Nominations now open
for Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the Year 2018. The Amenity Forum Sprayer
Operator of the Year 2018 Awards (AFSOY) are once again open for entries.
Now in their fourth
year, the awards were established by the Amenity Forum and seek to recognise
the high levels of professionalism and standards in the sector.
There are different
categories for entries and the overall winner will have a choice of three
fantastic prizes, including a trip to a world-leading US turf or amenity show,
or £2000 worth of products. Sponsored by ICL and Syngenta, and supported by
BASIS, the Awards were established to further promote high standards of
operation standards by sharing and disseminating the best practice employed by
these individuals.
A record number of
entries were received for the 2017 Awards with the overall winner announced as
Nathan Hume, Contracts Manager and Ecologist for national grounds maintenance
experts, SH Goss Ltd. Nathan received his award at BTME in January 2018, following
the announcement of the three principal category winners at the Amenity Forum
Annual Conference in October 2017. Nathan chose a trip to the USA as his prize
and will fly to Louisville, Kentucky in October, to visit the Green Industry
& Equipment Expo. He said:
“Just taking part in
the awards was a great experience. As with all operations, it’s important to
review and appraise what we do and how we can continually improve. The
recognition of the awards is good for our company and for our customers to
appreciate the effort that goes in to achieving a great result. As well as the
awesome chance to visit the US.”
Talking about the
Awards, Amenity Forum’s independent Chairman, Professor John Moverley said:
“Past winners have demonstrated the high level of competence and attention to
detail among sprayer operators. They have showed the skills necessary to get
the best possible results from every application, and how to achieve it safely
with due care for the environment."
ICL Landscape and
Industrial Manager, Mark Pyrah said: “We know that there are many great
operators doing a fantastic job every day," he added. "The awards is
a way to recognise their skills and to shine a spotlight on their role. Sharing
their best practice means that everyone can gain.”
Syngenta business
manager, Daniel Lightfoot MG, pointed out that sprayer operators’ skills are
key to achieving the most effective results. He said: “It’s not awarded for
having the newest machine or the latest gadgets – it’s about understanding what
needs to be done, and how best to achieve it safely and efficiently. We have
had some great entrants in previous years, who have continued to get better
from the experiences they have gained. There is huge potential reward from
getting involved and entering the awards.”
Organisations and
companies are encouraged to nominate candidates in addition to self-nomination.
The process is not difficult.
Entries and
nominations are invited from sprayer operators in three categories:
- Sports turf – Using a knapsack/boom
sprayer
- Landscape
and Industrial –
Using a vehicle sprayer
- Landscape
and Industrial –
Using a knapsack sprayer
Each category winner
will receive a trophy and the overall winner across the three categories will
win the prestigious accolade of National Amenity Forum Sprayer Operator of the
Year along with the choice of three prizes:
- Flights, accommodation and
entry to GCSAA 2019 San Diego, California
- Flights, accommodation and
entry to GIE Expo 2019 Louisville, Kentucky
- ICL/Syngenta products to
the value of £2,000
To enter or
nominate, download the application form or enter online via the Amenity Forum
website.
Entries and
nominations need to be made by 30 June 2018. After submitting an application
form, successful entrants will be invited to answer a short questionnaire.
Selected category finalists are judged on best practice and innovative ideas to
improve and enhance spraying operations. Category finalist are invited to the
Amenity Forum Conference in October, with the overall winner announced at the
BIGGA BTME event next January.
