#GroundsWeek2024
is here! 👏
Without the daily grind of groundstaff, sport would not be possible, so join us as we shout from the rooftops about the incredible people within the industry.
Find out how you can show your support for the sector by visiting
THE WOMEN’S GAME💪
In a first for football, 13 pioneering females have come together to prepare the pitch ahead of the
@barclayswsl
Arsenal v Tottenham match tomorrow at 12:30 ⚽
You can watch the match live on BBC Two or BBC iPlayer 📺
@arsenalwfc
@womeninfootball
@ryangolding_
@SkySportsRL
Ryan, we wholeheartedly agree with you. Grounds staff are among the hardest working and most skilled professionals in sport, often overlooked despite the vital role they play. Comments like these undermine the dedication and skill it takes to maintain the playing surfaces that
We are thrilled to announce that we have inducted Steve Braddock into our Hall of Fame for his remarkable contributions to the industry over the course of his career. Many congratulations
@oldskool91to93
! 👏
@Arsenal
At the Emirates Stadium in the
@barclayswsl
game
@arsenalwfc
vs
@spurswomen
& the grounds team are back out pitch repairing divots and watering!
The team are from across of range of sports and have come together to break glass ceilings, showcasing women in the industry ⚽️
Less than 30 minutes out from the
@barclayswsl
North London Derby kicking off at Emirates Stadium!
Hear from Liddy Ford on how grounds management is a viable career option and the importance of improving the diversity within the industry 🤝
@arsenalwfc
@womeninfootballofficial
🚨 The GMA has announced the launch of the first ever
#GroundsWeek
The celebratory week will take place 1-7 March 2021 and will highlight the vital role of professional grounds staff, volunteers, and the turf sector play in making sport possible. 🌱
Find out more below 👇
We're sorry to hear that former AELTC head groundsman Eddie Seaward passed away today. He was a true statesman for our profession and industry. It's a sad day for the profession and for all those that had the privilege of knowing and working with him. He's forever in our hearts.
Having recently joined the GMA Young Board of Directors,
@meglaynz
reflects on what this opportunity means and why it's so important to highlight the sector as a whole!
Want to learn more about careers, training and the sports turf industry? 👇
👏 Marking milestones for women's sport as all-female grounds team set to prepare the pitch at Emirates Stadium for Arsenal vs Tottenham in the Women’s Super League on 3 March 2024.
Read all about how history will be made ahead of
#IWD
:
Well done to
@Tommopj1985
and
@teddyshep_paul
for completing their GMA qualifications last year 👏
It's always great to see clubs supporting grounds teams and celebrating their successes - here the
@dcfcofficial
coaching team, including Wayne Rooney, celebrates with them both 📸
Up next, we have the Professional Football Grounds Team of the Year (A) award sponsored by
@amsrobotics
– and winning first prize is
@NewportCounty
!
Congratulations! 🎊
#GMAawards22
Covid-19: The IOG has held meetings today with governing bodies of sport and the Dept for Culture, Media & Sport to get clarity for the sports turf sector and the valuable work carried out by our members. Updates tomorrow.
“In reality, we’re scientists, horticulturalists and project managers all rolled into one. You nurture the pitch like it’s your baby.” Have a read of our latest activity with
@Independent
and
@johnledwidge
Head of Sports Turf and Grounds at
@LCFC
To support maintenance of turf during the Covid-19 outbreak, we’ve produced sport-specific docs in collaboration with NGBs. Free for all they offer guidance on minimal activity to keep surfaces ticking along. Please refer to Gov advice at all times
Sport has a huge contribution to our physical and mental wellbeing, and so many of us can't wait to get back to playing and watching it.
Skilled grounds staff and volunteers are essential to get pitches and our nation
#backtoplay
. Watch this space for our latest research.
The GMA Young Board are hosting a Schools into Stadia event at
@LincolnCity_FC
today 🌱
Inspiring young people to consider careers im ground management over
#GroundsWeek
Following that, we have the Professional Football Grounds Team (B) sponsored by
@SGLsystem
and winning gold is
@LCFC
Leicester City Football Club!
Well done Foxes 🦊!
#GMAawards22
Thanks
@RobbieSavage8
for highlighting the important role of the grounds sector and fighting for the return of grassroots sports 👏
Grounds staff and volunteers are essential to produce and maintain the healthy pitches needed for sport to resume.
Grounds staff make sport possible at every level. Research shows that with the right care and, crucially, volunteers, 1.4m more kids could play
#grassroots
sport each week. Register with
@thegma_
(not-for-profit org) and get involved ahead of the return
🎬 That's a wrap on
#GroundsWeek2024
...
A huge THANK YOU to every individual, team and organisation across the globe who contributed to the GMA's awareness campaign by highlighting the outstanding contribution our industry and volunteer workforce make every day🌱
.
@iPaperSport
looks at the ‘paramedics of the sport sector’ - grounds staff.
Our CEO spoke out and said staffing levels must be right to produce healthy, safe, and high quality surfaces if sport is going to return quickly.
#makingsportpossible
To mark
#NationalVolunteersWeek
, we want to say a huge thank you to those volunteering in the grounds sector. Each contribution makes our nation's sport possible and green spaces accessible 👏👏👏
More details on how to get involved in our latest report
And so another
#GroundsWeek
comes to a close🏁
Thanks to everyone who got involved and made the week so special - if we all support one another and celebrate our successes, we can drive the
#turfcare
sector forward over the coming years🌱
It is with great sadness that we mourn the loss of Steve Braddock. A huge loss to
@Arsenal
, our sector, the grounds care community and all those whose lives he touched.
