EDUCATIONAL ESTABLISHMENTS
Prep site
Aeration in December
as well as providing an annual Capital Expenditure budget.
Having met Ed a few years ago at a European conference, it was clear that he had a strong passion and interest in the job, and I was keen to learn how it all started. “Upon leaving school I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I looked around for courses that suited my enjoyment for working outdoors and came across Myerscough College. In the fi rst year, I studied a fi rst diploma in Horticulture and I realised that turfcare was my main passion so, in year two, I studied my National Certifi cate in Groundsmanship and Greenkeeping. During this time, I undertook work experience at Mount Skip Golf Course in Hebden Bridge, and what a place that is; amazing views of the valley, where you can see the weather coming in from all angles.” “After college, my fi rst position was at Calderdale Council in Halifax. I was there for seven years and covered all manner of roles such as working in the plant
nursery and on the mowing team - cutting verges at schools and parks, but my favourite role was bowls green maintenance. This job overall was a big part of my development and it gave me a realistic broad experience. I realised that sometimes things are out of your control and it is how you deal with them that counts, i.e. repairing damage to greens that you have spent time and eff ort preparing. Following this, I went to Leicester Racecourse and I learned how presentation is so important; I loved the preparation of the paddock and the build up to the race days.” “Circumstances at the time, led me to take a groundsman’s role at Leicester Grammar School and I quickly realised that a school environment really felt like the place for me. Standards are high and the variety of sports surfaces, lawns and gardens are a big part of selling the school and its facilities. I got promoted to head groundsman and built up all areas to a standard I was very proud of. After a few years, I felt I had got as far as I could at the school, but it will always be a big part of me; it was where I proved to
myself what I could do. Mike Hood is taking that school forward now, with a solid team around him, and I am confi dent standards will just get better. My journey went on to Churchers College in Hampshire for a short stint and nine months later I moved here to The Perse School.”
“What I also love about a school environment is the ecology side of things, which is a big passion of mine. We have an Ecology Society at the Upper School that have started to develop a wildfl ower strip on the site and they are also building some bug hotels alongside this. Future plans are that we create a wild space at our Abington site which would include a woodland with various trees for diff erent uses. Our outdoor pursuits department at the school work a lot with wood, so hopefully we can start to support this by growing trees to work with and having a coppice. Within this, there would be a big focus on wildlife with habitats being developed to support various animals and insects and we will also be looking at having a wildfl ower meadow in this area.
72 PC February/March 2021
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