Last week Lord’s, this week Bremen – new Notts Sport pitch for SG Findorff

This week has seen our friends and partners from Notts Sport travelling to Bremen to install a brand new artificial cricket pitch for one of Germany’s most progressive clubs, SG Findorff. It is the same type of pitch that they installed on the nursery ground at Lord’s last week. You can’t get a better recommendation than that.

Funded by the club itself, with financial support from the DCB and ICC Europe’s Regional Facility Fund, the new pitch will allow cricket to grow in a city that has already seen major growth in the number of cricketers over the last two years since SG Findorff joined the DCB. Th eclub has expanded from just one men’s team to now having two men’s teams, a women’s team and several youth teams.

Notts Sport is a partner of ICC Europe and of the DCB. Over the last years they have installed several pitches in Germany, including pitches in Berlin, Bonn and Munich. More projects are currently being planned.

Our thanks go to Notts Sport and ICC Europe who have made this project possible.

Notts Sport Complete Lord’s Installation

Leading synthetic cricket surfacing systems suppliers Notts Sport have recently completed work at Lord’s to install a replacement match pitch and two practice lanes at the home of cricket.

The work was carried out over four days when Middlesex CCC were on tour to Dubai and the new installations will be used by all teams at Lord’s, from international touring sides to youth teams.

The pitch on the Nursery Ground was completely replaced with the former synthetic system excavated and removed and replaced with a NottsBase D System NG12 installed over an Envelope Base, designed to perform as close as possible to a covered first-class square.

Also on the Nursery Ground, two practice lanes have been refurbished, extending their length, rebulding the base aggregate, adding new NottsBase performance pads and laying new NottsGrass NG7 carpets.

“The ultra-low maintenance and performance of the NottsBase D System and the durability of the tufted NottsGrass surface provided the perfect solution,” Alex Bennett, Cricket Sales Director for Notts Sport Cricket South, explained.

Ryan Le Roux, part of Lord’s groundstaff team, commented: “We were very happy with the service we received from Notts Sport. They were very professional from start to finish.”

Shaun Patrick, Chairman of Notts Sport, added: “We’re honoured to have been chosen for this work at the Home of Cricket to provide first-class match and practice facilities which will be used by players from youth teams right through to international cricketers.

“It’s testament to the exceptional performance and durability of our tufted surfaces that they impressed the groundstaff at Lord’s – there really is no higher recommendation!”

Notts Sport provides a wide selection of synthetic turf systems for cricket including four products approved by the ECB – which has awarded the company NTP Code of Practice Accreditation.

– See more at: http://www.cricketworld.com/notts-sport-complete-lord-s-installation/40913.htm#sthash.PLkf9quG.dpuf

Non-Turf Cricket Facility Refurbishment

Many people assume that an artificial grass cricket pitch is revitalised by simply replacing a new top surface carpet once the old one is worn.

The top surface is extremely important as it provides grip for the player and the ball.  Of course, your facility will ‘look’ new after a resurface – as indeed the viewable top carpet layer will be new – but it is important to realise that this will not necessarily improve the performance of your pitch or net area if performance problems have been identified.  You need to look below the surface…

It depends greatly upon the original selections that your organisation made when installing the facility in the first place.

Shock padding suitable to help keep the sub-base aggregate free from major disturbance is a wise investment.  Undulations caused gradually by activity on the pitch will need rectifying – an unlevel pitch base is a very common cause of ball bounce consistency problems.

The amount of maintenance you have carried out will also have a bearing.  If the aggregate base has lost compaction, this will result in a near pro-rate percentage lowering of the bounce.  If the base is re-compacted to recover this, can occasional rolling be maintained thereafter to retain the compaction?  If this is not realistic, then a wicket to wicket performance pad is strongly advised to maintain consistency.

After the above investigation, the merits of a new top surface carpet can be discussed in terms of which quality should be replacing the old as different grades are available offering different expected lifespan.

The Notts Sport Refurbishment Service is designed to analyse totally all elements of your non-turf cricket pitch or net area.

During a site visit our Area Manager’s will carry out an evaluation of the total condition and performance (including bounce, pace, levels, wear, stability, drainage etc).

A discussion with the client to confirm end user requirements will enable an exact refurbishment specification to be written to meet your performance, maintenance and lifespan requirement.

As with new build projects, Notts Sport Ltd offer this consultancy expertise free of charge.

Written By Mark Coeshaw – Director of Cricket and Play

DISABLED ACCESSIBILITY

ChildsPlay promotes inclusive play, by giving children of
different ages and abilities the chance to exercise, interact
and have fun together. Designed to be inspirational without
the need for play equipment, the surfacing system starts
with the premise that children are already equipped with
the essential tools for play – their imaginations.

