Following on from a successful working relationship with Campey Turf Care over several years, including the development of a formal partnership in 2020, Staffordshire FA is delighted to extend our partnership with Campey Turf Care for the 2021/22 season, as the Association’s recommended equipment supplier. 
One of the key strands of the Staffordshire FA grass pitch improvement strategy is to support our clubs and grounds persons to be able to invest in quality equipment to maintain their playing surfaces, and for several years now, Campey Turf Care have developed an excellent reputation and relationships with many clubs across Staffordshire.

As the Football Association and Football Foundation continue to invest in the ongoing improvement of grass pitches, there has never been a better time for grassroots clubs to embrace the support and resources which can enhance their playing surfaces, and subsequently improve the experience of their members.

Gareth Thomas, Partnerships & Communications Officer at Staffordshire FA, said: “Staffordshire FA have been actively working to improve grass pitches across the county since 2012, and we continue to be very encouraged by the positive impact our programme is having. However, there is still plenty of work to do with over a thousand pitches across the county, and we can only achieve our objectives by working together with various key partners across the industry.

“Campey Turf Care have played a key part in supporting Staffordshire FA and our member clubs during that period, not only with the supply of quality equipment, but also via valuable education and aftercare with our clubs and volunteers, and support with the educational workshops we deliver.”

He continued: “Grassroots football clubs can access support via the Football Foundation ‘Pitch Power’ process, which in turn provides clubs with a detailed report and recommendations from our Regional Pitch Advisor at the Grounds Management Association. Included within each Pitch Power report is a section on recommended equipment, which clubs can then access 75% funding for, via a grant from the Football Foundation.

“On receipt of their Pitch Power report, clubs across Staffordshire regularly ask us where they can access quality equipment to invest in; having a trusted partner like Campey Turf Care really assists the County FA and our clubs with that process, and we look forward to developing the partnership and supporting more of our clubs in 2021/22 and beyond.”

John Campey, Director at Campey Turf Care, commented: “We are delighted to extend our involvement with Staffordshire FA for the coming season. Working together we have provided a vital link between manufacturer/supplier and those in the field. Combining our innovation and expertise in product design with education and hands-on experience from grassroots clubs is a powerful step in achieving best practise at every level.” 

For further information on the Staffordshire FA grass pitch improvement strategy and how your club can benefit from the programme, please contact: support@staffordshirefa.com 

Clubs can also find out more about our grass pitch improvement programme by visiting https://www.staffordshirefa.com/leagues-and-clubs/grass-pitch-improvement 

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Campey Turf Care Systems Partner with Staffordshire FA

Campey Turf Care Systems and the Staffordshire Football Association have announced a formal partnership with the aim of improving the quality of grassroots pitches in the county.
 
Over the years as individual entities, both Campey and Staffordshire FA have championed the importance of quality pitches in grassroots football with a focus on increased participation in the game. Nationally, the Football Association aims to improve 20,000 grass pitches across England in the next decade, and whilst at the early stages of that journey, Staffordshire FA Partnerships and Communications Officer, Gareth Thomas, is confident the county can play their part with the help of Campey.
 
“Since 2012 we’ve been working on various initiatives to raise the standards of grassroots football pitches in our county, and at the beginning of that process our local pitch advisor, Stoke City FC Grounds Manager, Andy Jackson, recommended Campey. We were also aware of Campey from the branding on many of the machines we saw during those early visits, along with the positive feedback we received from clubs,” Gareth explains.
 
“We’ve had an informal relationship with Campey going back eight years, and we wanted to formalise that to continue to help more clubs across Staffordshire. With the support of Campey, we can keep developing our programme to make as big an impact as possible.

“One of the reasons our clubs provide positive feedback on Campey is the training that they receive when they invest in machinery, along with the ongoing aftercare. If a new club volunteer comes on board, someone from Campey is at the end of a telephone to talk them through it and if required visit the site.
 
“We’ve seen the benefit of that service already at local grassroots football facility sites such as Trubshaw Cross who took on a ten-pitch site from their local council in 2015 and have transformed the pitches with the help of advice and guidance from Campey.
 
“They are just one example; we’ve got some excellent case studies across Staffordshire where our programme has been really beneficial to grassroots football. Having worked at the County FA for several years now, I think our grass pitch improvement programme has been one of our most positive and impactful programmes.”

Despite the difficult situation facing grassroots football clubs since Covid-19 disrupted the sport in March 2020, many clubs have used it as an opportunity to improve their pitches via the programme and funding support from the Football Foundation. 
 
Ensuring that clubs invest in the right machinery that will be a real asset to them is a key part of the programme and one that Campey – who have run numerous grassroots education days across England over the last ten years – are pleased to help with.
 
“These grants provide a real opportunity unlike anything they’ve ever had before for grassroots club to acquire machinery and improve their pitches and receive first rate training,” Campey Director, John Campey, explains.
 
“We’ve worked with grassroots football clubs for a long time, so it’s nice to be recognised and have the affiliation with Staffordshire FA. It puts us in a good position to help the groundsmen and get the machines out there and have people looking at the kit that will do the best for them.
 
“I think it’s important to use the right machinery and for them to see it in action and get involved with it that way. With grant support, clubs can access current machinery that’s easier to use and that encourages volunteers and ultimately improves their pitches.” 
 
This partnership will see Campey support grassroots clubs on-site with training and machinery advice as well as contributions to the Staffordshire FA communication channels, which will contain ongoing pitch maintenance advice throughout the season.
 
In the future, Campey aims to develop partnerships with more county football associations to strengthen their support of grassroots clubs in England.

For more information on Campey, visit www.campeyturfcare.com