INSTITUTE OF GROUNDSMANSHIP CELEBRATES 75TH ANNIVERSARY IN 2009

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) will celebrate its 75th anniversary in 2009 as the world’s largest membership organisation for grounds professionals with nearly 10,000 full and e-members.

A number of events will take place through the year including the first all-encompassing industry awards ceremony for grounds staff taking place at the Emirates Stadium on 15 October. This will be preceded by the IOG’s one-day Sports Turf Conference during the day.
Over the last two years the institute has transformed itself with the establishment of the IOG Academy – an apprenticeship through to retirement training programme to enable grounds staff to gain the professional qualifications they need throughout their career.

“Having doubled the membership over the last two years we will continue to follow the institute’s original mission to improve the status of groundsmen and the standard of groundsmanship,” says Geoff Webb, IOG Chief Executive.

“To this end we have been working with the national governing bodies of sport such as The Football Association on a soon-to-be-launched training initiative for grassroots grounds professionals, and the England and Wales Cricket Board on fine turf issues,” he added.
There is still much to do. Grounds staff are still not paid well and work in difficult conditions. The IOG therefore needs to evolve to meet the demands faced by its members in this ever-changing industry.

The IOG has been highlighting its concerns with a number of key politicians and stakeholders, pointing to the vital contribution that grounds staff make to British sport. This has led to Minister for Sport Gerry Sutcliffe MP saying:
“Ensuring the long term maintenance of facilities is vital to the sustainability of sports provision. Grounds maintenance is a key element of this. I welcome initiatives by the IOG to raise skill levels in this area and the grounds maintenance profession as a whole.”
The IOG was founded by W H Bowles BEM, head groundsman of Eton College, and ten other founder members in 1934 at a pub by Cannon Street Station in London. Each of the founders put in £1 to set up the organisation.

Some of the IOG’s highlights include:

• The introduction in 1953 of the IOG examination system, the forerunner to today’s renowned training and education services;
• In 1990, the launch of the IOG Consultancy Service, which advises organisations worldwide on the development and management of sports and amenity facilities;
• The launch in 1938 of the IOG exhibition – now known as IOG SALTEX; and
• The launch of the 2012 Fund in 2007, which provides funding and bursaries to support industry development.
  

Geoff Webb continues: “As the industry looks towards the 2012 Olympics, the IOG will continue to enforce its ‘Challenging Perceptions’ six-year strategy dictum of ‘establishing the IOG as the leading professional organisation for grounds management, recognised by the National Governing Bodies of Sport and the public, private and voluntary sectors for its industry knowledge and technical expertise’.

“It is clear that health and the uptake of sporting activities is a major item on the Government agenda, as is the legacy that the Olympics (and other major sporting events including the Commonwealth Games in 2014) will create. As such, our activity within the political arena is focused here, to highlight the issues we face as an industry.

“This is one of a number of steps that the IOG is taking to voice concern and request action on matters that we as an industry are facing – for example, the encouragement of more young people into the sector, and to raise the pay and status of ground professionals.

“We will continue to lobby, with our partners who face similar issues, to address and raise the profile of these important issues with Government, those involved in sports governance and others in a position of influence.”

The Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) is the leading membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK. As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s extensive Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects. It also stages the annual IOG SCOTSTURF and IOG SALTEX exhibition, Europe’s leading show for the open space profession. For more information visit www.iog.org

Source: Wildish Communications Ltd
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