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Wessex Grounds Services

Tag: Wessex Grounds Services

Wessex Grounds ServicesBlogWessex Grounds Services
28 May 2024
Wessex Grounds Services complete a new playground project for a school in Dorset complete with climbing frame, shade and the correct surface.
0 Comments By becky General , , , , , ,

Is Your Playground Safe?

We understand that budgets for schools, parish councils and other similar bodies are constantly being cut however, you can’t afford to neglect your playgrounds and equipment. The last thing that you want is to be slapped with a negligence claim or worse

If you own or are responsible for a playground then you need to ensure that you are adhering to the Playground Safety Standards EN1176. It is your responsibility to keep up to date with all of their revisions.

The Playground Safety Standards EN1176 includes everything from types of chains, space, length of slides and inclines through to floor surfaces and minimum falling space.

Please be sure that your facilities are fit for purpose and age-appropriate. Remember your facilities should be an area where children can exercise, be stimulated and play safely. Children need places to play and children also need to challenged in order to help increase their learning and stretching their capabilities. There will always a degree of potential danger but ensuring that you are ensuring regular checks, doing maintenance and have purchased the correct equipment, placed it properly and have the correct flooring then you should have covered yourselves.

Here at Wessex Grounds Services, we can plan & design, provide, build, inspect and repair playgrounds and equipment for EYFS, Primary, Secondary and Send schools with our qualified team.

Whether you need an inspection/repair or a whole new playground then please contact us via email – enquiries@wessexgroundsservices.co.uk

“Play is great for children’s well-being and development. When planning and providing play opportunities, the goal is not to eliminate risk, but to weigh up the risks and benefits. No child will learn about risk if they are wrapped in cotton wool.” HSE 2012 Children’s Play and Leisure

Please see just a few images of some of our playground installations. Please remember that we do also install shades.

Shading installed by Wessex Grounds Services
Wessex Grounds Services complete a new playground project for a school in Dorset complete with climbing frame, shade and the correct surface.
Get people exercising whilst being outdoors with the outdoor gym equipment
Specialist climbing equipment and surfaces installed by Wessex Grounds Services
Outdoor gym equipment installed by WGS
01 May 2024
Robotic line marker
0 Comments By becky General, Renovation , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Is your pitch ready for Summer?

After an extremely wet winter is your pitch in shape to take the summer use? Before you start to mark out cricket squares and athletics tracks you need to first check that your ground is prepared and can take the spring/summer usage.

Spring pitch makeovers can be an essential part of pitch maintenance. It matters as pitches during the winter season get compacted and become airless. They also lose fertility and grass cover is diminished often getting replaced by weeds and moss.

The solution involves deep-tine to restructure and aerate the soil, fertilising the soil to encourage root and shoot growth, overseeding to improve grass cover and finally slit, scarify, brush and light rolling to correct the minor deviations.

When should a Spring pitch makeover happen? As soon as the play finishes in April/early May because unless you are fortunate enough to have an irrigated pitch the soil can dry out and therefore germination of grass seed will be less effective.

Wessex Grounds Services is here to help and is also the RFU’s ground maintenance contractor for Dorset. If you would like further information regarding any of the above then please don’t hesitate to contact us – enquiries@wessexgroundsservices.co.uk

Once your ground is prepared then why not get Wessex Grounds service to come and mark out the summer sports? We now have a robotic liner that uses the Global Positioning System (GPS) to paint accurate precise lines. It works across various surfaces. Your initial line marking is the most important as from there forward to can always go over them with your machines afterwards if your budget is tight.

If you have 3/4G pitches then how do you maintain them? These types of pitches need regular brushing and decompacting. If regular maintenance is not carried out then the damage to the artificial fibres is likely. The infill will also be inconsistent across the pitch. This will result in poor performance, inconsistent bounce and unsafe levels of grip which may in turn result in a greater number of injuries.

