Proud to sponsor The NextGen making history again
Three members of the NextGen initiative Reesink Turfcare has proudly sponsored for 10 years made history again as they formed part of an all-female team of 15 grounds professionals taking charge of the pitch at Allianz Stadium ahead of the Women’s Rugby World Cup Final and bronze medal match on Saturday 27 September.
From left: Pitch champions: Liddy Ford from Wembley Stadium, Meg Lay from Lord’s Cricket Ground and Beth Gibbs from Wellington School.
It marks the first time in rugby history that a women-only grounds team has prepared the surface for a showpiece global final. But it’s not the first time Liddy Ford from Wembley Stadium, Beth Gibbs from Wellington School and Meg Lay from Lord’s Cricket Ground have made history – they were also involved in the first-ever all-female grounds team that prepared the pitch at the Emirates Stadium for Arsenal vs Tottenham in the Women’s Super League in 2024!
Brought together by the Grounds Management Association (GMA), England Rugby and Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the landmark initiative puts a spotlight on female talent in grounds management and aims to inspire more women to consider careers in the sector.
In an industry that cites recruitment as one of the biggest challenges facing the industry, this is important because women are increasingly being seen as key to closing the employment gap but currently make up less than 10 percent of the professional workforce [read more on the recruitment crisis].
Gillian Haverson, Marketing Manager at Reesink Turfcare, says: “It’s so exciting to see Meg, Beth and Liddy make history for the second time in as many years. To showcase the skills of all the women in the 15 strong all-female grounds team on a global scale will help create a change in perception.