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The Team

Peter Holmstrom

Sales Manager

A schoolboy footballer at Sheffield Utd and Bristol Rovers, Pete joined the greenkeeping profession working under Angus Macleod at Newport...

 

Peter Holmstrom

Position: Sales Manager
Phone: 07876440599
Email: peter@advancegrass.com
Location: South Wales

A schoolboy footballer at Sheffield Utd and Bristol Rovers, Pete joined the greenkeeping profession working under Angus Macleod at Newport Golf Club. He joined AGS in 2017 and it’s fair to say hasn’t looked back. A natural people person, he has excelled and developed a far reaching area of clients in the past 15 years, including many of the UK’s top sporting venues. BASIS and FACTS trained, Pete offers a comprehensive agronomic service underpinned by a practical background.

Pete has played cricket at a high level and is a good golfer. He has been known to sing at company events and if we were honest, he’s actually very good.

Matt Le Brun

Business Development Manager UK/EU

Matt is our Business Development Manager for Sports Turf, joining the business in the summer of 2019 to support our...

 

Matt Le Brun

Position: Business Development Manager UK/EU
Phone: 07985738026
Email: matt@advancegrass.com

Matt is our Business Development Manager for Sports Turf, joining the business in the summer of 2019 to support our growth  in the groundsmanship arena. With a practical background, Matt is a NPTC Trainer/Assessor in machinery and former greenkeeper. For the past seven years he has worked on the commercial side of the industry in both manufacturing and distributor roles, working with a number of high profile national accounts throughout the football pyramid.

Matt offers a comprehensive support package to AGS customers, with the ability to carry out UEFA standard pitch assessments, bespoke research studies, product development and educational events.

Jim Russell

Business Development Manager

Jim was born and raised in Scotland and has been involved in the Greenkeeping sector for the last 41 years....

 

Jim Russell

Position: Business Development Manager
Phone: 07930 301284
Email: jim@advancegrass.com
Location: East Sussex, Herts, Kent, South London, Surrey, West Sussex

Jim was born and raised in Scotland and has been involved in the Greenkeeping sector for the last 41 years. Jim moved to work with Grass Roots Trading Company in January 2000, which in turn did became Advance Grass Solutions in 2017. He’s a shining example to the younger generation in the business with his ever-growing customer base, loyal industry friends and his dedication to the cause.

Married to Debbie with three children and resides in Lingfield Surrey for the last 32 years. Active hobbies include cycling and motorbiking.

Joe Hendy

Regional and Seed Product Manager

Joe has worked with grass since 1997, starting his career as a laboratory seed analyst. He is also a licenced...

 

Joe Hendy

Position: Regional and Seed Product Manager
Phone: 07940354113
Email: joe@advancegrass.com

Joe has worked with grass since 1997, starting his career as a laboratory seed analyst. He is also a licenced DEFRA inspector in both cereal and herbage crops. He attended Cannington College to study an HND in agriculture, has his PA1 & PA6 spraying licence and is FACTS qualified. A confident and natural speaker, Joe has presented numerous times on his specialist subject of seed, wildflowers and fertiliser. He is a very experienced turf specialist, working with every type of professional surface in the industry, from grassroots to elite sport.

Outside of work, he is a husband and proud father of four. He plays the guitar, is AGS’s resident Paul Daniels and loves a flutter.

Phil Garrod

Sports Turf Consultant

A former Head Groundsman with an honours degree in Sports Turf Science, Phil is one of few that has crossed...

 

Phil Garrod

Position: Sports Turf Consultant
Phone: 07342054813
Email: Phil@advancegrass.com

A former Head Groundsman with an honours degree in Sports Turf Science, Phil is one of few that has crossed the Greenkeeper / Groundsman divide. Recruited in 2015 with a brief to diversify our once golf focussed business, Phil has firmly put AGS on the elite sport map, with some of the very best European sporting venues now using our exclusive range. He’s proud to list Wembley, St George’s Park and Nice, amongst others.

An interesting fact; Phil was once an assistant golf pro and is famed for 4 putting on the 18th green for a 62 at his local club. More recently, he is an avid sports fan, cider drinker and Dad taxi to his four children.

Joshua Thomason

Key Account & Technical Manager

Recipient of the prestigious R&A Greenkeeping Scholarship, Josh has worked in sports turf in the US, Australia, Austria and laterally,...

 

Joshua Thomason

Position: Key Account & Technical Manager
Phone: 07956 766882
Email: josh@advancegrass.com

Recipient of the prestigious R&A Greenkeeping Scholarship, Josh has worked in sports turf in the US, Australia, Austria and laterally, the UK. Alongside his practical skills, he has a BSc in Sportsturf Science & Management and is working towards his Masters, adding him to a very small list of industry professionals.

 

Neil Rogers

Regional Technical Manager

Neil has worked in the Sportsturf industry for over twenty years, starting as an apprentice at Windwhistle GC and working...

 

Neil Rogers

Position: Regional Technical Manager
Phone: 07824635908
Email: neil@advancegrass.com
Location: Cornwall, Devon, Dorset

Neil has worked in the Sportsturf industry for over twenty years, starting as an apprentice at Windwhistle GC and working up to Head Greenkeeper. He attended Cannington college gaining an NVQ Level 3 in Sports Turf and is also BASIS trained. Neil covers the vast and beautiful counties of Dorset, Devon and Cornwall – clocking plenty of miles along the way.

Outside of work, he’s spends as much time with his family as possible. He enjoys watching most sport, especially cricket. Before his retirement from cricket in 2016 he was the leading league wicket taker for 3 years in a row.

