in the game. Stories like Ledwidge’s show how many careers in football start at local clubs and community facilities, places that help shape futures and give people their first opportunities in the game, whether as players, coaches, grounds staff or volunteers. John Ledwidge said: “My career in football began as an apprentice groundsman at Coventry City, spending most of my time out
on the pitch learning the job properly. You realise pretty quickly how important good facilities and a good surface are for the players. For me that pitch was the start of a career in football, and investment in places like that helps create those opportunities.” Robert Sullivan, Chief Executive of the Football Foundation, added: “For 25 years, thanks to funding from the Premier League, The FA and Government, the Football Foundation has been supporting communities to transform
grassroots pitches and facilities. But behind every great grassroots pitch are dedicated grounds people like John who give their time and care to keep the game going.
Brushcutters Spotlight on the equipment needed for the toughest tasks Pages 23-24
“But sometimes clubs and organisations need vital funding to support this. By providing grants for 3G pitches and changing facilities, grass pitch improvements and goalposts, we want to ensure every community has a great place to play.” Football Foundation Enquiry 30
Back in Coventry, where that journey first began, the Football Foundation has continued to invest in the facilities that help football thrive. In 2003, £500,000 was contributed towards Coventry City’s new stadium, while further grants totalling around £130,000 were awarded to the club’s Community Trust in 2008 and 2012, supporting
Battery Power New machinery and tools powering the future Pages 25-27
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