A TEAM of Somerset groundspeople have won national recognition for their work.

The team, from South Somerset District Council’s Environmental Services team, picked up certificates from the Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) for the work they do at Yeovil Recreation Centre (YRC).

Comprising Rodney Pippard, Jamie Pippard and Callum Hanson, the team was nominated externally following their highly impressive practices of sportsground management at YRC.

And although the team did not win first place in the Public Sector Sports Ground Team of the Year category, their top 10 placement earned them a highly commended award certification.

Councillor Jo Roundell Greene, Portfolio Holder for Environment at South Somerset District Council, said: “It’s such a fantastic achievement to be highly commended for the job that you do and it’s very well deserved by the team at Yeovil Recreation Centre who ensure that the sportsgrounds are in top condition all year around for users of the facilities.”

This is the first time in the IOG’s award history that they were considering public sector sports grounds. The team from YRC found themselves up against some much esteemed fellow competitors, such as Eastbourne AEGON Tennis club, which hosts the Wimbledon preliminary rounds.

YRC is maintained at a very high standard by the team from Environmental Services and is equipped for a variety of sports including netball, tennis, athletics and football, all of which have sessions available for attendance.

For more information visit www.yeovilrec.co.uk.