History
William Bowles at Eton College
The Grounds Management Association was formed in 1934 by W H Bowles BEM, head groundsman at Eton College. First called the National Association of Groundsmen, its agreed purpose was to improve the status of groundsmen and the standard of groundsmanship. This was embodied in the original crest which carried the motto 'Through Training to Service'. In 1969 the organisation became known as the Institute of Groundsmanship.
In March 2020 members approved the name change to the Grounds Management Association.
About
A not-for-profit membership organisation, the GMA promotes and protects the interests of the professionals and volunteers who make sport possible by keeping green spaces and playing surfaces safe, accessible, and sustainable across educational establishments, community facilities, and sports clubs at grassroots, amateur, and professional levels.
Together with members, we work with industry bodies, public sector authorities, and technical specialists to develop and promote industry standards and best practice, provide education opportunities and career pathways, publish industry news and insight, and promote the profession to help attract and build a sustainable skilled talent pipeline.
The GMA is accredited to the matrix Standard for the provision of high-quality technical information, advice, and guidance, and further supports the wider industry by providing a series of industry-leading knowledge-building networking events, including Europe’s largest free grounds management show, SALTEX.
Now in its 78th year, SALTEX is a two-day exhibition where visitors from over all over the world attend Birmingham NEC to hear from industry experts and see the latest technologies and developments from over 400 leading brands.
Vision
The GMA is a not-for-profit organisation which aims "To promote quality surfaces and quality services and establish the GMA as 'the' leading professional organisation for grounds management, recognised by the National Governing Bodies of Sport and the public, private and voluntary sectors for its industry knowledge and technical expertise.'