For more information please phone Amanda on 07795 515 864 or email enquiries@wessexgroundsservices.co.uk

25 Apr 2024
Spring Pitch Makeover Required
0 Comments By becky Renovation, Uncategorised , , , , , , , ,

Sports Pitch Alert

Sports Pitch Alert - Banner

Spring Pitch Makeover Required

After a typical winter your pitches probably need a Spring Makeover

What is the significance of this and why does it matter?

  1. Pitches get compacted and airless when play continues
  2. Pitches lose fertility
  3. Grass cover is lost and will be replaced by weeds and moss
  4. Play next season will definitely suffer
  1. Deep-tine to restructure and aerate the soil
  2. Fertilise to increase fertility and encourage root and shoot growth
  3. Overseed to improve grass cover
  4. Slit, scarify, brush and light roll to correct minor pitch deviations

These operations need to be carried out as soon as play finishes in April/early May because unless you are fortunate enough to be able to irrigate the pitch, the soil can dry out by mid-May and this will inhibit germination of grass seed and make the operation less effective.

WESSEX GROUNDS SERVICES can undertake all or some of these operations for you to improve your pitches within your available budget. We are the RFU’s grounds maintenance contractor for Dorset and you benefit from RFU subsidis

Fertilise pitch£300 plus VAT
Overseed pitch completely£950 plus VAT
Overseed worn areas (1/2 pitch)£550 plus VAT
Deep-tine pitch£300 plus VAT
Slit, scarify, brush & roll£100 plus VAT
Top dress localised damagePrices available on request

For further details phone Amanda on 07795515864

or email enquiries@wessexgroundsservices.co.uk

22 Mar 2024
Precision Pitch Lining - Spring pitch recovery
0 Comments By becky General , , , , , ,

Robotic Pitch Marker

Wessex Grounds Services New Robotic Pitch Marker

Wessex Grounds Services is very excited about our new purchase. The robotic pitch marker is great for single and multiple sites. GPS technology provides precision line markings making our new piece of machinery a real game changer.

It increases accuracy and reduces the amount of paint required whilst producing fantastic clear, straight lines. Contact us if you would like to have your pitches maintained and lined to a professional standard by emailing enquiries@wessexgroundsservies.co.uk.

 

Robotic Line Marking Machine

Precision Pitch Lining

27 Apr 2023
WGS celebrates 10 years
0 Comments By becky Newsletter , , , , , ,

10 years & celebrating!

Celebrating 10 years in business banner WGS
WGS celebrates 10 years

WGS Celebrates its 10th Anniversary

Welcome to Spring 2023 where we celebrate 10 years of trading this year. A BIG THANK YOU to all our customers for their fantastic support over the years, we wouldn’t be here without you.

Westfield Landscaping Projects

Pennsylvania Castle and Clifftops

Pennsylvania Castle and Clifftops maintained by WGS
Recent Projects by WGS
WGS Team

“They always do a superb job and are so friendly and helpful—a real asset to the company” Broadmayne School

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“A big thank you to you all for your support but especially to our man who comes to cut our grass. He is a superstar and always avoids the show times, gets on with what he needs to do, and is respectful of all our animals, especially the sheep (who are great escape artists at the best of times). He shuts all the gates and never stops for a cup of tea although we do always offer him one. He knows exactly how Martin likes the site to be cut and leaves the wild strips as requested. He is a real asset to your company. Thank you again”

Xtreme Falconry

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Contact WGS

20 Apr 2023
Wessex Grounds Services celebrate 10 years in business.
0 Comments By becky Gardening, General, Landscaping , , , , ,

It’s been 10 years …

It’s been 10 years … Wessex Grounds Services are celebrating our 10th anniversary.

Conceived back in 2013

Starting with the very beginning of our story, imagine the idea of Wessex Grounds Services being born from a discussion over a coffee.  I, Stephen Harris, was obviously over 10 years younger then and decided that it could work and that I wanted to take that leap of faith.

The realisation, OMG I’m starting a business!