Our research showed that for younger children and youngsters
with disabilities, equipment-linked play can leave them feeling
daunted or excluded. By making the play surface itself both
mentally and physically stimulating, while remaining accessible
to all levels of ability including wheelchair users, ChildsPlay
can increase the opportunity for exercise, social interaction
and learning.

Ultimately, ChildsPlay provides children with the means to
create their own games and have fun, imaginative adventures
together while developing their strength and capabilities.
Notts Sport have attained the prestigious ASTM F1951-09b
standard, leading the way in inclusive play for children of all
abilities.

Written by James Jeyes – Regional Sales Manager

Affordable MUGAS

ACTIVE CHILDREN, ACTIVE MINDS

ONE FACILITY; MULTI-GAMES

Notts Sport, the leading UK artificial sports surfacing specialist and official partners of England Hockey, along with their partners can now provide everything you need to create a bespoke Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA).

Notts Sport synthetic surfacing systems require minimal maintenance over a long lifespan, and support hour after hour of football, tennis, hockey, basketball, netball – and much more – all year round, during lessons and playtime.

That means more sports, more often for your pupils, bringing health benefits and maximising access to sport and play at every opportunity, no matter what the weather.

Notts Sport can fund your entire facility via Fast Track Funding which is a proven mechanism for schools, local authority’s and academy’s. Designed to meet your requirements the funding package can be tailored to individual criteria including funding periods, payment schedules and to suit levels of match funding if applicable.

From £220 per week

5 Simple Steps To A Brand New Facility

Step 1. A free site visit and feasibility report
Step 2. A range of competitive quotes
Step 3. Notts Sport and our specialist funding advisors UniLink Ltd confirm funding package
Step 4. Construction begins whilst Notts Sport manages the build
Step 5. Payment begins after completion

*based on a lease over 7 years and suitable ground conditions

To find out more, please don’t hesitate to get in touch by calling 01455 883 730, emailing: info@nottssport.com.

Alternatively, you can find out more at www.nottssport.com.

Written by Keith Parker – Regional Sales Manager 

It’s up to you New York, New York

Notts Sport are not short of high profile clients since the cricket installation at Lord’s, and there is no change here. Central Park in New York City is arguably the most famous park in the World and during 2015 Notts Sport have the privilege of providing our SurfacePlay safety surfacing to another three of their spectacular playgrounds.

Notts Sport have already supplied SurfacePlay safety surfacing for three playgrounds in the park and by the end of 2015 another three SurfacePlay areas will have been installed; the first two playgrounds were installed in 2010 and the third installed in 2013.

Notts Sport are very proud that they have been able to work with a world recognised client such as the Central Park Conservancy and believe that the highly durable nature of the SurfacePlay product, which comes in an array of eye-catching colours, combined with their excellent customer service make it an attractive proposition for the client. Zec Tomlinson, Director Of Export at Notts Sport, had this to say “Working alongside a prestigious client such as the Central Park Conservancy is something everybody at Notts Sport is very proud of. We have had some excellent projects across the globe over the years, but to be involved with the supply of our SurfacePlay product in six playgrounds for the World’s number one takes some beating.”

Notts Sport have been exporting their ChildsPlay and SurfacePlay products around the World since 2001 and have hundreds of installations across Europe as well as other countries such as the USA, New Zealand, Japan and India.

If you want any advice on your playground surfacing then do not hesitate to contact Notts Sport by calling +44 (0) 1455 883730 or email info@nottssport.com

 

From Lutterworth to Lord’s!

In 2012 Notts Sport installed a state of the art three lane practice facility at Lutterworth Cricket Club, a mile away from Notts Sport’s headquarters at Magna Park. In March 2015 Notts Sport had the honour of providing Lord’s Cricket Ground with a match pitch and a two lane practice facility.

 

Both jobs were as equally important to Notts Sport. Shaun Patrick, Chairman, says “when it comes to providing the very best non-turf pitches available, Notts Sport are the number one choice for all clubs. We are proud to have been appointed by our local club, Lutterworth and also by Lord’s ,the most famous ground in the world”

Notts Sport are a world established supplier of non-turf cricket pitches, with over 10,000 installations in their 30 year history. For advice regarding your cricket facilities please call 01455 883730 or email info@nottssport.com

