New tractor to help maintain ground
A SUFFOLK club’s ground is to benefit from the purchase of a new tractor.
Cavendish FC have just taken possession of an Iseki compact tractor thanks to the help of a grant Football Foundation.
The club, first team play in Division One of the Essex & Suffolk Border League and their Reserves in Division Five, received £8,600 funding towards the total cost of £11,400. The club raised the rest of the funds themselves.
Cavendish FC Treasurer Paul Hurst said: “We have raised funds over the past few seasons in order to improve our ground and have so far had funding assistance from the Football Foundation for the purchase of new portable goals, a storage container and the compact tractor.
“The machine will enable us to maintain our ground throughout the year as at present the grounds are cut by the local authority. The cutting ceases in October and recommences in late April and this has caused us constant problems.
“The machine being a compact tractor can also be fitted with attachments that will allow us to do more than just cut the grass and our aim is to be more self-sufficient in keeping our ground without the reliance of outside sources.
“We are lucky enough to have an ex-Arsenal groundsman, Tom Graffen, who with my assistance makes sure the ground is kept at its best.”
The ground at Cavendish FC is pictured above. Main photograph: Groundsman Tom Graffen sitting on the new tractor
Cavendish FC take part in the Suffolk FA Pitch Improvement scheme and have also been successful in obtaining grant funding for this via the Football Foundation.
Paul, who is also responsible for running and maintaining stock of the clubhouse bar, marking the grounds, cleaning of all the kit and cleaning of the clubhouse, continued: “The specialist work is carried out by Parkers Pitches who have done great work on our ground.
“As a club we have raised the funds needed via social functions within the club, bar income on match days, golf days at Haverhill Golf Club and raffles. We also have raised monies from vice-presidents’ membership.”