That’s us done for the evening! We hope you’ve had a fab time. A BIG congratulations to all our winners and finalists, and a massive thank you to our guests for the support.
Over and out.
Hannah M. Leukaemia survivor 😉✌🏻
What's the highlight of the year for the GMA Industry Awards Newcomer of the Year 2023?
Hear from Assistant Grounds Person at Gloucestershire Country Cricket Club, Meg Lay
@meglaynz
herself 🏆
#GroundsWeek
returns for its third year! 🎉
#GroundsWeek
is all about raising awareness of the
#turfcare
sector and celebrating its vital contribution to sport and green spaces 🌱
Join us this week in shining a spotlight on all the incredible work we do as an industry 🤝
"The fact that the pitch is even playable is a testament to Kiel’s skills."
Our COO,
@jbooth2013
recently spoke to
@PhilHay_
about LUFC's pitch and the incredible work Kiel and his team has been doing.
Read more below 👇
#makingsportpossible
#turftwitter
🚨Our online Grounds Management Toolkit is now live!
The new site features short videos and seasonal maintenance guides to help grounds staff and volunteers improve their understanding of grounds maintenance.
Find out more about the new site below 👇
#Makingsportpossible
Unbelievable dedication and effort by
@ben_kay8
yesterday to ensure that
@chorleyfc
’s
#FACup
match could go ahead 👏
What a fantastic example of the work grounds staff across the country put into
#makingsportpossible
🌱
Hope you’ve warmed back up, Ben!
#GroundsWeek
is about celebrating the sector, but more needs to be done to recognise the importance of grounds staff and urge people to join the sector. If current decline continues, at least 9% of kids who currently play won't be able to in the next 5 years.
Read more below 👇
With temperatures set to drop below -3° in some parts of the UK over the next few days, our Pitch Advisory Service team has drafted some guidance and tips to help grassroots grounds staff through the frosty weather. 🥶
Find out more here: 👇
#GroundsWeek
kicks-off with our latest research 📢
New GMA research finds 77% of outdoor workers feel rewarded and a strong sense of achievement compared to 47% of people working behind a desk.
Find out how we're inspiring more people to consider
#groundsmanagement
below 👇
Now available online - Level 2 'Winter Pitches' training course.
We've really appreciated all your positive comments on Level 1, so we hope this helps take your skills to the next level.
#makingsportpossible
Which maintenance task are you determined to overcome this winter?
It’s our 90th Anniversary 🎉
On this day in 1934, the Grounds Management Association was born.
We will celebrate this momentous occasion throughout the year with a series of events, special-edition magazines and some very exciting launches.
“There's a career path in grounds maintenance for youngsters who are interested in being involved full-time in sport" says
@jbooth2013
speaking to
@bbcsport
#GroundsWeek
is more than a celebration, it aims to inspire the next generation of talent 🌱
It’s day 3 of
#GroundsWeek
, and what a week it's been so far!
We’ve loved seeing all the incredible pictures and videos you’ve tagged us in highlighting the people that make sport possible.
🔗
On
#InternationalWomensDay
, we want to shine a light on some of the women working across the sector and share their thoughts on the importance of women in the industry.
Here are their stories 👉
The GMA Industry Awards 2023 Shortlist has been announced! 🌟
With the standard of submissions remarkably high this year, the GMA are delighted to announce the names of those shortlisted for their display of excellence within the industry.
Yesterday saw two great tournaments come to their conclusions on British soil with neither of them being possible without the hard work of the grounds teams involved.
✨ The sun rising on GMA Industry Awards 2023 day!
Kicking off at Headingley Stadium this evening; keep an eye on our channels as we announce the all-important winners throughout the evening 🏆
It takes a lot of hard work and decication to get a pitch perfect. Hear from Wembley stadium’s
@karl_standley
on working safely during lockdown.
👉 Retweet if you love working in the grounds industry. Like if you want to learn more about it.
#makingsportpossible
Huge congratulations to the
@LCFC
team for being awarded Premier League Grounds Team of the Season and
@BurnleyOfficial
,
@dcfcofficial
and
@NewportCounty
for taking the top spot for the EFL Grounds Team of the Season in Championship, League One and League Two! 👏
We start the evening with the Young Grounds Person of the Year sponsored by
@OriginAmenity
.
And earning the first award is Dylan Thompson from Doncaster Rovers.
Well done Dylan!
#GMAawards22
A MASSIVE congratulations to
@AdamCoo98694851
for 35 years as a groundsman
@FandBCC
👏👏👏
Key Account Manager for football, Tom Rowley commented, “Congratulations on an outstanding achievement and invaluable contributions to grassroots sport.”
The IOG recommends a 2.5% pay increase for grounds staff in 2020. IOG members can download the full salary survey from the member zone on the IOG website. Click here for the survey highlights:
The winners of the Grounds Management Association Industry Awards 2022 were announced last night during a packed-out gala ceremony at the Vox, hosted by BBC broadcaster Mark Clemmit.
Read our full press release here:
👉
“You’re there in front of 90,000 people doing the job you are so passionate about. It’s a spine-tingling moment.”
With
#Euro2020
on hold,
@guardian
interviews
@karl_standley
and
@geoffwgw247
to share the impact, support, and duties during shutdown.
Just wow 😍
These two photos are just ONE YEAR apart and show the incredible work put in by volunteers
@LangwathbyUtd
to transform the pitch.
Thanks to
@benwelsh9
for sending us these 📸
🟣🔴
#makingsportpossible
40% of the workforce is over 50. Now is the time to attract young people to grounds management.
We're calling on our members to help us bring about this change. Follow the link to learn how you can make a difference.