Edmunds. This was followed by another stint at Merrist Wood to achieve the National Certificate in Farm Management. Tim then took over the running of his uncle’s small family farm in Woolpit, Suffolk, remaining there for twenty-three years. At the age of forty-seven, it became obvious to Tim that the farm’s small size meant it was no longer a viable business, so it was let to seed specialists, Nickerson, who took over the farm for plant breeding purposes. Being sports mad, Tim played


representative cricket and a good standard of rugby throughout this period. He also looked after the local village cricket pitch at Woolpit, gaining a reputation as an exceptional groundsman, due to the fact he had brought the once brownfield site up to county standard. It was this reputation that helped him secure the Head Groundsman position at Victory Ground, Bury St Edmunds. When the Head Groundsman’s position became available at the RHS, Tim applied as it was the natural progression that he sought. He was offered the post and started in October 2003.


The Staff


The groundstaff consists of nine full-time staff (including Tim), plus two minibus drivers who help out when they can. Their service record suggests that working at the school must be an enjoyable experience. Longest serving member of staff, Adrian Willis, has worked at the school for forty years, whilst the most recent full-time member of staff, John Burbury, has been at the RHS for six years. Minibus driver, Doug Beech, is the newest member of staff with one year’s service.


The sports surfaces have four dedicated staff, which include Tim and his charge hand, Alan Hinton, who also carries out all the maintenance and repairs on the machinery as the groundstaff ’s mechanic. The remaining five full-time staff carry out the maintenance operations on the gardens and surrounding grounds. All the staff have a wide range of


experience and skills. Indeed, it was through carrying out her work experience at the RHS, whilst studying for her landscaping qualifications at Otley College, that Claire Hayes found herself employed at the school. Claire was initially recruited to oversee the


headmaster’s walled garden, as it needed someone with her experience and skills to manage the garden efficiently and effectively; to not only maximise the yield of the vegetables grown in the garden, but in a sustainable and environmentally friendly manner. Unfortunately, a change of management direction, beyond Tim’s control, meant that vegetable production in the walled garden ceased, and the garden was laid to lawn. As a result, Claire was amalgamated with the groundstaff, and has been at the school for seven years now. Currently, there is no Continuing


Professional Development (CPD) scheme for the staff, although this is under review. They do receive on-the-job training and, between them, have the requisite certificates - PA1, PA2, PA6 and chainsaw certificates - to ensure all maintenance operations can be carried out. Any specialist operations however, such as tree surgery, are contracted out. As you might expect, being called the


Royal Hospital School, the school has its own staffed medical facilities, so there are plenty of certified first aiders on site. At the moment the groundstaff work fixed hours, but a change to flexible


Parker on Parade ...


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