“Stay Home”. It’s a phrase we’ve heard countless times, and a way of living that we’ve all become accustomed to over the past 6 weeks.
Thankfully, one of the few exceptions allowing us to leave our homes is for physical activity – albeit once a day. But with Sport England showing a record high in activity levels in the 12 months up to November 2019, how will the Coronavirus outbreak and restricted access to sports services affect the nation’s fitness, and what can be done to keep activity levels up?
The first step to keeping these activity levels high – for both adults and children – is to promote physical activity that can be carried out during the lockdown, to ensure that habits maintained (or formed) and more likely to continue after lockdown.
Sport England quickly responded to the lockdown measures by launching Stay in, work out, a great pool of resources for keeping active at home – but won’t necessarily quench the thirst of those missing their favourite team sports.
Why not opt for something more personalised and put together some practice drills for your school’s hockey team, or for those members of your leisure centre that miss their weekly kickabout – Why not email out some training programs to improve their skills and whet their appetites for when you reopen?
A leading sports contractor for nearly 30 years, we have built in excess of 60 sporting facilities over the last three years, and in ordinary circumstances we deliver pitch maintenance programs at over 600 locations.
As sports providers look to the end of Lockdown, one of the questions being asked is “how do I make sure my pitch is thoroughly clean?”
In conjunction with manufacturers of disinfectants, cleaning products, and artificial sports turf we’ve been looking at the best ways to ensure pitches are clean, safe, and ready to go as lockdown restrictions ease. Contact our Operations and Maintenance Manager Danny Pierce to learn more on 07498 826 885 or email dpearce@sandcslatter.com.
Speaking to our clients, we know that there remains a strong desire to improve the sports services and facilities available across the education and leisure sectors but there is a common challenge – funding new facilities.
Before the pandemic many organisations had plans and funding in place for the development of new sports pitches and grounds. While the ambition to bring these projects to life remains, the reality of uncertain finances is a significant challenge in commencing work.
Many schools may be unaware of the finance and leasing options available to them. There are dedicated funding and leasing opportunities available for sports construction and refurbishment projects which will enable you to spread the cost of improving your sports facilities. To learn more get in touch with Jason Douglass on 07786 987 215 or jdouglass@theslattergroup.com
When the lockdown was implemented in late March, guidance was unclear for how construction companies should proceed. We took the decision to safely shut down our sites immediately, as we felt it was the most responsible course of action to take until the situation became clearer.
Following a three-week shutdown period, new guidance from both the government and Construction Leadership Council was published, with the industry developing a well thought out set of site operating procedures, signed off by Public Health England. With these new procuedures in place and a clear directive from the government to keep construction work going through the UK lockdown, we began a gradual re-opening of sites, working with leisure and education facilities to construct, improve and maintain their sporting facilities.
These sites have been carefully chosen by our Contracts Managers and Health and Safety Manager, who worked tireless through our shutdown period to implement new ways of on-site working that comply with social distancing and safeguarding procedures for travel and work.
With Sport England showing that activity in schools stagnated between 2017-19 and UK Active showing that visits to leisure centres fell 5% between 2017-19 now is the time for schools, universities and leisure centres to improve their sports services and make an active nation a positive outcome of the pandemic.
If you’d like to discuss improving your facilities ready for pupils or members beyond the UK lockdown, please get in touch.
The Slatter Group (incorporating S&C Slatter and White Horse Contractors) are thrilled to announce that our Group Director Jason Douglass has joined the board of SAPCA as Chairman of Pitch & Track Divisions.
SAPCA is the Trade Association for UK Sports and Play Construction, working towards building an active nation with a goal to “ensure that every project meets the customer’s expectations, is designed, built and maintained to last, whilst delivering excellent value for money.”
As SAPCA members for a number of years, we’ve seen first-hand the benefits of SAPCA’s work for both customers and members. The SAPCA team have decades of experience supporting organisations from across the industry, promoting the work of suppliers and contractors, providing education and thought-leadership events to ensure members are up to date in the latest industry developments.
For customers, SAPCA provides guidance across the sport and play project journey, from getting started with funding and planning through to construction and maintenance.
Jason joins a 12-strong SAPCA Board as Chairman of Pitch & Track Divisions. His role will include the ongoing promotion of SAPCA and its important work for members, to represent the views and opinions of the Pitch and Track division members and to actively support the implementation of SAPCA’s 2020 strategic review.
