The Grounds Management Association (GMA) will now also roll out its Pitch Advisory Service into Wales. The roll out is backed by the Cymru Football Foundation (CFF) with funding from the Football Association of Wales (FAW).
The service aims to elevate the quality of grass football pitches across Wales by providing local clubs with essential guidance and resources needed to maintain top-level playing surfaces. Currently, only 21% of grass pitches in Wales are rated as “good” against the GMA’s Grounds Management Framework, but with the launch of the Pitch Advisory Service in Wales, the GMA aims to raise that standard. The initiative will work in tandem with the CFF’s Equipment Fund – a grant scheme that supports grassroots football clubs that re-opens on Monday 18th November – offering Welsh clubs not only financial support for equipment but also expert guidance on maintaining their pitches to the highest standards.
Craig Bellamy, Head Coach of the Cymru Men’s National Team said: “The Pitch Advisory Service Wales will make a huge positive difference to football clubs across Wales – it’s a great tool to tackle an ongoing issue across the country and hopefully we’ll start to see grass pitches improving and less games being called off as a result.”
In England the Pitch Advisory Service has transformed grassroots sports over the past decade. Since its launch in 2014, the service has supported over 12,500 clubs, helping to assess almost 50,000 playing surfaces across football, cricket, rugby league, and rugby union. The GMA is now set to bring its expertise to Welsh football clubs. Pitch advisors Daniel Bradley (Key Account Manager – North Wales) and John Sullivan (Regional Pitch Advisor – South Wales) will head the programme.
Jason Booth, Chief Operating Officer at the GMA said: “Over the past ten years, the GMA’s Pitch Advisory Service has demonstrated just how critical quality pitch maintenance is to the success of grassroots sports. We’ve helped countless clubs across England to reduce match postponements and enhance the overall playing experience. By expanding into Wales, we’re excited to bring these same benefits to Welsh clubs and communities. Grassroots sport is the heartbeat of many communities, and we’re eager to support even more grounds teams and volunteers in creating the best possible playing surfaces for everyone, therefore increasing participation in sport across the nation.”
With the guidance of the Pitch Advisory Service Wales, local clubs will be better equipped to maintain playing surfaces that are both resilient and sustainable, ensuring more people than ever can enjoy the game.
Aled Lewis, Director at the Cymru Football Foundation said: “We are thrilled to be launching our partnership with the Grounds Management Association to support the improvement of grass pitches across the country. We recognise the current and future challenges in delivering quality grass pitch surfaces and we are confident this partnership will provide valuable support to our football family in addressing these challenges.”
As the GMA celebrates a decade of grassroots pitch improvement in England, its expansion into Wales marks an exciting new chapter for the Pitch Advisory Service. Clubs across Wales are encouraged to reach out for support by visiting: Pitch Advisory Service Wales.
Clubs can also explore the free resources available through the GMA’s Grounds Management Toolkit, which offers essential maintenance guidance for volunteers: resources.thegma.org.uk.