It Just Makes Sense – VHAF NottsSward & ChildsPlay

Advantages of Using VHAF NottsSward & ChildsPlay Instead of Rubber

• Generally speaking a VHAF NottsSward or ChildsPlay installation will work out to be more cost effective over the course of its life than its rubber counterparts.
• VHAF NottsSward is harder to burn or cut than rubber. This is mainly due to the sand in-fill within the pile of the VHAF NottsSward. The non-flammable nature of VHAF NottsSward surface, as mentioned earlier is also a big factor. Again this is a major difference to rubber surfacing that burns alot easier than VHAF NottsSward. As an example consider what happens to rubber car tyres when the car brakes too hard or accelerates to quickly. They burn. This is the problem inherent with rubber.
• VHAF NottsSward does not move away from the edges of the installation due to thermal instability. Rubber surfacing often does. It contracts in cold weather and expands in hot weather and within a short time the surfacing has often moved away from the edge of the kerb edging at the perimeter of the area, and is prone to being picked at or ripped up.
• Should the customer choose to have a VHAF NottsSward surface that used more than one colour or decide that they would like to have some graphics in the suface will understandably cost more that a surface that only utilises a single colour. However this differential in pricing is a lot less than the differential a customer faces when they choose to have a different colour of graphic in an area of rubber surfacing.
• VHAF NottsSward can be installed more or less all-year-round. The only condition that prohibits an installation from taking place are ‘driving’ rain and sub zero temperatures. This is a much better scenario than that faced by rubber surfacing installers. Such installations are often rendered unfeasible throughout a large part of winter, as various resins used in the installation process will only bond with the rubber granules at certain temperatures.
• A rubber wet-pour area will often aborb and retain heat, making it potentially uncomfortable when children put their hands or bare feet onto the surfacing during particularly hot spells of weather. It can also give off a ‘rubbery’ smell many months after installation. VHAF NottsSward does not suffer from either of these problems.

Advantages of Using VHAF NottsSward & ChildsPlay Instead of Bark or Sand.

• VHAF NottsSward does not require regular top-ups or raking in order to level the area and make it safe. Such top-ups and raking of bark & sand areas are often a hidden expense for customers.
• It is highly unlikely that VHAF NottsSward will become contaminated by such things as dog faeces, glass, needles, mud etc. If foreign and unwanted materials land on VHAF NottsSward then the sand within the pile of the surface ensures that such foreign and unwanted material remains on top of the surface pile, where it can be identified and removed.
• When maintained properly VHAF NottsSward can remain clean even in wet and damp weather conditions, unlike bark where children often get very dirty when playing in it during wet or damp weather.
• The option of having different colours or shapes within a play surface is not open to someone wishing to use bark, however it is a widely used option with VHAF NottsSward play surfacing.
• VHAF NottsSward will not end up all over a school playground/park on a windy day and doesn’t get stolen and removed from site.

If you are currently considering a sand or bark surface for your play project and would like a better option, please get in touch on 01455 883730 or email at info@nottssport.com

Written by James Jeyes – Regional Sales Manager

THE BENEFITS OF A WORKING PARTNERSHIP WITH NOTTS SPORT

Notts Sport have been training and partnering DSO organisations for over 25
years.

The benefits of a working partnership with Notts Sport will be as follows:
• You will be partnering an organisation with a history of supplying local
authorities with quality play surfaces
• You will be following in the footsteps of other DSOs who have successfully
undertaken the process and are reaping the benefits.
• ChildsPlay is suitable both as a cover over for damaged wet pour, and
as a vandal resistant, innovative product for new sites whilst also saving
budgets on maintenance and repairs.
• We will offer you and the client a free design service for the ChildsPlay
sites, as well as help with material calculations and pricing via our on
going technical support.
• Your organisation will be an Approved Notts Sport Supplier which will
eventually allow the DSO to win work outside of your own authority
providing you with additional income streams.
• Notts Sport will train your staff to install ChildsPlay systems and
therefore provide your staff with extra skills and opportunities, increasing
employment opportunities
• Notts Sport will provide marketing support to promote your services to
local organisations and other authorities through agreed campaigns
generating you additional opportunities and increasing your profile.
• You will be able to create additional income and maximise the overall
budget within your local authority.
Once your team have been on initial training, we provide free follow up training
within your own borough or county.

Testimonials:
Mark Bobrowicz, Playground Officer for Rochdale Metropolitan Borough
Council:
“We’re delighted with the professional standard of service we received from Notts
Sport. Our requirements at Hare Hill Park were very specific, but Notts Sport
came up with a tailor-made solution and the finished result is absolutely fantastic.
Since the play area opened, it has been a huge hit with the youngsters and they’re
certainly putting it through its paces! Thankfully, we know the ChildsPlay system
is durable enough to keep going for years to come.”
Russell Norton, Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council:
“While safety is our main priority, vandalism is a problem at a number of
playgrounds in the borough and the council has spent a lot of money repairing
the damaged surfacing. ChildsPlay has proven to be substantially more resistant
to attack than other surfacing used in the borough and is therefore making a
considerable impact on reducing maintenance costs.”

For more information please contact info@nottssport.com

Written by James Jeyes