SALTEX, Europe’s premier grounds management show, has announced its full Learning LIVE programme, featuring over 20 industry leaders, technical experts, and specialists across three stages. This free educational event is the largest and most extensive in the sector, offering attendees a chance to gain insights from top professionals.
On day one, the Main Stage will feature a not-to-be-missed panel discussion with industry giants including Karl Standley (Wembley Stadium), Neil Stubley (All England Lawn Tennis Club), Jim Buttar (Twickenham Stadium), and Gary Barwell (Edgbaston Stadium), who will tackle the topic of Sustainable Solutions.
Day two’s Main Stage features Phil Sharples (Real Sociedad), Vicente Alpuente (Villarreal), and Dean Gilesby (International Pitch Management) addressing ‘Climate Change Challenges at Top International Football Venues’. Attendees can also learn about team motivation and surface excellence from Reece Watson (Raw Stadia) and Neil Rodger (STRI Group).
The Spotlight Stage will host interactive ‘Ask-the-Expert’-style forums. Day one includes discussions on integrated approaches to controlling Leatherjacket & Chafer Grub with Dr. Christian Spring (STRI Group) and Sean Loakes (Syngenta). Highlights include Colin Corline (SAPCA) on ‘Artificial Grass Pitches’, Professor John Moverley OBE on ‘Sustainable Amenity Management’, and Dr. Minshad Ansari (Bionema) on the benefits of biofilms.
On day two, the Spotlight Stage begins with a Soil Health Clinic led by experts Alex Vickers, Andrew Turnbull, Dr. John Dempsey, and Dr. Deb Cox. Geoff Fenn (Origin Amenity Solutions) will present the latest independent turfgrass research, followed by a session on ‘Climate Effects on Turfgrass Management’ by Mark Hunt (Prodata Weather Systems) and Jim Dale (Meteorologist). The stage concludes with Roger Davey (Irritech) discussing effective irrigation.
New this year, the Community Sports Stage focuses on community and grassroots sports. Day one covers multi-sport facility funding, pitch improvement projects, and grant funding, featuring experts from the ECB, RFU, RFL, and Football Foundation. Day two includes sessions on grass seed, fertiliser, aeration, and managing club volunteers, led by professionals such as Kelly Marie Clack (Origin Amenity Solutions), Chris Hunter (GMA) and Nasa Hussain (Bradford Park Avenue CC) respectively.
For more details on the SALTEX 2024 Learning LIVE programme and to see the full schedule, visit https://www.saltex.org.uk/learning-live. To register for SALTEX 2024, visit https://www.saltex.org.uk/.
