NATURAL TURF IMPROVEMENT IS KEY TO PROVIDING BETTER PITCHES FOR OUR PLAYERS TO PLAY ON

The Staffordshire FA’s Pitch Improvement Programme works in partnership with the Football Association (FA) and Grounds Management Association (GMA) to provide bespoke support for clubs, leagues, Local Authorities, Education Establishments and other sites to help develop a grass pitch maintenance service which can be utilised by grassroots football providers, with the simple aim of improving the quality of grass pitches.

The need for this service is more relevant now than ever, given the current economic times and the pressures facing grassroots football. The key principles behind the service are to provide grassroots football with advice and practical solutions across a number of areas.

In addition to a team of GMA Regional Pitch Advisors, a number of professional football club groundsmen and have been identified and signed-up to the service. Football clubs or other organisations responsible for the maintenance of grassroots football pitches can receive a visit from these experts if they are looking to improve the quality of their grass pitches.

HOW CAN YOU ACCESS THE PITCH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME?

The Process

• Clubs request a visit through completing an expression of interest form (CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD) and returning it to the Staffordshire FA
• The Staffordshire FA organise a site visit with the Regional Pitch Advisor and the Club
• Regional Pitch Advisor and Staffordshire FA visit site
• The Club receive a report with recommendations
• Club action those recommendations, supported by the Staffordshire FA

REPORTS & RECOMMENDATIONS

Following the site visit, a bespoke report unique to each club/site will be provided based on the resources available – budget, machinery, personnel, time, priorities, etc. and the findings from the site visit.

In many of the reports, clubs have requested short-term recommendations based on their immediate priorities and budget available, then longer-term recommendations which the whole club can work towards achieving.

We recommend that clubs invest in a second visit approximately 6 months after their first visit to ensure that the recommendations provided in the reports have maximum impact.

If your club is interested in organising a pitch improvement programme visit, please CLICK HERE to access an Expression of Interest Form.

WHAT FUNDING IS AVAILABLE TO SUPPORT YOUR PITCH IMPROVEMENTS?

Once your report has been provided and recommendations have been reviewed, the club will be eligible to access funding in relation to the recommendations. This will include:

• Access to funding for Grounds Maintenance Machinery
• Funding for Enhanced Grass Pitch Maintenance services
• Storage facilities
• Line marking machines

The site visit will also take into consideration other facilities on site and will also identify funding opportunities to help:

• Applications for new goalposts
• Small grants for clubhouse improvements
• Other general site improvements

Please note: There is a £75.00 charge per visit, per club/site.