“I’m proud to accept the invitation to join the SAPCA board as Chairman of Pitch & Track Divisions. SAPCA play a pivotal role in our industry as educators, thought leaders and best practice advocates. I look forward to contributing my substantial experience in the sports construction industry to the team…” – Jason Douglass
Jason’s wide-ranging experience in the sports construction industry will undoubtedly prove to be an asset to SAPCA’s work, championing innovation, the need to address environmental challenges and ensuring the voice of division members is heard.
If you’d like to learn more about Jason’s role on SAPCA’s board, or are simply looking for guidance on a sports construction project then please get in touch.
With extensive experience in constructing World Rugby 22 Regulation certified elite rugby pitches, we work closely with our artificial turf partner, FieldTurf, to deliver world-class surfaces for our clients.
We’re thrilled to share that today FieldTurf has announced its partnership with Richie Gray as Director of Player Experience for Rugby.
With coaching experience across some of the world’s top teams, Gray is currently Skills/Contact Coach at Montpellier Herault Rugby in France and has a wealth of knowledge in the sector. With his elite coaching systems utilised by top teams across Rugby Union, Rugby League and the NFL, his insight and dedication to innovation will be an invaluable asset to the future of artificial sports turf.
The announcement forms the launch pad for FieldTurf’s new Rugby-centric innovation program – Scrum 2.0 – focused on better understanding the needs of players in order to deliver rugby’s best performing turf systems of the future.
As FieldTurf’s exclusive sports construction partner for England and Wales, we’re thrilled by the announcement. As a World Rugby Preferred Producer, we and our clients know first-hand that FieldTurf are a world leader in the production of artificial turf, trusted by top rugby teams such as Racing 92, Cardiff Blues, Stade Rochelais and US Oyonnax.
The launch of Scrum 2.0 and partnership with Gray marks the start of an exciting new chapter in rugby sports turf. Systems will be ‘engineered by the players, for the players’ with direct input from players, coaches and FieldTurf’s top technical experts.
In uncertain times, it’s great to be looking to the future, and we for one are very excited to see what’s ahead for sports surface innovation in rugby.
If you’d like to learn more about our partnership with FieldTurf and how we can deliver your rugby needs, please get in touch – or check out our case studies, such as our recent construction of the RFU Championship’s first artificial turf rugby pitch.
Following the decision to shutdown our sites across the country on 24th March, we’ve been closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation within our industry and beyond. With confirmation from the Secretary of State for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy that construction sites should continue to operate during the Coronavirus pandemic, we will begin a phased return to construction work on a limited number of our sites commencing Monday 20th April.
This follows a detailed review of the Construction Leadership Council’s latest ‘Site Operating Procedures During Coronavirus’ guidelines which were published on Wednesday 15th April.
Our Health & Safety Manager has worked closely with our Contract Managers and Clients to identify suitable projects for this phased approach, ensuring that appropriate procedures are in place to best protect all individuals involved.
We have and will continue to be informed by the latest governmental advice and our decision-making continues to be guided by our mission to protect staff, clients and NHS frontline workers.
As such, we will review this decision on a daily basis, closely monitoring progress and procedures on these sites, as well as ensuring any changes to industry or government guidance are implemented.
We hope that this steady return to work will prove to be a positive step forwards during a difficult time, we know many of our staff are looking forward to returning, safely, back to work.
The majority of our office-based staff will continue to work from home in line with guidelines published by the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy and Public Health England.
Following the latest national lockdown announcement on Monday 4th January 2021, and safe operation across our sites since our phased return in April 2020, The Slatter Group can confirm that all active sites will remain open and continue to operate in line with the latest Construction Leadership Council’s Guidance, Site Operating Procedures During Coronavirus (Version 6).
Our offices remain open for staff who require access to carry out their duties, with the majority of staff working from home, in line with guidelines published by the Department for Business Energy & Industrial Strategy and Public Health England.
The Slatter Group places the wellbeing of staff, suppliers, and clients above all other considerations. To ensure the safety of staff, our in-house Health and Safety Manager has conducted and co-ordinated detailed research and planning for each site. We will continue to monitor the situation and updated guidance closely, with our position reviewed on a daily basis.
Please contact us with any questions.
For more information call 01635 34521 or email enquiries@slattersportsconstruction.com
Choosing to undertake a sports construction project is no easy feat. As with any capital project, you’ll have deadlines, goals and a requirement that your project will last. To ensure a smooth process from planning to delivery, making the right choice of contractor is crucial.
Once the tender process is complete and the contracts are signed, you’ll be working with your contractor for a number of months, trusting that they’ll deliver what they promised, working collaboratively on-site, solving problems and delivering the standard you expect.