First things first was the business plan for the bank to secure some initial funding. After giving the bank the hard sell, the next step was setting up the company with Companies House to make it official. Then came finding a site and obtaining essential equipment. The company started with me and two other employees, Mark Parfett and Iain Hewitt  (Mark is still with us).  Now we needed to start to generate leads and obtain work. I will always remember our first two clients, The Sir John Colfox School and The Duchy of Cornwall (we are still working for both)

The bit between that moment and now is a long story, full of lessons learned, successes and failures. I’m delighted to say there are many more successes than failures! One of the biggest hurdles for our company to overcome was the one thing that we could never have even imagined – Covid 19.

A big ‘Thank You’

Whilst I was thinking about this article, I knew I wanted to thank everyone who has, at various stages in Wessex Grounds Services history, played an important role.

So here is a massive ‘Thank You’ to Wessex Grounds Services staff past and present. We have a very professional team and we wouldn’t be the company we are today without your effort and drive. To those that have moved on to new ventures, we hope your journey is going well and thank you for your contribution.

Our clients – by far too many to list – I would like to thank you on behalf of Wessex Grounds Services for allowing us to innovate and deliver our services to you.

Wessex Grounds Services is a company I am immensely proud of, not just for the business but also the people. We have grown from 3 employees to currently a team of approximately 30 people operating out of 3 strategically placed depots and from minimal equipment to a fleet of tractors, vans, excavators, mowers and other assorted items of equipment, a few of which can be seen below.  I am also very pleased that we have been able assemble a first class landscaping and tree care team, to compliment our excellent grounds maintenance teams.

There is so much to our company today that it is impossible to sum it all up in one article, but if you should require our services in landscape design, grounds maintenance, consultancy or horticulture then please do get in touch – enquiries@wessexgroundsservices.co.uk

I will leave with this simple sign-off: here’s to the next 10 years, we are looking forward to the challenges and achieving even greater goals.

Stephen Harris – Wessex Grounds Services

20 Apr 2022
Landscaper Vacancy
0 Comments By becky Vacancy , , , , ,

Vacancy at Wessex Grounds Services – Landscaper

Landscaper

£23,000 – £27,000 a year – Full-time

Due to exponential growth over the last 3 years, we now need a full-time Landscaper to join our team.

This is a great opportunity for the right candidate to develop their career within a flexible and progressive independent company, based in Dorset.

You will take a lead role on projects mainly within the Dorset area.

Your focus will be mainly on commercial landscaping projects ranging typically from 5K – 100K in size. The ability to carry out hard and soft landscaping work to a professional standard is critical.

This role will be based out of our Milborne St Andrew Depot (which is our lock up for equipment/trailers etc) however, the work would mainly be across the Dorset area.

If you would like an informal discussion about this exciting position, please contact Amanda Hanger, Office Manager on 07795 515864.

Job Description

Location: Based at Milborne St Andrew, working across Dorset and surrounding areas

Job Type: Full time

Duration: Permanent

Benefits: Company NEST Pension Scheme

Wessex Grounds Services Ltd is an ambitious organisation providing grounds maintenance services across Dorset and landscaping and safety surfacing throughout the South West.

Key responsibilities

Under the general direction of the Landscape Manager, this role will be to carry out a mixture of commercial and domestic contracts. The type of work includes Synthetic Surfacing, Hard

Landscaping, Fencing, large planting schemes. We provide a comprehensive service to a range of customers including Schools, Care Homes and Leisure Centres.

Duties involve

  • Under the Landscape Manager’s instructions lead on various landscaping projects
  • Work alone or as part of a team.
  • Supervise a team of operatives (when required), providing a range of practical landscaping projects
  • Induct/train new members of staff to ensure they are trained to correct standards for the work undertaken and machinery used
  • Responsible for frontline discipline including productivity and timekeeping
  • Responsible for the quality of service within his/her area of operation
  • Ability to pass on experience and knowledge and educate your team
  • Assisting the Landscape Manager in actively seeking new clients and contracts, working on estimates, quotations and maintenance costs for prospective works
  • Ensure and promote the correct use and operation of machinery and equipment
  • Ensure Health and Safety requirements are adhered to and the correct PPE is used for each task
  • Chemical Application
  • Driving and operating a wide range of vehicles
  • Safely use, maintain and clean grounds and horticultural equipment including hand tools, strimmers, hedge-cutters, pedestrian and ride on mowers, and any other machinery required to undertake allocated tasks
  • Compliance with all relevant legislation and in particular the control of Vibration at Works

