Joe Lingard has joined our Research Department as Graduate Trials Officer. Joe recently graduated from Northumbria University with a First Class Honours degree in Forensic Science, bringing with him a strong background in laboratory practices, analytical techniques, data analysis, and scientific investigation. Joe will work across the soils laboratory and the trials, contributing to laboratory-based analysis and the planning, execution, and evaluation of trials. Welcome to the team, Joe!

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We’re delighted to see our work in Galway shortlisted for the @FitOutAwards! Our collaborative project with Galway City Council at Mervue is officially a contender for Fit Out Project of the Year – Tourism & Leisure. STRI Group provided the design and construction monitoring for the new 3G pitch. The goal was to deliver a high-performing facility for both club and community use, while embedding sustainability into the design. It’s fantastic to see this project recognised alongside so many brilliant schemes across the sector. A huge congratulations to everyone involved in bringing this community facility to life, and fingers crossed for the final awards! Read more about the Mervue project: strigroup.com/project/mervue… View the Fit Out Awards shortlist: fitoutawards.ie/shortlist#fi…

We made the shortlist! STRI Group has been named a finalist for Medium Business of the Year at the @yorkshirepost Business Awards 2026. The Yorkshire Post has a long-standing reputation across the region, particularly within the Yorkshire business community and the Business Awards are now in their 21st year. They bring together more than 350 people from across the Yorkshire business community and recognise businesses making a significant contribution to the regional economy. Entries go through an independent judging process against defined criteria, with this category assessing: Clear strategy and vision, aligned with financial and/or team growth 🔷How businesses have overcome challenges 🔷Excellence in their field and commitment to customer service 🔷Investment in training and performance 🔷Innovative or effective marketing A global business headquartered in Bingley and now approaching our centennial year being recognised by a major Yorkshire institution is something we're extremely proud of. We’re looking forward to the awards ceremony in November and celebrating with the other finalists. #YorkshirePostBusinessAwards

We collect more pitch data than ever before. But are we making the most of what it tells us? This November, @striturf_greg will take to the stage at @SALTEX_show 2026, joining the panel discussion ‘How to use pitch data to improve multi-sport surfaces’. With elite pitches facing increasing demands around performance, resilience, changing climate conditions and congested fixture schedules, using data to understand, manage and prepare playing surfaces is becoming increasingly important. Greg will draw on his experience across major international tournaments, stadium projects and elite sports surfaces to explore how pitch data can support better decision-making and help grounds teams maintain performance when demands on the surface are high. We’re looking forward to seeing Greg on stage and catching up with grounds teams, colleagues and friends from across the industry at SALTEX.

Today, we're delighted to welcome the The British Society of Plant Breeders (@_seedinnovation ) to STRI's headquarters in Bingley. From pioneering turf research to supporting some of the world's leading sporting organisations, we'll be giving the BSPB team a behind-the-scenes look at the breadth of our work. The day will include a tour of our research trials grounds, an insight into the work of our grounds team and a visit to our soils laboratory, showcasing how our research, testing and technical expertise help drive innovation and performance across the turf industry. With 50 years of collaboration to celebrate in 2027, our relationship with the BSPB is one we value enormously. Today's visit is a fantastic opportunity to share knowledge, strengthen our partnership and explore how we can continue to support the industry's development. We look forward to a great day of discussion, learning and collaboration!

Last call for the @golfenvawards There’s still time to put your club, your team or an individual forward for the Golf Environment Awards 2027, but nominations close on 2nd October. From protecting and enhancing biodiversity to improving water management, reducing waste and delivering meaningful sustainability projects, golf clubs across the industry are doing some fantastic work for the environment. No matter how big or small, it's important to share your projects and the positive impact your golf club is making in your area. The awards recognise five areas of achievement: 🌿 Conservation Champion 🌱 Positive Impact 🐝 Syngenta Operation Pollinator ⛳ UK Environmental Golf Club of the Year 🌍 International Environmental Golf Club of the Year After 30 years of involvement in the awards, we’re proud to see this important initiative continue with @BIGGALtd If your club is doing something that deserves to be recognised, now is the time to put it forward. Wishing all who enter the best of luck! Find out more and enter here: golfenvironmentawards.com/ 📷 by @colmworthgolf

Don't miss the last few remaining places for this year's BASIS FACTS (Fertiliser Advisers Certification and Training Scheme) course fror 2026. ✏️ Face-to-face teaching: 20th–23th October 2026 📝Online written exams and vivas: 10th–11th December 2026 The FACTS qualification is essential for anyone advising on fertiliser use, nutrient management and environmental stewardship. Taught by Dr Christian Spring, Principal Scientist - the course covers soil fertility, nutrient planning, legislation and environmental protection, equipping attendees with the knowledge required to deliver sustainable and compliant fertiliser advice. It’s also opportunity to network, learn from others and expand your professional network. Join us at our STRI HQ in Bingley West Yorkshire, and become full immersed with hands on learning. Comment below your interest, or reach out via [email protected] #BASIS #FACTStraining

Our long-standing relationship with @SyngentaTurfUK is built on a shared commitment to research, knowledge sharing and finding new ways to support the turf industry. The team came to Bingley for bespoke training designed around their needs, before heading out to see turf management in action at Shipley Golf Club, Ilkley Bowls Club and Leeds United. We value partners who aren't afraid to ask for something different. Syngenta's willingness to explore new ideas and tailor learning to their team's needs gave us the opportunity to use our research and practical expertise in a different way. It's a great example of what a strong partnership can achieve when both organisations are committed to learning, research and continuous improvement. A big thank you to the Syngenta team for a brilliant few days. We're proud to work with you and look forward to continuing our partnership for years to come.

