Schools & Colleges
L-r: Simon Macualay, Tim Stephens, Paul Minett, Scott Devereux, Matt Stoneystreet
“Of course, people are more important than buildings, and brilliant teachers should be able to run a good school in a pig sty, but mercifully it’s a point we don’t have to prove at Bromsgrove”
Chris Edwards MA, Headmaster, Bromsgrove School
Back in the early eighties, conditions for the groundstaff were, to say the least, primitive compared to today. “When I started here in 1981, the groundstaff had one shed to house the machinery, tools and equipment, which was pretty basic,” says Eric. “We had a set of Lloyds gang mowers, a Leyland tractor with no cab, a few hand tools and a old crank start diesel roller for rolling the cricket pitches.” “There were no dedicated budgets; it was a case of going cap in hand to the Bursar and asking. Now, we have an annual budget which I manage, allocating specific amounts to different facility needs and areas. For example, I sets aside a separate budget for the sports pitches, gardens, contractors and materials. I also attends regular meetings with school heads of department, the bursar and the headmaster. Things have changed a lot in thirty years.” Over the years, Eric has overseen the
building of many new sports facilities. “In 1989, a new sand filled Astroturf pitch was put in that was officially opened in 1991. This work gave us the opportunity to relay two new rugby pitches on the newly formed plateau, now known has Middle Charford. These pitches have served the school well, however, in 2007 they needed further work to enhance the drainage, with a local contractor employed to install new secondary drainage slits, recultivated to address surface levels and overseeded.” Since then, the school has invested in a second sand-dressed pitch, installed by Rugby based Bernhard’s Sports Surfaces in 2006. This one has a full under-pitch drainage system, geotextile membrane, 300mm stone foundation, and two layers of macadam. In 2010, the school had the original artificial resurfaced. Both pitches are available for use by the local community.
“One of our more recent projects has
been the refurbishment of an area of the 1st team cricket outfield, to provide a winter games grass hockey pitch,” explains Eric. “In the past, this area of the outfield was regularly used for rugby matches. However, with the demand for hockey at an all time high, I needed to introduce another pitch. We often had problems going from rugby to cricket, as the playing of rugby often cut up the surface. The opportunity to use it as a dedicated grass hockey pitch meant that I could improve the outfield, as the wear and damage is much less severe.” “Obviously, hockey requires almost perfect levels so, last July, we put down 60 tonnes of topdressing to restore levels, and we then overseeded with a finer grass seed mix. The results have been very good.”
Eric has eight staff under him to maintain the extensive grounds, five groundsmen and three gardeners. Paul Minett looks after the larger areas, gang FEBRUARY/MARCH 2012 PC 87
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