The Sport and Estates teams at the University of Warwick understand the challenges of sports construction. They have worked with multiple contractors to transform the university’s facilities through a £50m investment in sport. In 2017, as part of the transformation project and after a competitive tender process, the Warwick team selected S&C Slatter to construct their first water based hockey pitch.
Three years on we met with the members of the Warwick team responsible for planning and managing the construction process to find out exactly what it was like to work with S&C Slatter and see how the project has impacted life at Warwick.
Lisa Dodd-Mayne (Director of Sport and Active Communities, University of Warwick) and Stephen Jepson (Director, Hadron Consulting) summarise the business case for a new water-based hockey pitch as an integral part of Warwick’s £50m investment in sport.
Lisa, Stephen, Alasdair MacIntosh (Programme Manager – Arts, Social Sciences & Sport, University of Warwick) and Charlotte Lloyd (Sports Officer, University of Warwick) discuss the objectives for the new water based pitch. With an aim to become the most active campus in the UK, top quality facilities were high on the agenda for the University, as well as improving the standard of hockey. The University also wanted to generate revenue from the pitch, and partnerships with England Hockey, while improving outreach in the community.
We asked our interviewees whether their goals and objectives had been achieved. They told us how the new water-based hockey pitch at Warwick University has:
Stephen, Lisa and Alasdair discuss their selection of S&C Slatter following a competitive tender process, why the team stood out, and what S&C Slatter were actually like to work with through the construction and delivery process.
Get in touch with our team on 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
With Sports Facilities 2020 just a couple of weeks away, we thought we’d round up the top reasons you’ll want to attend this innovative new workshop for schools and clubs at Twickenham Stadium on March 12th.
With 10 expert sessions, you’ll get an understanding of the entire sports construction process, from surface choice and planning through to maintenance and revenue generation.
After the morning’s sessions, attendees can select a breakout session of their choice over a working lunch, as well as 1-2-1 sessions with any of the speakers. So whether you’re just thinking about a new project, or are looking to understand how to maximise your completed facility’s lifespan and ROI, you can ensure you get the answers you need from the event.
With protecting the environment high on the agenda for many, leading Environmental charity Fidra will be on hand with the latest guidance on delivering environmentally friendly sports projects. Ensuring your facility reaches its full potential is also important, so Intelligent Play will be on hand to show how advances in technology can reduce labour hours, increase pitch performance and longevity to maximise ROI.
Theory is important, but putting it into practice can often unearth unexpected obstacles. Every session will focus on real-world examples, such as Nick Johnston’s, who will delve into just what it took to bring the first artificial pitch to the RFU Championship for Coventry Rugby.
What’s a 3G, 4G or 5/6/7G pitch? Do we need a sand-dressed or water-based pitch for FIH certification? Is artificial turf safe for players?
These are just some of the questions that you, your colleagues, chairpeople, trustees or even parents might be asking when you start planning for a new sports facility. This is your opportunity to put the jargon to one side and understand exactly what surface you need for your school or club’s aspirations.
Sound good? Register your interest below or get in touch with any questions on 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
With the SAPCA Annual Dinner just over a week away, we’re thrilled to announce that we’ve been named as finalists for the SAPCA Awards 2020!
Our project to construct a temporary baseball field at The London Stadium in 2019, bringing the first Major League Baseball (MLB) games to Europe, has been recognised alongside other notable projects in our industry, with the winner set to be announced on 24th.
Over one weekend at the end of June 2019, 60,000 baseball fans descended upon the London Stadium to watch the New York Yankees beat Boston Red Sox 12-8 in the first ever Major League Baseball (MLB) match to be played in Europe.
This is the story of the unsung heroes who made this historic event possible…
Whilst baseball is undoubtedly one of the most popular sports in the United States, no MLB games had ever been held in Europe before, but with successful events in Australia, Japan, Mexico and Puerto Rico under their belt, the MLB knew it was time to make the trip across the Atlantic.
Where better to host an iconic event than at an iconic venue? The London Stadium first captured the nation’s hearts in London’s 2012 Olympics and was identified as the perfect venue to both bring in and accommodate large crowds for MLB’s inaugural European event on 29th June 2020.
With 27 of the 30 MLB teams playing on natural turf, and The London Stadium home to premiership football team West Ham United, it would be easy to assume that the series would be played on grass.
However, at the conclusion of the football season in May, the London Stadium pitch is covered over for a series of music concerts before the grass is regrown in July.