Our team recently visited @officialbantams to carry out FIFA Natural Playing Surface (NPS) testing on the club’s pitch. FIFA NPS testing provides objective data on key aspects of pitch performance, helping clubs understand how their surface is performing and identify areas that may need attention. As a FIFA-accredited Natural Playing Surface Test Institute, STRI has been involved in the FIFA NPS programme since its inauguration, supporting clubs and organisations to assess playing surfaces against internationally recognised performance standards. 💡 Calling grounds teams: Comment below if you'd like to book your upcoming test, or email @striturf_greg for more information - [email protected] For grounds teams, the value isn’t just in the test itself. It’s about understanding what the data is telling you and using it to inform pitch management throughout the season. Great to be back out on the pitch with another EFL club. 👏 #FIFA #FIFANPS

We're hiring: Groundsperson Love working with turf but fancy doing something a little different? We're looking for a Groundsperson to join our Trials team at STRI HQ in Bingley, working across our seven-hectare sports turf research site. This is a hands-on role supporting research, trials and innovation - preparing, maintaining and sometimes challenging turf to help us understand how it performs. ✔ Monday–Friday, 8.15am–4pm ✔ Minimal weekend working ✔ Training and qualifications supported ✔ Long-term career development opportunities Experience is desirable but not essential - we're looking for someone reliable, curious and keen to learn. Interested? Find out more and apply 👇strigroup.com/job/groundsper…

#Thankagreenkeeperday They're the people who arrive before everyone else, work in all weathers, have incomparable attention to detail and put in countless hours to create surfaces for great sport. Greenkeeping is a skilled profession. It takes knowledge, experience, patience and an incredible attention to detail, and much of that work happens behind the scenes. At STRI, we see that dedication every day. Our groundspeople work hands-on with turf across our research sites, supporting greenkeepers by helping us understand how surfaces perform in the real world. We know just how much goes into getting a sports surface right. So today, we’re celebrating greenkeepers everywhere, at golf clubs, sports grounds and venues around the world. Tom Hudson, Groundsman at STRI shares a few words on the profession, and from everyone at STRI we want to say thank you to all greenkeepers.

Applications are open for the @golfenvawards 📣 If you think your golf club is providing a positive contribution to the environment, then why not enter the awards? ENTER HERE: golfenvironmentawards.com/ho…

Water resilience starts long before the next drought. For sports venues, managing water isn’t simply about using less. It’s about understanding where water comes from, how it is captured, treated, stored and reuse, and how the whole system can work together. Our latest article explores how sports venues can build greater resilience by taking a more integrated approach to water management, from rainwater harvesting and alternative water sources to storage, treatment and reuse. As pressure on water resources continues to grow, planning for every drop is becoming increasingly important. In discussion with Stella Rixon, Senior Agronomic Consultant - read the full article here: strigroup.com/capturing-trea…

Today we hosted an event at Ewood Park, home of Blackburn @Rovers Football Club, bringing together clubs from across the @EFL and the Rugby League, alongside colleagues, clients and partners from across the sports turf industry. The day focused on our recently completed redevelopment of the stadium pitch, and more specifically, what it takes to deliver a major pitch reconstruction in just 84 days. From initial design through to construction, technical oversight and the final playing surface, we explored the decisions, challenges and collaboration involved in delivering a new pitch within a live stadium environment. A huge thank you to everyone who travelled to Ewood Park and contributed to what was a really valuable morning of knowledge sharing, discussion and collaboration. And of course, a special thank you to James Podesta, Greg Whately, Phil Collinson from @ICL_Turf, Steven McInroy, Toby Grace and Ian Lacy for their presentations and contributions to the panel discussion. Projects like Ewood Park demonstrate what can be achieved when the right expertise, experience and collaboration come together, from the first design decisions through to the first ball being played.

We’re pleased to announce that STRI will be supporting the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2027, taking place across Albania and Serbia next summer. With 16 national teams, 31 matches and venues across eight cities, ensuring consistent, high-performing playing surfaces will be an important part of tournament preparation. Our team will provide construction monitoring, pitch testing and tournament support, working alongside the teams responsible for preparing and delivering the playing surfaces across the tournament footprint. In Serbia, several venues and training centres are undergoing significant pitch works, including new drainage and irrigation systems, full pitch renovations and new hybrid and natural turf installations. From construction through to competition, our role will be focused on providing the independent technical expertise, testing and insight needed to support pitch performance throughout the tournament. We’re proud to be part of the team helping prepare for one of European football's major international tournaments and look forward to supporting the project through to kick-off.

It's been a busy 2026 so far, and we've taken a look back at some of the projects we've been involved in across the year: ⚽ Stadium surface design 🌍 Design and construction supervision across the globe 🏟️ Sports surface consultancy 🏆 Supporting our fifth consecutive FIFA World Cup 🏗️ Supporting planning applications and development projects 💧 Advising on water management and climate resilience Our consulting team covers a vast range of sports and disciplines, working alongside architects, developers, sporting bodies and local authorities, from grassroots facilities to some of the world's most prestigious sporting venues. Behind every project is an incredible team of people. Their expertise, experience and passion are what success possible. 2026 has already been a year to remember. And there's plenty more to come. Talk to us about your next project.