A combination of the RTC plus and Verti-Top ® TB from Redexim have been entrusted with protecting and preserving the lifespan of the synthetic surfaces – along with the health and safety of the students – at Emanuel School. With the recent addition of an all-weather pitch at their Blagdon sports ground, the school opted to purchase a maintenance set-up for both this and the main site in South-West London to retain performance and keep the surfaces clear of contamination.

Sport plays an integral part of life for students at Emanuel School, reflected in the ongoing investment into the quality facilities available to pupils and a number of clubs and organisations in the wider community. Estates Director Chris Wright heads up a number of teams responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the grounds and sports surfaces across the three sites. “With one artificial surface at the main school, our second at the Blagdon site came online in September 2023 which really made us look at how we were going to maintain these, along with the synthetic lawns we’ve introduced into our ornamental areas” Chris explains.

“The maintenance was previously contracted out, but from a cost and practical perspective, it became logical to invest in equipment that would give us the flexibility to conduct regular brushing and a more intensive deep clean more frequently.”

After speaking to local dealers Lister Wilder, Chris and the team opted for two RTC plus brush units and two Verti-Top ® TB cleaning systems from the award-winning Redexim synthetic range. Powered by a 22hp petrol engine, the RTC plus features a 2.7m wide underslung, winged brush to make routine brushing a breeze. This is then complemented by the more intensive cleaning delivered by the Verti-Top ® TB which lifts and separates types of infill material using a combination of vacuum and sieve.

“This partnership gives us flexibility and effective cleaning for the shorter-pile, sand-dressed surfaces as well as the ornamental carpet which has a longer pile. The RTC plus is out once a week and then we can affix the Verti- Top ® TB to the RTC for a thorough clean once a month.” Chris continues, “The Verti-Top ® has really impressed us with the amount of detritus it collects – everything from paper clips to jewellery which are removed in a single pass.”

The purchase also means the maintenance teams have eliminated contamination risks when switching equipment between natural and synthetic turf. “We don’t want to be putting a tractor with muddy tyres onto the artificial pitches which could then go on to cause other playability or safety problems.” He adds, “We’ve been really pleased with the performance and results to date, and as we’ve come to expect from Redexim it’s a well- built, well-designed solution which will help us to present good, clean surfaces for many years to come.”