On reviewing options for the playing surface Murray Cook, MLB’s senior field coordinator and consultant, concluded:
“We looked really hard at doing a natural grass system.
Sod is extremely expensive, so we decided to look at going with synthetic turf built on top of the concert venue. It’s sustainable and we can roll it up after the second game and put it away for next year’s series.”
With the stadium committed to a summer programme of sporting and musical events time was limited to install the pitch and then to remove it in time for the Diamond League athletics event in July.
With only 21 days for construction and just 5 days for and removal MLB sought a partner who could meet challenging, fixed, deadlines and deliver a playing surface worthy of two of the world’s best sports teams.
Following an exhaustive selection process MLB entrusted the project to Hewitt Sportsturf and S&C Slatter. Long term S&C Slatter partners FieldTurf were contracted to produce the 15,000 square metres of FieldTurf Vertex carpet.
Before works commenced S&C Slatter began an intense programme of planning and communication. We liaised with contractors from media organisations, lighting suppliers, seating suppliers, advertising contractors and the MLB team to carefully plan logistics and site access.
Our in-house Health and Safety Officer was involved throughout this process and prepared a detailed Health and Safety schedule for the project.
On Saturday 1st June, ‘Muse’ rocked East London with a terrific concert and 20 minutes after their crew had loaded and shipped their last crate, we set to work…
Hewitt prepared an initial aggregate layer on top of the ArmourDeck surface. The S&C Slatter team then laser paved and compacted a final 30mm layer of additional aggregate to create a flat, level, playing surface ready to receive to receive the FieldTurf surface.
Satisfied the surface was perfectly level we installed the synthetic turf and laid the clay base path – the diamond that connects the bases. Working closely with the MLB grounds team to we acheived an exact level match between the clay, infield, and synthetic surface.
Next we constructed two bullpens, dedicated areas for relief pitchers to warm up prior to entering the game, along with two batting practice cages for batters.
With construction completed on time and without issue we supplied a round-the-clock maintenance team to provide instant response should any issues arise (they didn’t).
The revolutionary artificial turf offered FieldTurf’s patented three-layer infill system with two distinct types of fibres, resulting in a natural look, top quality performance system for world-class baseball. To complete the pitch, 345 tonnes of Pennsylvania dirt was used to construct the quintessential baseball Diamond.
Only the best for the MLB’s finest teams, as well as Royal visitors the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who met with both teams and enjoyed the first match of the series.
Twenty minutes after the last ball we began the deconstruction process removing the batting cages and bullpens before extracting the pitch itself. We had the entire pitch removed, and the stadium returned to its previous state, in just two days. The FieldTurf surface is in storage awaiting this year’s London Series when the St Louis Cardinals will play the Chicago Cubs.
A win for the Yankees, the MLB and London Tourism
The New York Yankees went on to win both games of the series, but they weren’t the only winners. With 59,659 baseball fans spectating, it was the highest attendance at any MLB game in over 15 years.
It was a big success for London too. With Mayor Sadiq Khan “determined to bring baseball to our city”, the series well and truly delivered, with over one third of attendees visiting from overseas, generating millions for London’s retail and tourism industries. The venue itself also benefited, selling over 80,000 pints of beer, 10,000 hotdogs and 2,600 bags of monkey nuts.
The MLB will return 13th-14th June 2020 with the promise of another famous rivalry, when the Chicago Cubs will face off against the St. Louis Cardinals.
Thanks to the use of cutting-edge artificial turf, that S&C Slatter removed and stored safely in London, the majority of the field, fixtures and fittings from 2019 will be reused for the 2020 event, contributing to sustainability across the series.
Watch this diamond shaped space!
Considering a sports construction project and want to make sure you knock it out of the park? Get in touch with our team on 01635 34521 or email info@sandcslatter.com
We believe this to be the most responsible course of action at this time and will reschedule Sports Facilities 2020 in due course, when the COVID-19 Coronavirus situation becomes clearer.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions.
S&C Slatter are proud to announce this innovative new workshop offering fresh insight, and practical advice, from a range of sports industry experts. Attendees will be inspired, and empowered, to deliver outstanding new sports facilities for their schools and clubs.
Planning a new sporting facility, whether a single pitch refurbishment or multi-sport hub, is no easy feat. With challenges ranging from funding and technical specifications to player performance and environmental impact, it’s hard to to understand exactly how to develop your new facility.
To help schools and sports clubs navigate these processes, S&C Slatter are proud to be hosting the complimentary Sports Facilities 2020 Workshop at the iconic Twickenham Stadium on March 12th, 2020.
