Sports & Recreation Clubs
“
Serco also pay for an independent audit twice a year through consultant company TGMS, who carry out external inspections of the pitches
mainly due to the robust maintenance programme that Philip has devised for them.
With such a demand on the pitches, and with so many events planned throughout the year, the groundstaff's end of season renovation programmes are often fitted in between fixtures. Generally, it is a case of scarifying with their Amazone, vertidraining, overseeding, topdressing and getting the pitches back into play as quickly as possible. Scarifying is a key part of the renovation programme and an effective way of removing unwanted debris and thinning out the sward. The performance of the playing
pitches are monitored monthly, testing for traction, volumetric water content, hardness and also visual appeal and evenness. The results are relayed to Philip and give a good indication of the standard of the pitches and what actions are required which, in turn, dictates the maintenance regimes. Independent audits are also carried out twice a year through consultant
In recent years, the centre has installed a number of new artificial playing surfaces; the old sand dressed one near the house is now home to GB Archery
” 46 I PC JUNE/JULY 2015
company TGMS, who carry out external inspections of the pitches. The maintenance of the sports
pitches is dictated by what sports are being provided for. In the main, these are football and rugby during the winter sports period (July-April), and the summer period when the pitches are turned into archery fields. General maintenance of the pitches
is centred on the following; pitches are marked weekly, mown two to three times a week and aerated with either a slitter or vertidrain on a monthly basis. A Sisis Quadraplay is used after matches to restore playing surfaces. Philip says that the key is to clean up the surface as soon as possible after matches. Pitches are scarified on a little and
often basis to keep on top of any thatch build up. They are then fertilised, using both liquid and granular, to maintain vigour, colour and encourage deep rooting. The staff will hand divot after matches and then clean up with mowers and sweepers.
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 |
Page 149 |
Page 150 |
Page 151 |
Page 152 |
Page 153 |
Page 154 |
Page 155 |
Page 156