We are very proud of the achievements made by Pitchcare in the last 15 months or so. Thanks to the amazing growth in membership, we now have the basis of a website which is able to make a difference to the working lives of Groundsmen and Green keepers. Our plan is one of continual improvement - to become the definitive online information source, impartial and objective, the industry forum for debate and discussion and for the sharing of best practice.

We are well on the way but, to continue to grow, we do need support. As a member here's how you can help:-

• Consider buying your grounds maintenance requirements from us, we offer a selection of products from reputable companies in the Pitchcare shop. We can provide quotes for most products, materials and machines.
• If you are a company, why not promote yourself on our site - we average 3,000 visits per week - get your message straight to the heart of the industry. Our members are progressive, using IT as a means to expand their knowledge.
• Spread the word - the more members, the more expertise, and the better informed we can all become.

Delighted to say the next guest taking part in our live Chat Room Interview will be agronomist, Simon Barnaby, from Scotts UK. The topic will be 'The Changing Face of Pesticides.' Simon will be joining us on Thursday 21st November at 6.00pm, so make a note in your diaries. Simon will be available to answer member questions about the EU legislations that are removing our range of weaponry against the turf pests and disease.

Here at Pitchcare we are constantly striving to improve our service. To help us with this we would appreciate some feedback from you, the user. Therefore we hope that you will be kind enough to take a few minutes to consider and complete the following 10 questions, perhaps whilst you have your morning or afternoon cuppa. As a way of thanks, you will be entered into our Christmas Hamper draw. Full details by clicking here. Thank you in anticipation of your help. Note the closing date is the 2nd December.

In the Members area you can find 'Groundsmen in the National News' where you can see current news articles from the various national newspapers which refer to Groundsmen or Greenkeepers.

You can now read the latest from Scotts in our recently formed Scotts News pages. The Scotts company are one of the only amenity companies with a research and development department, and are leading the way to meet new legislation introduced by the EU. Click on the Scotts News banner in our editorial section or on the members home page to read articles and current information on the Scotts company and their products.

Some Important News: Textron - Golf, Turf & Specialty Products has changed its trading title to reflect the heritage inherent in its two major brands. The Ipswich-based company has reverted to its registered trading name of Ransomes Jacobsen Limited, and their website has details of their products as well as news about the company. Also, on the Pitchcare site, the directory has the full range of Ransomes Jacobsen machines with photos, technical specifications and the opportunity to contact a local dealer for a demonstration.

We have now launched the member calendar. Major events are highlighted and each one of you can enter your own important dates to create your very own private calendar. There's also the option for you to enter dates into the public calendar so you can share what's going on in your area with the rest of us.

Pitchcare are now able to provide on-site accredited courses on a full range of subjects. The courses include basic maintenance, team building, manual handling, pesticide certification, safe and effective machine training, chainsaw use, turf management and development for all members of staff. The courses are certificated and prices are dependant on numbers attending each course. For further details see our health and safety section on the website or contact David Saltman on +44 (0) 1902 824392 or by e-mail: enquiries@pitchcare.com

Watch out for the new Chat Room coming later this month with more features and functionality than before.

Also, a new section dedicated to Legal issues affecting our industry will be launched this month. The first article deals with the thorny issue of unwanted travellers getting onto your site.

Head Greenkeeper, Justin Lochrie talks about winter work and ongoing maintenance at his 9 hole golf course in Kenmore, Scotland.

Head Groundsman, Mick Hunt, with an update on the major reconstruction work to the Lord's outfield.

Keith Kent on his baptism of fire at Twickenham - 3 England internationals against New Zealand, Australia and South Africa in the space of 2 weeks! How did the pitch, and Keith, stand up to the pressure?

Our regular round the country reports on what is happening in the turf maintenance industry.

We all like to be appreciated - and we're no different. So, we make no apologies for drawing your attention to the independent review of Pitchcare in the latest edition of Turf Professional. To read it see Page 57 of the October/November edition of Turf Professional or Click here to read it on the Pitchcare corporate section.

You also get a choice of payment methods - either offline or online - so no worries about having to use your credit card if you don't want to.

Specifically for the golfing fraternity, we have the BMS telescopic Holemaster with Heavy Duty Blades down to £150 (a saving of £15 off list price).

Health and Safety is crucial to your business. You need to be aware and have all the formalities in place. Failure to comply is a breach of criminal law. We can help you and your business. As an introductory offer, the first ten Pitchcare members will qualify for a days site visit and executive report for £300 +VAT (Normal Price £480 +VAT)
There is a brief questionnaire in our Health and Safety section as a guide and, if the answer is no to any of the questions, please contact us today to arrange a site visit and an introduction to explain how we can help you. Phone +44 (0) 1902 824392 or e-mail: enquiries@pitchcare.com.

Pitchcare are pleased to offer a great deal for members. We are now able to supply the Earthquake 1.5 and 2.1 metre machines at a special discount rate. In addition we have the Earthquake Rotaknife flat and 'V' roll models. Any Earthquake purchased through Pitchcare before Christmas will come complete with a free Quakemeter (Penetrometer) worth £199. See more details in the Pitchcare shop. Contact the office on +44 (0) 1902 824392 or email sales@pitchcare.com

As we send this newsletter out, our membership now sits at over 2700 members; not too bad at all in 15 months. However, if we want to drive the industry forward, providing advice, shared knowledge, better conditions, education and pay, then the bigger the membership the more strength we have to achieve this. Our industry deserves to be viewed as professional, so we are asking you to recommend Pitchcare to at least 1 of your colleagues. To send this newsletter to them fill in their email address and name:

Pitchcare was designed and is run by fellow Groundsmen and Green keepers for Groundsmen and Green keepers. Remember, Pitchcare is your site.

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You can advertise here and reach over 3000
Groundsmen and Groundkeepers

We can design a banner that will click-through
to your business' website

Contact adverts@pitchcare.com

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