SPEAKER LINE-UP REVEALED

The Grounds Management Association (GMA) has announced the speaker line-up for its upcoming regional event, GMA Connect, taking place at Durham County Cricket Club on Wednesday 18 June.

Following on from GMA Connect in Bristol last month, the Durham programme features a strong line-up of speakers and sessions, including:

• Mark Hunt, presenting Turf Management in the Current Climate, with practical advice on interpreting forecasts and managing the effects of changing weather patterns. 
• Alex Vickers, leading Reading Your Soil, an interactive workshop on soil profiles and compaction identification. 
• Vic Demain, head groundsman at Durham CCC, hosting What’s in Your Shed?, a behind-the-scenes look at the professional equipment used to maintain elite playing surfaces. 
• A panel discussion on Dealing with Climate Change Challenges at Professional Venues, featuring Vic Demain, Alex Vickers and Aaron Tong from Hull City’s MKM Stadium. 
• Ian Mather-Brewster from the GMA, delivering Carrying Out a Surface Assessment, followed by a joint session with Chris Hunter on Using a Playing Surface Assessment to Upgrade Your Facility.

Commenting at GMA Connect Bristol earlier in May, Victoria Jones, facilities and investment manager at Cricket Wales, said, “There's been such an opportunity to network across the industry from grounds managers to professionals from the GMA - but also experts from the commercial sector, it's been great to network with these people. Through networking and educational opportunities, it's how we improve ground quality and performance.”