Four venues Cambourne Sports Club, Cambridge, Maidstone South Park courtesy of Maidstone Borough Council, Fawley Parish Council, Hampshire and Cantely Park of Wokingham Borough Council have already held their days.


The Maidstone event

Over 200 groundsmen from across the spectrum of local council, schools, contractors, football and rugby clubs attended. The seminars were informative and the demonstrations took place after lunch, with time allowed for networking and further discussion with the sponsors at their own static display plots around the demo areas.

Alistair Ogilvie and James McGrenery were from St Christophers School, Letchworth. Both found the Cambourne event well worth the trip. "It was a brilliant day" said James "Not too intense, but left you wanting to find out more. We would certainly be looking at how we can apply what we have seen and heard to our own situations."

The intention of the tour is to educate grassroots groundsmen using the latest machinery and techniques in the belief that by doing so the standard of local pitches can increase dramatically. It also intends to show how by implementing small, as well as large changes to maintenance practices, regardless of budget restraints, turf professionals can radically improve the quality of ytheir pitches in a short space of time.

Register for the events at www.pitchimprovementprogramme.com

Machines being demonstrated include the Koro Field Top Maker with Terraplane Rotor, the Imants Shockwave and The Raycam Speedresser.

Also being featured will be grass seed products from sponsors, Limagrain. ICL will be talking groundsmen through their range of products. Whilst New Holland tractors will be used to demonstrate machinery..

SISIS will also be providing equipment for the tour and sponsors Dennis and ALS will be showcasing products that can help maintain a rejuvenated surface.

Finally Pitchcare will be demonstrating the Graco Fieldlazer S90 MKII.