A prestigious college has marked its 100th anniversary with a significant investment in its groundscare.
Lord Wandsworth College in Hampshire has completely renewed its machinery to maintain a huge area of sports pitches.
A GPS precision sprayer has been added to the fleet, and combustion engines have given way to electric in line with the college’s sustainability ambitions.
Out of the 1,200 acres on the site, the team is responsible for 150 acres which includes 14 pitches.
The grounds team upgraded its fleet of John Deere kit this year to better service the fields and to contribute to the college’s aim to reduce carbon emissions.
“We bought five TE Gators to replace the combustion Gators we had. They are not as fast, but they do the job just as well,’ says Alistair Cotton, Grounds and Gardens Manager. “They last a day and we’ve had no issues with battery life,
“We’ve been with John Deere for 15 years, they’re always very competitive on price and the reliability of the machines is as good as any.
“The team has been really pleased with the new kit – with John Deere, it doesn’t matter what machine you’re in, it’s all the same excellent quality.”