Regulations 2005 and PUWER Regulations 1998

  • Install/ maintain artificial sports areas
  • Periodically assist with horticultural operations such as planting, pruning and maintenance of trees, shrubs and other gardening tasks as required
  • Work in a tidy and safe manner so as not to put oneself or others at risk
  • Follow company and school policies
  • Portray a professional image of WGS at all times
  • Lead the team on the importance of excellent customer service
  • Timely completion of company paperwork and documentation, including signing off timesheets and conducting staff reviews and appraisals
  • Attend staff training when required
  • Undertake other duties that are required by the business

Physical Effort and Working Environment

This role involves travelling, flexibility with working hours is essential, using powered tools on a daily basis, digging, planting, unloading and loading equipment/tools/materials. The work is outdoors all year round, and work will take place in all weathers. Personal protective equipment will be provided.

Personal Specification

Skills/Experience Essential/Desirable

Able to lead and motivate a team, min 1 year supervisory experience

Qualified to a minimum Level 2 in Landscaping (or relevant work experience)

Able to organise work to meet quality standards and deadlines

Health and Safety Qualification

Significant experience of soft landscaping

Significant experience of hard landscaping

Excavator/Dumper Experience/Certificate

Experience of fencing

Experience of synthetic carpeting

Experience of tree work

Grounds Maintenance experience

PA1 & PA6 Spraying Certificate

Chainsaw certificate

Brushcutter/Strimmer Certificate

Can work on your own and as part of a team

Can use your own initiative, be self-motivated and adaptable

Sports Field Line Marking Qualification/Experience

An understanding of tractors, mowing equipment and associated plant and D their maintenance requirements

Certificate of competence in ride-on mowers, pedestrian mowers, brushcutters and hedgecutters

Full valid Driving Licence, to transport employees and equipment to various sites

Please note that this role will need an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check due to working

within the school environment.

Benefits:

  • Company pension

Schedule:

  • 8 hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

  • Blandford Forum, DT11 0HZ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Experience:

  • Landscaping: 2 years (preferred)

Apply via Indeed – Reference ID: Landscaper https://uk.indeed.com/jobs?q=Wessex%20Grounds%20Services&l&vjk=8b8ecfe4a552ebd1

20 Apr 2022
Landscape Manager Vacancy
0 Comments By becky Vacancy , , , , ,

New Position Available At Wessex Grounds Services – Landscape Manager

Landscape Manager

£34,000 – £40,000 a year – Full-time

We have seen exponential growth over the last 3 years and we now need a full-time Landscape Manager to head up our Landscaping Division.

This is a great opportunity for the right candidate to develop their career within a flexible and progressive independent company, based in Dorset.

You will lead a team of up to 10 landscapers mainly within the Dorset area.

Your focus will be mainly on commercial landscaping projects ranging typically from 5K – 100K in size. The ability to carry out accurate site surveys and estimates, manage projects with accurate cost control is essential.

The landscaping team work from our depot at Milborne St Andrew, which is our storage facility for our equipment/trailers etc however, the projects are all over Dorset, and sometimes further afield (ie Hampshire/Somerset).

If you would like an informal discussion about this exciting position, please contact Stephen Harris, MD and owner of WGS on 07870 976800.

Job Description

Benefits: Works vehicle provided and Company NEST pension scheme

Wessex Grounds Services Ltd is an ambitious organisation providing grounds maintenance services across Dorset, South Somerset, South Wiltshire & East Devon and landscaping and safety surfacing throughout the South West.

Key responsibilities

Under the general direction of the Managing Director, this role is to manage landscaping projects at our customer’s sites. The type of work includes Synthetic Surfacing, Hard Landscaping, Soft

Landscaping, Fencing, large planting schemes. The Manager is a role model for WGS and needs to behave accordingly, adopting a positive attitude to his/her work and WGS at all times.

