SAPCA | Inside Track

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SAPCA - Inside Track

23 October 2020

Welcome to the latest Inside Track. Keeping SAPCA members informed.

SAPCA Team Changes

Just like other businesses in this pandemic year, SAPCA is reviewing and adapting its activities and priorities, in order to provide as much support as possible to the industry, and this includes some changes to the SAPCA team.

Alison Dougall, our Finance & Admin Manager for the last 14 years, has decided to retire and has now left the team. We have therefore expanded the role of our Accountants, Fitzpatrick Owen Associates, who are now also responsible for all of our bookkeeping and credit control, as well as the administration of the Experian Risk Reports system and the Credit Circle for the Manufacturers & Suppliers Group. There is a new email address - accounts@sapca.org.uk - that can be used to contact Jamie Fitzpatrick and his team there.

Membership Administrator Rachel Douce has also now left the Association, and this month we welcome Tom Walker as our Communications Manager. Tom - whom many of you will recognise from his time as managing editor of Sports Management magazine - is an experienced sports industry journalist, who has covered the sector for nearly 20 years. You will shortly be hearing more about Tom's new role, but in essence Tom's appointment is part of our plan to strengthen our internal and external communication, and increase the promotion of SAPCA members across the marketplace.

We wish Alison and Rachel all the very best for the future, and look forward to working closely with Jamie and Tom.

SAPCA Webinar: British/European Standards Update
3.30 - 4.30, Thursday 12 November

This autumn will see the latest round of meetings taking place of the various BSI and CEN Technical Committees, Working Groups and Task Groups, continuing the programme of activity that develops and updates the different British and European Standards for sports surfaces and equipment.

In order to keep SAPCA members fully up-to-date with the latest progress, and informed about the implications for the UK market, we will present a special webinar on the subject at 3.30 pm on Thursday 12 November. Our guest speaker will be Alastair Cox, the Chairman of BSI Technical Committee PRI/57, who has been closely involved in the standardisation work for many years. The webinar will include an open forum when members can discuss any aspects of the latest standardisation work.

Open Forum: Indoor Sport Floors
2.00 - 3.30, Tuesday 3 November

All members involved in the design and construction of indoor sports facilities are invited to attend a special Open Forum, to be held online at 2.00 pm on Tuesday 3 November. The first in a series of sessions with a focus on indoor facilities, this meeting will examine a number of key aspects of the specification and selection of indoor sports surfaces, including the latest standards, market trends, and the current and developing guidance that is provided by various sports bodies, both nationally and internationally.

As well as short presentations by several expert speakers, the meeting will discuss how the indoor sports facilities side of SAPCA's activities should be developed, not least in order to maximise the promotion of the specialist contractors and suppliers within the industry. To participate and have your say please register to attend using the link below. Confirmation of the final agenda for the Open Forum will be circulated shortly.

Recycling of Synthetic Surfaces

With an ever-increasing focus on all the environmental aspects of sports and play facilities, there is a growing demand for recycling solutions for sports surfaces, and the subject will be one of the keynote sessions within our annual Technical Meeting, taking place on 8-10 December.

Having already generated over £1.8bn investment in grassroots football since 2000, including the creation of over 900 synthetic pitches, the Football Foundation has announced that it wants to take a more pro-active approach to the end-of-life disposal of surfaces whenever they provide grant aid through their Framework for a project that includes the resurfacing or conversion of an existing artificial pitch. To that end, the Foundation is to develop a "Football Foundation Approved List of Recycling Companies - Artificial Grass Pitches", and has published an invitation for applications. Once created, only the recycling companies and their listed processes will be authorised for use on AGP Framework-funded projects.

Applicants will be required to comply with a number of criteria, including proof of operating a process that has been audited and verified under a recognised environmental technology verification (ETV) scheme. Companies on the list will be those that recycle some or all of the following components: synthetic turf carpets; performance infill; stabilising infill; pre-fabricated shockpads; and in-situ laid shockpads and elastic layers.

A copy of the invitation, with details of the criteria and application process, can be downloaded here.

Diary Dates

HR Webinar: Getting the Most from Employee Appraisals
10.00 am, Friday 30 October. Register here.

Open Forum: Indoor Sports Floors
2.00 pm, Tuesday 3 November. Register here.

Webinar: BS and EN Standards Update
3.30 pm, Thursday 12 November. Register here.

HR Webinar: How to Approach a Performance Issue with an Employee
10.00 am, Friday 13 November. Register here.

SAPCA Technical Meeting 2020
8-10 December. Learn more and register here.

The Sports and Play Construction Association
The Hexangle
Stoneleigh Park
Warwickshire
CV8 2LG

Telephone: 024 7641 6316
E-mail: info@sapca.org.uk
Web: www.sapca.org.uk

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