John Draper started his lawncare business Greener Gardens Nottingham fifteen years ago. His green industry experience stems from 1990, starting work in sales on a commercial nursery then Scotts Professional business group and latterly Regional Manager Scotts Consumer Business. John is an original committee member of the UKLCA formed in 2016.
Over the past ten years John has also developed a cloud-based lawn care software system “Call Data Manager”
“I am looking forward to working with Committee working on our plans to represent the UK Lawncare Association in this growing market and exploring new ways of supporting our members of all lawn care experience and size over the coming months within the challenges of COVID-19.”
Tom is the Son of an Essex farmer and holds both a BSc (Hons) Agriculture from Nottingham University and a Diploma in Management from University of East London.
Tom spent 21 years working in the agrochemical industry, 5 years of which were based in Lyon, France. His last job was with Bayer was as Head of Professional Products, Europe. This included all Bayer professional products for the amenity market.
Tom started TopGrass in 2005. The company now employs 31 people based in Warwickshire and Essex. He currently lives in Banbury and is married to Shirley with three grown up children and an old, bad tempered Jack Russell called Sprout. Both Shirley and daughter Katie also work for TopGrass.
“Being part of the UKLCA Committee is brilliant for networking with other lawn care business owners and it enables you to be at the forefront of what is happening in the lawn care industry”.
Prior to lawn care Russell spent 15 years working in business IT Support and Account Management, responsible for diverse teams with a heavy focus on customer service and emerging technologies. He found a passion for looking after his own lawn and fulfilled a dream to run his own business doing something he loved; starting Lawn Tiger in 2017 covering areas of Surrey, West & East Sussex and Kent. He is looking forward to growing the business to a multi van operation. Russell is married to Katie with three daughters who keep him busy.
“Since joining the Committee, I have gained further insight into the wider UK lawn care industry, built great professional contacts and personal friendships with other lawn care business owners and staff. That has enabled me to improve and grow my business. I believe you get back what you put in and it’s great to be directly involved to help promote and improve the professional lawn care sector in the UK.”
Prior to starting Lawnrite Jon was a Finance Manager for Toyota Financial Services within a Toyota Branch where he managed the finance and insurance sales within the branch. Before that Jon was Greenkeeper/Deputy Head for 5 years, he then worked within grounds maintenance team for private schools on their sports pitches and grounds.
Before joining the committee, I felt that the industry was a lonely place and found that the only place I could get information was from suppliers. Now I have a close friendship/network with many owners that we regularly share ideas and best practice.
Ian studied agriculture and agronomy and has a passion for all things soil science related. Prior to launching his lawncare business he held various senior roles in sales, marketing and business development. He is focussed on customer service. He has a background in print publishing in the leisure computing market and launched the UK’s first internet magazine.
The UKLCA is committed to shared learning, raising industry standards and providing support to the independent lawn care industry. For me, being part of this network has provided invaluable guidance and support with many aspects associated with the challenges of providing a first class service and great results.
BSc (Hons) Sport Management from Loughborough University
Diploma in Turf Surface Management – an IOG Awards nominee for Sports Turf Student of the Year 2018
Jack Chapman started his journey into professional lawn care almost by accident with a garden maintenance hobby business from the age of 15. A passion for both business and turf care ran throughout several years split between study and the development of Kingsbury Lawn Care, which then joined the UKLCA in 2015 to seriously prompt the shift into professional lawn care. Jack is a cricket groundsman at heart gaining many of his early practical turf care and renovation skills through taking on the management of his own cricket clubs surface, hosting Warwickshire age group fixtures with great success.
Kingsbury Lawn Care is currently made up of a team of three, with further growth anticipated in the near future. Jack lives near Tamworth, buying his first home with partner Rachael in 2019.
Being a part of the UKLCA Committee has seen me working closely with successful business owners, sharing and developing ideas collectively on a higher level. We enjoy learning from each other and enjoying each others company. This goes hand in hand with enjoying helping member businesses with their challenges and promoting the industry.
Time in lawn care: 6 years
Richard started his career studying Agriculture at Writtle University College in the 1980’s. He then qualified as an agronomist (BASIS), advising farmers as well as green keepers / groundsman on growing crops and grass. He became UK Sales Manager for a large agrochemical company and started his own Lawn Care business in 2000, and soon afterwards set up the UK Lawn Care Network in 2004 (now the UK Lawn Care Association). He found that there were many other likeminded independent businesses starting, that had so much in common with each other, and ideas to share and learn from.
Richard is now Honorary President of UK Lawn Care Association in recognition for his work as founder of the UK Lawn Care Network.
I’ve made some great friends and learned so much as a result of being part of the network of lawn care companies. With our collective voice, we are creating the awareness of professional lawn care to the wider community.
Time in lawn care: 21 years ( +14 years in Agriculture/Amenity)
The UK Lawn Care Association (UKLCA) is an organisation based in the United Kingdom committed to helping garden owners across the country find independent lawn care specialists to provide care for their lawns.
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