Duties involve

  • Under the Managing Director’s instruction lead on various landscaping projects.
  • Estimating, programming of works, site surveying, project management
  • Supervise teams of employees on a daily basis, identifying workloads and allocating tasks, ensuring work standards are maintained, and ensuring areas are left secure and barriers/gates locked.
  • Induct/train new members of staff to ensure they are trained to correct standards for the work undertaken and machinery used.
  • Liaise with the Management team to ensure the smooth running of projects across the company and communicate with Grounds Maintenance Manager effectively when work crosses over the different operational areas
  • Responsible for frontline discipline including productivity and timekeeping.
  • Responsible for the quality of service within his/her area of operation.
  • Ability to pass on experience and knowledge and educate your team.
  • Assisting the Managing Director in actively seeking new clients and contracts, working on estimates, quotations, and maintenance costs for prospective works.
  • Responsibility for ensuring depots are kept safe and in good order.
  • Ensure and promote the correct use and operation of machinery and equipment.
  • Ensure Health and Safety requirements are adhered to, and the correct PPE is used for each task.
  • Driving and operating a wide range of vehicles and equipment.
  • Safely use, maintain, and clean equipment including hand tools and any other machinery required to undertake allocated tasks
  • Compliance with all relevant legislation and in particular the control of Vibration at Works

Regulations 2005 and PUWER Regulations 1998.

  • Install/maintain artificial sports areas.
  • Oversee horticultural operations such as planting, pruning and maintenance of trees, shrubs and other gardening tasks as required.
  • Work in a tidy and safe manner so as not to put oneself or others at risk.
  • Follow company and customer policies.
  • Always portray a professional image of WGS.
  • Lead the team on the importance of excellent customer service.
  • Timely completion of company paperwork and documentation, including signing off timesheets and conducting staff reviews and appraisals.
  • Attend staff training when required.
  • Excellent customer relationship skills.
  • Undertake other duties that are required by the business.

Physical Effort and Working Environment

This role involves travelling, flexibility with working hours is essential, using powered tools on a daily basis, digging, planting, ride-on mowers, unloading and loading equipment/tools/materials. The work is outdoors all year round, and work will take place in all weather. Personal protective equipment will be provided.

Personal Specification

Skills/Experience Essential/Desirable

Able to lead and motivate a team of landscapers, min 3 years of supervisory experience

Able to organise work to meet quality standards and deadlines

Experience of site surveying and setting out levels to a high standard

Experience of undertaking hard and soft landscaping work, min 3 years’ experience

Health and Safety Qualification

Recent estimating experience in commercial landscaping work

NVQ Level 3 (or equivalent) in Landscaping

PA1 & PA6 Spraying Certificate

Chainsaw certificate

Trailer license

Can work on your own and as part of a team

Ability to train/mentor staff in hard and soft landscaping

Excavator/dumper experience/certificate

Can use your own initiative, be self-motivated and adaptable

Experience of tree work

Experience of synthetic carpeting

Experience of fencing

An understanding of commercial landscaping plant and their maintenance requirements

Full valid Driving Licence, to transport employees and equipment to various sites

Excellent customer relationship skills

Undertake risk assessments

Project Management Experience

Office skills i.e., word and excel

Please note that this role will need an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check due to working within the school environment.

Benefits:

  • Company car
  • Company pension

Schedule:

  • 8-hour shift

Ability to commute/relocate:

  • Milborne Saint Andrew, DT11 0HZ: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)

Experience:

  • Grounds Maintenance & Landscaping Occupations: 3 years (preferred)
  • Management/Supervisory: 3 years (preferred)

Apply on Indeed – Reference ID: Landscape Manager – https://uk.indeed.com/jobs?q=Wessex%20Grounds%20Services&l&vjk=66a68eef43c62d90

12 Apr 2021
Wessex Grounds Services
0 Comments By becky Vacancy , , , , , , , , ,

Job Vacancies at Wessex Grounds Services

Here at Wessex Grounds Services we currently have several vacancies available.

