Tickets on sale for the biggest celebration of groundsmanship

Tickets are now available for this year’s Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards - being held at The National Conference Centre, within the National Motorcycle Museum, on Wednesday 1 November, the evening of the opening day of the SALTEX exhibition at the Birmingham NEC – which will be the most spectacular ever.

The event promises to be the largest on record for attendance; there are more categories of entry across all levels of all sports, and there will be after-dinner entertainment of international acclaim.

Places cost £90 for IOG members (£180 for non-members). Just download the form from www.­iog.­org/­awards, complete and email to events@iog.or or call 01908 552 988.

Due to the year-on-year success of the awards, this year’s event has moved into a larger capacity room and, with more categories of awards (22), the IOG is confident that the attendance will surpass last year’s event.

In 2016, more than 640 of the UK’s and Europe’s leading groundscare experts, as well as dignitaries from the governing bodies of sport and influential sports administrators, attended.

The event will be hosted by talkSPORT radio presenter Mark Saggers and will feature after-dinner entertainment by Kev Orkian. He promises to be a star act, being unlike any other entertainer in combining a fantastic singing voice with a brilliant comedy repertoire and highly accomplished musical skills.

Kev has performed at some of the UK’s most well-respected comedy venues, and private functions for the royal families of Oman, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, as well as the 89^th birthday celebrations for Prince Phillip.

With categories of entry recognising the passion, dedication and challenges faced by grounds staff in both grassroots and professional sports throughout England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales, the 2017 IOG Industry Awards enjoy headline sponsorship by Rigby Taylor and Top Green.

Other (category) sponsors are the All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (AELTC), Countrywide Turf & Amenity, DLF Johnsons, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), the Football Association, Grassmaster (Tarkett), Headland Amenity, John Deere, Kubota, the Lawn Tennis Association, Mansfield Sand, the Premier League, Ransomes, Redexim Charterhouse, the Rugby Football League, the RFU (Rugby Football Union), SISGrass , SGL and Toro.

Commenting, IOG chief executive Geoff Webb says: "Now in its ninth year, the IOG Industry Awards this year have some new categories that reflect the diversity of the industry, and in particular we welcome the new professional awards for football that recognise, nationwide, those working at all levels.

“The event promises to be an unforgettable evening that groundsmen in all sports can enjoy and network with their peers.”

It is still not too late to make your nominations for this year’s awards - nominations close on Monday July 31 – simply visit www.­iogawards.­com to see all the categories and to nominate online.