There is no cost to attend but with just 80 places available early registration is advised.
The workshop program is designed to benefit those responsible for the planning and delivery of infrastructure upgrades, refurbishment, and new facilities at schools and clubs.
Schools: Business Managers | Estates Managers | Bursars | Heads of Sport
Sports Clubs: Chairperson | Committee members with responsibility for new facilities or upgrading/replacing existing facilities
The free workshop will cover everything you need to know about designing and delivering new sporting facilities in just one day, while incorporating the very latest developments in sports surfaces, environmental mitigation, and cutting-edge technologies to improve coaching and surface performance.
Delivered by subject matter experts with a focus on recent, real-world examples, delegates will gain insight into:
Over a complimentary working lunch, delegates will have a choice of breakout sessions to attend with the morning’s speakers, with an ‘Any Question Answered’ approach.
This will be followed by (optional) networking and individual one on one sessions, to ensure each delegate has the opportunity to tailor the afternoon to their needs.
8.30am Registration, coffee and pastries
Register and meet other attendees before the workshop begins
9.15am Welcome and introduction
9.20am Planning a new facility
James Gregory of LK2 Sport & Leisure will focus on how to understand exactly what your school / club wants – and what it really needs.
Understanding the difference (if any) and knowing what is required will ensure that you have a clear specification to work with, ensuring more accurate and relevant costing while reducing the time spent exploring irrelevant options.
9.40am Case study – Financing a project
Discover the Finance Lease and Operational Lease options available to cover the cost of resurfacing, or building new, artificial sports pitches. Learn how these options have enabled schools to provide superb new pitches for their pupils.
9.55am Project development
S&C Slatter’s pre-construction project manager Nick Seymour will walk you through the pre-construction planning process, highlighting potential pitfalls and sharing advice on mitigating risk to ensure your projects run smoothly.
10.20am Artificial turf myths debunked
Tarkett Sports and Jason Douglass of The Slatter Group will get down to basics addressing common concerns relating to artificial sports surfaces. Focusing on player safety and pitch performance, our experts will cover how to ensure your pitch meets the detailed specifications set by international sporting bodies like the RFU, FIFA, FIH and more.
10.40am Hybrid and natural turf pitches
With Natural Turf pitches still a mainstay across various sports, White Horse Contractors’ technical director Dr James Welsh will highlight the key considerations when building or renovating a natural turf pitch. James will then outline the benefits of hybrid turf pitches and demonstrate some user case scenarios.
11.00 – 11.20am Coffee break
11.20am Case study – Coventry Rugby Club (TBC)
Nick Johnston of Coventry Rugby club will discuss his experience of building the first 3G artificial turf pitch in England Rugby’s Championship. If you’re looking to embark on an ambitious project then this is the session for you. Hear first hand from Nick on what to expect – and benefit from his project hindsight!
11.40am Generating revenue from your new facility
Schools Plus’ Client Director, Kevin Coyle, will discuss the letting opportunities for your sporting facilities. By providing access to the local community you can generate a stable revenue stream to offset the investment costs of your new facility.
12.10pm Utilising new technology to increase Return on Investment
Alex Talton of Intelligent Play will explain how schools, clubs and teams are using digital technology, machine learning and artificial intelligence to improve pitch maintenance, maximise efficiency and increase the lifespan of their facilities.
12.40 Employing video analysis to support player performance
Automated video production is bringing affordable coaching and analysis tools to schools and clubs. Charlie Prichard of Pixallot will demonstrate how these tools empower coaches and players to identify areas for improvement and maximise your team’s success.
13.00 Environmental considerations
Environmental charity Fidra have a mission to reduce plastic pollution from artificial sports pitches. Following detailed research, they recognise the importance of artificial sports surfaces to community health and well-being.
Dr Maddy Berg will discuss the guidelines they have developed to reduce the impact of artificial sports pitches on the environment and enable you to create your own micro-plastics action plan to minimise the impact of your project on the environment.
13.30 Working lunch
Over a complimentary buffet lunch delegates can join ‘AQA’ Breakout sessions with our experts who will answer any questions you may have.
N.B. Delegates must choose breakout sessions in advance.
2.30pm Closing comments
2.40pm Networking and 1-2-1 meetings (optional)
Before the event, and throughout the day, delegates will be able to book 1-2-1 meetings with any of the presenters. If you have specific questions regarding live or planned projects, this is your time to get answers!
3.30pm Close