SKILLED LANDSCAPER (PART TIME/FULL TIME/FLEXIBLE HOURS CONSIDERED)

Wessex Grounds Services are looking for a skilled landscaper to start with immediate effect to help with our expanding business needs. You will be based from our depot at Milborne St Andrew however the work will predominately be in the Dorset area. The role will involve Synthetic Surfacing, Hard Landscaping, Fencing and planting schemes. We provide a comprehensive service to a range of customers including Local Authorities, Schools and Care Homes.

A passion for landscape construction is a must and you will already have significant practical experience in working with a range of materials such as timber and stone. You will need to be honest, self-motivated, reliable, and able to plan your work appropriately. You will have a friendly yet professional approach with customers, demonstrating excellent communication skills. It is very important to pay attention to details, to have a ‘can do’ attitude and to be able to foresee potential issues on the job.

Are you self employed/employed and can spare 2 or more days per week to help with landscaping projects?

The successful candidates should ideally have the following:

  • 3 or more years experience in Landscaping
  • Full Clean Driver’s License. (Essential)
  • Trailer License (Desirable)
  • Be able to work as part of a team or on your own
  • Be able to use your initiative and have a flexible attitude

Benefits:

  • Competitive salary (negotiable dependant on experience)
  • Uniform/PPE
  • 28 days annual holiday plus overtime when available
  • Company pension scheme

To apply please send in your CV however, if you would like to discuss the role in more detail please call Amanda on 07795 515864 for an informal chat.

Please note that the role is subject to an Enhanced DBS Check due to working in School Environments.

REQUIRED IMMEDIATELY – SEASONAL ROLE – WHICH COULD POTENTIALLY LEAD TO FULL TIME – PART-TIME OR FULL-TIME HOURS CONSIDERED

Salary: competitive – dependant on experience

 

Grounds Maintenance Operatives

We are looking for Grounds Maintenance Operatives who are available immediately looking for summer work.  Part-time or full-time hours considered.

Wessex Grounds Services is a successful, growing and ambitious organisation providing grounds maintenance services across Dorset and landscaping and safety surfacing throughout the South West.

Key responsibilities

Under the general direction of the Supervisor, this role is to assist with the maintenance and development of the grounds at our customer/school sites. You will need great enthusiasm and a strong commitment to providing a professional job on each site you work on, as part of a team or working on your own.

Duties involve

  • Grass cutting
  • Raking and edging
  • Weeding
  • Sweeping
  • Litter Picking
  • Leaf collection
  • Chemical Application
  • Driving and operating a wide range of vehicles
  • Safely use, maintain and clean grounds and horticultural equipment including hand tools, strimmers, hedge-cutters, pedestrian and ride on mowers, and any other machinery required to undertake allocated tasks
  • Compliance with all relevant legislation and in particular the control of Vibration at Works Regulations 2005 and PUWER Regulations 1998
  • Maintain and prepare sports pitches, i.e. grass cutting, line marking and erecting sports equipment when required
  • Maintain artificial sports pitches
  • Assist with horticultural operations such as planting, pruning and maintenance of trees, shrubs and other gardening tasks as required
  • Work in a tidy and safe manner so as not to put oneself or others at risk
  • Follow company and school policies
  • Portray a professional image of WGS at all times
  • Timely completion of company paperwork and documentation
  • Attend staff training when required
  • Undertake other duties that are required by the business

Physical Effort and Working Environment

This role involves travelling, flexibility with working hours is essential, using ride-on mower, powered tools, i.e. strimmer on a daily basis, digging, planting, unloading and loading equipment/tools/materials. The work is outdoors all year round, and work will take place in all weather. Personal protective equipment will be provided.

The successful candidate should ideally have the following:

1 or more years experience in Grounds Maintenance

Full Clean Drivers License (essential)

Be able to use initiative and have a flexible attitude

Trailer License (desirable)

Please note that this role will need an Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Check due to working within the school environment.

Salary: £9.50 per hour