Grass Pitch Maintenance Fund - Grants available for Football Clubs

The Grass Pitch maintenance fund provided by the football foundation provides eligible organisations with a tapered 6-year grand to assist them in sustaining already 'good' level pitches, or to assist with enhancing basic or poor pitches. The campaign is the Football Foundations Power up your Grass Pitch campaign, with an aim to deliver 20,000 great quality grass pitches by 2030.

(Tapered means that the Football Foundation will pay a reduced percentage of the initial grant value every two years with the club making up the difference. For example, the grant awarded for an 11v11 pitch that needs enhancing would be £3200 in year 1 and 2, £2133 in year 3 and 4 and £1067 in year 5 and 6).

Who's eligible?
All applicants must have the required security of tenure, which is either owning the freehold, having a 10-year lease or longer, or a service level agreement with the site lasting 10 years. Applicants will also need to complete a PitchPower inspection within the last 12 months for all their pithces and have recieved a PitchPower Pitch Assessment Report, before they can apply. The Chair, Vice-Chair, Secratary or Treasurer of the club are the only ones that can submit an application form.

-Grassroots Football Clubs
-Leagues
-Charities
-Education Sites offering community usage on evenings and weekends
-Town and Parish Councils that host grassroots footall clubs on council-owned sites
-National League System (Steps 1-6) and Women's Football Pyramid (Tiers 1-4) Clubs (only for non-stadia pitches at the site that is used for community football).

Who's not eligible?
-Local Authorities
-An individual or sole trader
-A commercial/for-profit entity


ENHANCE - For pitches with Performance Quality Standard of 'basic' or below.
-11 v 11 Pitch Size - £3,200 Per Pitch
-9 v 9 Pitch Size - £2,560 Per Pitch
-Mini Soccer Pitch Size (7v7 or 5x5) - £1,920 Per Pitch

SUSTAIN - For pitches with a Performance Quality Standard of 'good' or higher.
-11 v 11 - £960 Per Pitch
-9 v 9 - £640 Per Pitch
-Mini Soccer Pitch Size (7v7 or 5x5) - £384 Per Pitch

For the most up-to-date details on the grant please visit the Football Foundation Website. Their typical process usually involves the following steps:

1. Completing a PitchPower inspection report.
2. Recieve multiple quotes from different suppliers having demonstrations if required
3. Applying for the grant
4. Paying the club's share of the final invoice
5. Recieving funds from the FA
6. Paying the final balance of the machine
7. Recieving your new mower.

•Applicants will need to complete a PitchPower inspection for all their pitches that will be improved using the machinery/equipment before they can apply for the Football Foundation Grant.

•Applicants will also be required to evidence that users of the machinery have a good understanding of how to use it safely and how to get the best use from it. The Foundation therefore requires a minimum of two members of the organisation to complete the Grounds Management Association (GMA)’s online Level 1 Football Grounds Maintenance course. This short course from the Grounds Management Association costs £42 and the certificate of completion will need to be submitted to the Foundation prior to the release of any grant. You can register here.

•If successful with your application the Football Foundation expect your equipment to be covered by suitable insurance and securely stored when not in use. It should be maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s recommendations and they request that it’s only used by suitably trained operators.

•Pre-owned machinery can be considered providing two like-for-like quotes are provided and it's purchased from a reputable dealer and comes with a minimum 12-month warranty.


How much can we get?
The Foundation will award a maximum grant of £50,000 that doesn't exceed 75% of the total project costs. Where a grant of over £50,000 or 75% of total project costs is required, the applicant should contact their County FA

Disclaimer: The details on this blog may be changed by the Football Foundation at any time so keep an eye on their website.

ALLETT CYLINDER MOWER COMPARISON: LIBERTY 43 VS STIRLING

Having the correct equipment to maintain a medium to large lawn can make all the difference. Allett mowers offer exceptional options tailored to specific needs of home lawn enthusiasts, in particular the Allett Stirling and Liberty Models are 2 extraodinary options, although they both have distinctive features that cater to different preferences and requirements.

Allett Liberty 43
The Allett Liberty 43 is designed to offer versataile performance with the convenience of batter-powered operation. Equipped with a 6-blade cutting cylinder and powered by a 40v Litium-Ion Battery, this specfific model delivers precise mowing with infinitely variable micro-cutting height adjustment, ranging from 6mm to 32mm. This mower is also compatible with all cartridges in the Allett range, which makes it suitable for most lawn care tasts.

Key Features of Allett Liberty 43

• Quick cartridge change system for seamless transition between different lawn care tasks without the need to remove belts (Approx 2 minutes so not as quick as the Stirling).
• Incremental height of cut change from 6mm-32mm (numbered system- no guide).
• Lightweight and manoeuvrable design, weighing just 38.5kg without a battery, ensuring easy handling around the garden.
• Double section rear roller with geared differential for smooth turns without damaging the grass surface ensuring uniform striping.
• Push-button start for hassle-free operation eliminating the need for strenuous pull cords.
• Quiet operation with noise levels as low as 92dB, enabling mowing even during evening hours without disturbing neighbours.
• Option of 40v 4Ah or 6Ah Greenworks batteries.
• Use the 40v batteries in other Greenworks lawncare tools e.g. leaf blowers, edgers, chainsaws etc
• 62L Polypropylene grass box- robust, in-built handle- can be harder to empty due to the lip.

