Natural grass pitches at grassroots sports facilities throughout England are to benefit from expert turf care advice in a new £1.3 million programme funded by national governing bodies of sports, Sport England and the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG).

The new Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme is designed to raise the standards of sports surfaces as well as the understanding of sports turf management practices among the army of volunteer groundsmen and women who look after these pitches.

Funded by the IOG, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), The Football Association, the Rugby Football League and Sport England, the initial three-year programme will be headed by national manager Jason Booth, formerly head groundsman at Leeds Rugby. He will lead a team of eight turf care expert regional pitch advisors covering:

• London - Andy Clarke
• South east - Ian Norman
• North west - Ian Mather-Brewster
• North east & Yorkshire - Ian Powell
• West Midlands - Kevin Duffill
• East - Daniel White
• South west - Rob Donnelly
• East Midlands - Tom Rowley.

They will provide support services, training and education to grassroots clubs and sites, while also managing the development of pitch performance standards through reporting and advising on grounds improvements.

As a result, grassroots sports clubs will be able to access expert turf care advice, training and technical knowledge as well as guidance on coping with flood damage.
National manager Jason Booth will lead and manage the advisors, and will be the key conduit between the Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme and its local delivery.