Dennis and SISIS have now completed a UK tour of spring maintenance seminars, in which groundsmen and greenkeepers received over 60 hours of education.


ECB's Chris Wood talking to cricket groundsmen

With sixteen seminars, covering the whole of the UK, the seminars offered all attendees the chance to refresh their education on a variety of topics, meet other like-minded individuals, share and gain knowledge and learn best practices.

The bowls seminars welcomed a wide range of attendees including greenkeepers, volunteers and club secretaries, while the cricket focused seminars brought together groundsmen representing grass roots, schools, local clubs and international test venues.

A great line-up of guest speakers and industry experts including the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board), the IOG (Institute of Groundsmanship), Bowls Scotland, Bowls England and the British Crown Green Bowling Association, as well as other leading industry companies who were on hand to discuss topics such as maintaining a playing surface, funding support, how to choose the correct grass seed and fertiliser, pesticides and spraying and renovations on a budget. Each seminar also had practical demonstrations which highlighted the best techniques for a range of tasks including aeration, scarifiying, brushing, mowing and pitch rolling.

Vic Demain, head groundsman at Durham CCC, presented an entertaining and insightful presentation entitled ‘A Groundsman’s Life’ at the Emirates Riverside Stadium, and he was delighted to be a part of it.

“The beauty of many of these events is being able to share time with likeminded folk, making new contacts and discovering that no matter what level one works at, we all have the same passion," Vic said.

At the Bowling Green Maintenance Seminar in Cleckheaton, West Yorkshire, Peter Owen from Brighouse Sports Club said: “I’ve only just got involved in helping out with the bowls green. That’s why I’ve come here today to try and pick some ideas up. It’s been an excellent day and I’ve really enjoyed it. The demonstrations with the machinery were excellent and I found the talk about the different kinds of grasses really informative.”