Educational Establishments
“I walk the grounds with my two dogs and check the whole estate daily, which means I can monitor everything from a maintenance perspective, whilst also alerting me to any pressing security issues”
pupils demand and maintain the growing business of outside hire. Matt Blunden, Head of Grounds and Security, may still only be thirty, but 2013 marks his twelfth year on the staff, climbing the ranks from apprentice at eighteen. Matt also continues the Woodard theme of youth and, akin to James Cowie at Lancing College, it was a family influence that acted as the catalyst for his interest in groundsmanship. “My grandfather was a keen gardener. I’d help him out on weekends and holidays. He gave me the bug,” recalls Matt. “I studied on day release at Plumpton College whilst at school and then for an NVQ in decorative landscaping and sports care, landing a job with a local contractor soon after, before being offered an apprenticeship here at Ardingly.”
Once again, it was the variety of the multisports environment that drew Matt
and continues to do so for the new apprentices coming through. “I like being a generalist; this post allows you to master many different aspects of the job and makes you a more rounded professional,” he explains. “I like my staff to be multi-skilled too.
We carry out plenty of tree surveys and landscaping, in addition to the usual stuff, and it contributes to making us better groundsmen.” Also, following a donation of thirty acres of woodland by the Stevenson Clarke family, at nearby Borde Hill Gardens, the team’s remit has expanded further to include more forestry maintenance.
In August 2011, Matt was offered the new dual position, following his five-year tenure as assistant to predecessor Neil Whitford, which means he now lives on site in a cottage that comes as part of his security role. “Living here allows me to juggle some
of my family duties with the job,” he explains. “I walk the grounds with my two dogs and check the whole estate daily, which means I can monitor everything from a maintenance perspective, whilst also alerting me to any pressing security issues.” As the college grounds are bordered by farmland on most sides, there’s often crossover in duties between Matt and his neighbours. Local farmer, Andrew Elliot, is in regular contact with Matt and his team, and the extra hands are a Godsend when the need is pressing or in extraordinary circumstances, evident in the last two years with heavy snow and ice blighting travel to and from rural locations like Ardingly. “Andrew helped out with gritting and clearing snow this year, and especially before we purchased the Kubota RTV eighteen months ago,” explains Matt. “No exaggeration, that machine saved
JUNE/JULY 2013 PC 95
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