'Better Together'  was the theme of a well-attended amenity event at Cardiff recently.

The Amenity Forum is running a series of updating events across the UK focussing on key topics affecting all involved in weed, pest and disease control. The latest of these was at the Millennium Stadium where some 55 delegates heard presentations including updates on policy, sprayer performance and testing as well as training and continuous professional development.

There was a lively question and answer session where the importance of adopting best practice was emphasised and proposals emerged to further strengthen support in Wales for the Amenity Forum and its objectives. The audience was told in seeking to meet the challenges ahead, we are certainly better together.

Speakers were drawn from the Chemicals Regulation Directorate, the National Sprayer Testing Service and BASIS Registration and the whole event introduced and chaired by Professor John Moverley from the Amenity Forum. The event was hosted by Forum member, Complete Weed Control, who also made a presentation and there was opportunity to hear about the management of the playing surface at the Stadium as well as see it at first hand.

John Moverley, in his concluding remarks, highlighted that, although there were challenges especially in terms of policy and new legal requirements, the event in Cardiff provided real opportunity and he hoped that we could build on this in taking out the message to everyone involved. It was important for all to support the Forum and its objectives. "In recent years," he said,  "we have achieved much but there is still a need for further engagement."

He continued, "We are an important sector doing an excellent job. We need to be proud of that and lead the way in demonstrating our commitment to best practice and the highest standards of integrated control."

Further information on updating events still to run is available on the Forum website at www.amenityforum.co.uk or by contacting Alan Speeding at Alan.Spedding@amenityforum.net.

The next two events are at Stockport on February 24th and at Peterborough on February 25th.