Schools & Colleges
message board (where his input has been invaluable to other members), and at various seminars and industry trade shows.
I
Having spent a number of years working in Liverpool, Martin decided he needed a new challenge and a change of scenery. So, last July (2011), he applied for the vacant Grounds Manager’s position at Edge Hill University.
His timing could not have been better; the university had agreed a programme of major refurbishments, with over £55m being invested in new buildings, accommodation blocks and sports village. After an exhaustive interview, he was
taken on to help implement the ‘new vision’ for the university. One of his first tasks was to write a new Grounds Management plan covering 2012-2017. Part of the plan was to ensure the university continued to develop and, with higher standards of grounds maintenance, be in a position to put itself forward to compete in the National Green Flag Awards. The university is situated in the town of Ormskirk. It is both a contained learning environment and a community leisure facility in itself, in contrast to most universities which are spread over various locations across a town or city. The campus is, in effect, a small town
where people live, work and play. Therefore, it suffers all the generic problems and issues associated with any small town, such as traffic, vehicle parking, deliveries, service installations and logistics, litter, building developments and roadworks, but inside a green, landscaped environment. It is one of only a handful of universities set up in this way.
The university’s governing body,
through its continued development to meet learning needs and community leisure, has always demonstrated its commitment to safeguarding its landscapes (including both hard and soft landscaping) in many ways, particularly by protecting its green spaces.
first met Martin Grayshon a few years ago, when he was heading up the grounds department at the John Moores University in Liverpool. We kept in touch via the Pitchcare
In 2006/7, after a long consultation period, the fabric of the campus changed from areas of natural turf and post war wooden buildings, to the development of specific buildings for the various areas of learning. In conjunction with this was the creation of a substantial man made lake, wetlands and supportive landscaping. The central areas of the campus were also developed as part of a continued programme, with the addition of an international standard sports complex, conservation environments, improved parking and road system and additional landscaping.
All of these sites are maintained to a high standard by the in-house grounds maintenance team, led by Martin. His team undertakes all routine grounds maintenance work, including some minor arboricultural work. Where any high climbing is required, an approved contractor is employed.
Non-horticultural work, such as hard landscaping, buildings maintenance, fencing, repairs to roads, paths, or street furniture etc., is carried out either by the property services team or by contractors. There are six further staff in the
Grounds Section looking after the various sites; Chris Birch (supervisor), Andy Hoskin, Nicola Paulden, James Morgan, Thomas Skachlady and Peter Forshaw.
Martin takes overall control and, along with Chris, deals with day-to-day operational requirements and technical matters, such as health and safety, machinery and training. Two members of staff are routinely involved with the work on the western areas of the campus, with additional work on lake maintenance; two others care for the central areas of the campus; with the remaining two responsible for the sportsfields to the east of the campus. Like most universities, there is a lot of competition to attract students. Martin understands that it is not just about the standard of academic provision, but that other factors, such as the grounds, standard of accommodation, safety of the environment and local ‘attractions’ play a part in their final decision. Edge Hill University is a busy
environment, with over 27,053 students
“It is not just about the standard of academic provision, but other factors, such as the grounds, standard of accommodation, safety of the environment and local ‘attractions’ play a part in a student’s final decision”
Martin Grayshon, Grounds Manager, Edge Hill University
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148