Allett Stirling
The Allett Stirling is the pinnacle of professional-grade lawn maintenance equipment. Engineered with precision and robustness in mind, the Stirling is equipped with the Allett UC Cartridge system, which offers professional level of cultivation and clean-up tasks. Powered by the EGO 56V battery system with 'Keep Cool' technology, the Stirling boasts a seperate powerful electric motor for mowing and cultivation cartridges ensuring unmatched comfort and control. If you've got an unlimited budget, this is the mower for you!

Key Features of Allett Stirling

• Ultra-Quick cartridge change system for seamless transition between mowing and cultivation tasks, requiring no tools and taking less than 15 seconds.
• Push button start - no pulling of engine cords
• HiteRite™ height of cut selection for micro-adjustment with a clear scale, providing precise control over cultivation depth. Deeper cultivation than the Liberty 43. Cut as low as 3-4mm and as high as 50mm with the Allett Stirling and 10 blade cylinder.
• Ergonomically designed handlebars for superior comfort during extended use, featuring RotoShift™ control for effortless speed adjustment. The RotoShift is great for when you are scarifying and you can slow the forward speed of the mower right down. The handlebars have three different height adjustments as well as three different angle adjustments.
• Thicker, more rigid bottom blade SureBlade™ system for easier and more accurate blade setting, coupled with a quiet electrical system for minimal noise disruption.
• GlideDrive™ system for effortless pulling without resistance from driving the motor enhancing manoeuvrability. Perfect for mowing into corners of the lawn and pulling the mower backwards easily.
• Options of 56v 5Ah, 7.5Ah, 10 Ah and 12Ah Ego batteries. Use the 56v battery in other EGO tools.
• 62L Mesh grass bag which is lighter to carry and easier to empty- optimised air flow also for better fill.
• Weights- Stirling 43- 53kg including 6 blade cartridge, battery and grassbag. Stirling 51: 57kg including 6 blade cartridge, battery and grassbag. This weight helps with the definition of the stripe.
  
  

In summary, both the Allett Stirling and Allett Liberty 43 offer exceptional performance and convenience for home lawn enthusiasts. If you already have the Ego Batteries for your current lawncare tool, that may be the decision maker. However, if you want to cultivate deeper, then the Stirling will allow you to do this and create a more professional finish to your lawn.

Ultimately, the decision depends on preferance, lawn size and desired level of performance.

Lawn scarification is the process used to remove excessive amounts of thatch from a lawn and is an important part of lawn care and maintenance. Scarifying can be done manually or with mechanical lawn scarifiers, well known residential scarifiers include the STIHL and STIGA range of scarifiers. These manufacturers produce, petrol powered scarifiers, cordless battery powered scarifiers and electric corded scarifiers.

For commercial users, professional gardeners, or people with large gardens, a fantastic range to look at are the British manufacture range of Camon petrol powered scarifiers.

Why should you scarify a lawn?
Scarification is necessary when thatch in the lawn becomes excessive and begins to damage the grass. Too much thatch in a lawn can suffocate rather than protect plants, stopping them getting the necessary light, water and air that they need. In itself, thatch isn’t a bad thing.

How do you scarify a lawn?
Lawn size is a big factor in choosing the machine for the job. Small lawns can be scarified by hand using a spring tine rake, or even a lightweight electric or battery powered scarifer. For larger lawns and to get a good finish users need to look at petrol powered scarifiers.

What is thatch?
Thatch occurs naturally but as with many plants, over time old grass leaves and stems die away and are replaced with new ones. As the dead material can be slow to decay it sits in a spongy layer under the green sward of the lawn. Having some thatch under the top surface of your lawn is not necessarily a bad thing as it acts as a protective layer, shielding both soil and grass plants from the elements.

How can I tell if my lawn needs scarifying?
Too much thatch in a lawn will give your grass a spongy feel when you walk on it. You should be able to see a layer 0.5-1cm thick when you look at the sides of your turf – any more than this is excessive and unhealthy for your lawn. Some people take a core sample from their lawn to assess how much thatch their is and whether the lawn needs scarifying.

When should I scarify my lawn?
Ideally, scarification should be carried out in the early spring to early autumn as this provides better results in terms of recovery. Spring time scarifying should only be light rather than heavy duty as the summer months can be detrimental if it is particularly hot, dry weather. Scarifying in winter is not recommended as this will damage the lawn.

How often should I scarify?
Most lawns will need to be scarified, but some require more than others if they are prone to a thatch build-up. It depends entirely on the type of lawn, soil and how the natural bacteria are working in your individual environment.

What happens afterward I have scarified my lawn?
After initial scarification the lawn does not look good, although this should not put you off from doing it. The rate at which your lawn recovers can vary depending on weather conditions and the initial quality of your lawn – however, be patient as it will be worth it. Any thatch that has been cut away should be removed – with the added bonus of it making good compost.

The benefits of lawn scarification include:
Aids in removing harmful levels of thatch.
It prunes grass roots and encourages growth.
Allows water and nutrients to penetrate into the soil.
Removes dead weeds and moss.
Reduces the likelihood of future moss problems.
Improves the health of your lawn, by refeshing tired or poor quality lawns.
Scarifying is also the ideal preparation for over-seeding.