News
FGR launch Eco Park project
Laurence leaves Pitchcare
Laurence Gale departs his role as Editor of Pitchcare after 11 years
The man who brought you “The Lifetime Achievement Award of the Year” and much more, has left Pitchcare to pursue new opportunities.
Laurence joined the company in 2004 and played an instrumental part in establishing the Pitchcare magazine as the leading sports turf publication and the website as the leading resource in the industry.
Forest Green Rovers reveal £100m Eco Park plans
Forest Green Rovers FC (FGR) has revealed ambitious plans to build a £100m, eco-friendly sports and green technology complex, which would include a new 5,000 capacity stadium.
The club currently plays in the Vanaram National League - the fifth tier of English football - and the Eco Park project is part of a strategy to establish FGR as a Football League club.
FGR is working together with Stroud-based green energy company Ecotricity on the plans. Dale Vince, founder of Ecotricity, is also chair of FGR.
Plans for the Eco Park - to be located adjacent to junction 13 of the M5 motorway in Gloucestershire - are designed to be sustainable and future proof. Should the club achieve its target of reaching the Football League, the flexible design of the stadium will allow capacity to be doubled to 10,000.
Other facilities within the sports complex include full-size training pitches, 3G six-a-side pitches, an athletics arena, multi-disciplinary sporting facilities and a sports science hub.
The other half of Eco Park - located on the other side of the A419 road which divides the project into two separate sites - will comprise a green technology business park with sustainably built commercial offices and light industrial units potentially capable of creating up to 4,000 jobs.
“Eco Park could be a fantastic development for Stroud, a great new home for Forest Green Rovers and a centre of excellence for sport in Gloucestershire.” Dale Vince commented.
4 I AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2015
Talking of his departure, Laurence explained, “I’ve had a fantastic eleven years with Pitchcare and I’m very proud of what we have achieved in that time.”
“I have lots of friends and contacts in the industry where I have spent most of my working life, and I plan to keep involved in some way. I would like to take this opportunity to personally
thank many of these contacts who allowed me the chance to befriend them during my time as Editor. It has been a dream job producing the Pitchcare Magazine, which in itself has been a fantastic vehicle for promoting our wonderful sports turf industry.”
“I do not intend to stop working just yet, I just felt I needed a change of direction and take some time out to seek new opportunities.”
Operations Director, John Richards, has worked alongside Laurence for all those years and comments, “To many people in
‘White flag’ sends completely the wrong message
Amenity Forum expresses concerns about the Government’s Japanese Knotweed ‘white flag’ due to ‘prohibitive expense’
The UK’s amenity sector body for all matters concerning weed, pest and disease control, the Amenity Forum, has responded robustly after it was reported in the national press at the weekend that the Government had conceded defeat in the battle against Japanese Knotweed.
Environment minister, George Eustice was quoted as saying there were “no plans to attempt a national eradication” because of the “prohibitively expensive” £1.5 billion cost attached to eliminating it, due to its widespread distribution.
Professor John Moverley, independent chair of the Amenity Forum, which encourages an integrated approach and promotes best practice in the amenity sector, suggested that the coverage of the announcement may prove
“unhelpful”, fearing it could cause further, unnecessary alarm amongst home owners and the general public.
He commented: “Japanese Knotweed does come with a fearful reputation and, given the damage it can cause and the inconvenience and cost it can incur, this is not without some substance.”
“However, despite what might be implied from the recent coverage, it can still be effectively managed in a controlled manner and without prohibitive cost, providing there is early identification of the problem and the work is carried out by competent and professional treatment specialists.”
“The Amenity Forum, and its members, has campaigned hard to raise awareness of the Japanese Knotweed problem and, more importantly, promote the
importance of robust, pre- planned treatment programmes delivered by recognised industry professionals.”
John Moverley continued: “We’re concerned that recent reports in the media about Japanese Knotweed and other invasives, such as Giant Hogweed, can overshadow the work being undertaken by professionals in this field and who have achieved significant success in the fight against the plants. The battle has not been lost and the last thing we want to see is land owners doing nothing because they feel they don’t have an effective control method available to them.”
Further information on Forum matters can be obtained by contacting Alan Spedding at
Alan.Spedding@amenityforum.net or accessing the website at
www.amenityforum.co.uk
the industry, Laurence has been the face of Pitchcare, with his wide network of contacts and knowledge. Thanks to his contribution to the website and magazine, we are regarded as the industry’s leading media service. There is no doubt that Laurence has played a major part in our success over the years. I consider him to be a good friend and we all wish him well for the future.”
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