British Sugar TOPSOIL Hosts Meeting Of IOG Pitch Experts
British Sugar TOPSOIL, the UK’s largest supplier of topsoil to the construction, landscaping, and sports and amenity sectors, hosted a visit of the Institute of Groundsmanship’s (IOG) Regional Pitch Advisors recently at its Wissington Sugar Factory and TOPSOIL processing facility in Norfolk. British Sugar TOPSOIL is an IOG ‘Corporate Plus’ member.
The IOG’s eight Regional Pitch Advisors at British Sugar TOPSOIL’s Wissington plant.
The eight Regional Pitch Advisors deliver the Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme, which is jointly funded by the IOG, the England and Wales Cricket Board, The Football Association, The Rugby Football League, and Sport England. Each advisor has a wealth of technical and hands-on practical pitch care expertise and qualifications and works with a range of groups and organisations in his geographical area to raise the standards of sports surfaces as well as the understanding of sports turf management practices among grassroots clubs.
The group’s visit to British Sugar, which was part of their continuing professional development, was hosted by TOPSOIL manager and keen volunteer amateur groundsman Andy Spetch. He started the day with a presentation on British Sugar and its parent company Associated British Foods plc. The sugar manufacturing process was explained and Andy was able to demonstrate British Sugar’s sustainability credentials by giving an overview of the process’s by-products, namely bioethanol, animal feed, salad tomatoes (140 million grown annually using recovered heat) and, of course, topsoil.
British Sugar TOPSOIL’s Landscape20 and Sports10 products are used widely for pitch and golf course construction and maintenance and the IOG group was able to see at first hand the topsoil manufacturing process and impressive storage and blending facilities at the Wissington site. There was ample opportunity for asking technical questions throughout the visit and the pitch care experts left with a deeper understanding of the features and undeniable benefits of choosing a quality, manufactured topsoil with excellent sustainability credentials.
Jason Booth, National Manager, Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme, said: “It’s always beneficial for the Grounds and Natural Turf Improvement Programme to visit sites like British Sugar TOPSOIL and learn how products are produced and formed. It is this knowledge that will help the Regional Pitch Advisor within their role going forward. The facility at Wissington is fantastic and we were surprised by its diversity and thank them for their hospitality.”
Speaking after the event, Andy Spetch commented: “It was a privilege to host so much pitch care knowledge in one place. I have looked after my local RFC’s pitches in Bury St Edmunds for a number of years as a volunteer and have a good understanding of the demands placed on groundsmen to deliver quality playing surfaces week after week throughout the season.
“They need consistent topsoil products on which they can rely to meet the needs and expectations of sports men and women, whether in a professional or amateur environment. I am pleased that each of the regional pitch advisors left us with a deeper understanding of how quality manufactured topsoil can make a major contribution to effective turf management.”