Roger Clark

Regional Technical Manager

Roger is a passionate turf professional who thoroughly enjoys assisting his customers in solving the problems they encounter. With over...

 

Roger Clark

Position: Regional Technical Manager
Phone: 07825 152536
Email: roger@advancegrass.com
Location: Beds, Bucks, Herts, Oxon

Roger is a passionate turf professional who thoroughly enjoys assisting his customers in solving the problems they encounter. With over 30 years industry experience, initially through practical greenkeeping, developing into course management with roles in Europe and the US, he progressed into what has become seventeen years of Technical Sales.

An HND in Golf Course Management, a BASIS certificate in Amenity Turf and FACTS qualified, Roger provides a comprehensive support package to his loyal customer base, which includes private schools, premiership stadia, training grounds and grassroots sport.

An ardent MK Dons fan, travelling the length of the country on a Saturday (it’s where he met his lovely wife, Dawn) and a veteran of 191 Status Quo concerts.

Stewart Jeffs

Regional Technical Manager

Stewart joined the business in November ’20 following an extensive career in the sports turf sector, working at both manufacturer...

 

Stewart Jeffs

Position: Regional Technical Manager
Phone: 07375 116143
Email: stewart@advancegrass.com
Location: East Anglia, East Midlands

Stewart joined the business in November ’20 following an extensive career in the sports turf sector, working at both manufacturer and distributor level. He is BASIS and FACTS qualified.

 

Tasked with developing the East Midlands and East Anglia, Stewart is connecting with industry contacts, old and new.

 

He lives with partner Lynne, has a step daughter and granddaughter and thoroughly enjoys the outdoors. His main passion is gundogs and shooting. He has trained dogs and sent them all over the world and has bred Field Trial champions and Field Trial winning dogs.

 

Travel, in normal times, is also a passion with a trip ranch riding in America one of the highlights.

Cheryl Loader

Sales Support Manager

Cheryl began her career in agriculture and worked at MSF/Countrywide in a Customer Service/Sales Support Role dealing with customers throughout...

 

Cheryl Loader

Position: Sales Support Manager
Phone: 07880 781186
Email: cheryl@advancegrass.com

Cheryl began her career in agriculture and worked at MSF/Countrywide in a Customer Service/Sales Support Role dealing with customers throughout a varied business.  Her position also involved developing and implementing systems and procedures to ensure a smooth operation and service to all customers.  Joining AGS in December 2017.

Cheryl loves the countryside, walking her dog, gardening and spending time with her family.  Also enjoying visits to the coast, she can be found watching ‘Place by the Sea’ during the dark winter months.

Natasha Robinson

Administration Assistant

Natasha has worked for AGS for 3 years in the Head Office on accounts, credit control & getting sales orders...

 

Natasha Robinson

Position: Administration Assistant
Phone: 01183914540
Email: natasha@advancegrass.com

Natasha has worked for AGS for 3 years in the Head Office on accounts, credit control & getting sales orders out to customers. Natasha is our chief multi – tasker; helping anyone that needs it. Before AGS, Natasha worked in various roles from Hairdressing, travel & then finally into Accounts.

In here spare time, Natasha loves to spend quality family time with her husband, 2 teenage boys and 2 dogs. Natasha loves a good walk and gym session to let off some steam and a catch up with the girls.

Chris Due

Operations Manager

Chris is our Operations Manager, and very good one at that. An early riser, Chris is on-line before most sorting...

 

Chris Due

Position: Operations Manager
Phone: 01183914540
Email: cjd@advancegrass.com

Chris is our Operations Manager, and very good one at that. An early riser, Chris is on-line before most sorting the day and week ahead.

In charge of procurement, he’s known for his thorough planning to ensure we have the right stock in situ for the right season.

A lover of motorbikes and well-travelled (his wife is Japanese) Chris enjoys spending time with his family when away from work.

Christopher Tanner

Warehouse Manager

Christopher is our warehouse manager and is AGS to the core! He works extremely hard to ensure we achieve our...

 

Christopher Tanner

Position: Warehouse Manager
Phone: 01183914540
Email: christanner@advancegrass.com

Christopher is our warehouse manager and is AGS to the core! He works extremely hard to ensure we achieve our customer service aspirations and targets. After completing a BTEC First Diploma in Sports Development in 2007, Christopher has worked in a number of customer facing roles until joining AGS in 2017.  Being passionate about customer service, along the way he has collected a number of customer service qualifications and awards.

Christopher has been fanatical about football since a young age, being a ‘Young Royal’ and member of the Exeter City ‘Red Army’.  He also played for Reading and Exeter City academies.

In his spare time Christopher follows a rigorous physical fitness programme to support his dedication to improving his golf, where he has remained a single handicapper for many years.  When he is not serving AGS customers, Chris raises his young family.

 

Gro Green

Scottish Partner

Grogreen are an independent Scottish company offering a wide range of products to deliver turf and amenity solutions for your...

 

Gro Green

Position: Scottish Partner
Phone: 01968 661705
Email: grass@grogreen.co.uk
Location: Scotland

Grogreen are an independent Scottish company offering a wide range of products to deliver turf and amenity solutions for your business.

They are exclusive distributors for the Growth Products range amongst other AGS products.

Sales Team by Area

London

Jim Russell

07930 301284

jim@advancegrass.com

East Anglia & East Midlands

Stewart Jeffs

07375 116143

stewart@advancegrass.com

Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire

Joe Hendy

07940 354113

joe@advancegrass.com

EastAnglia EastMidlands London NorthEast NorthernIreland NorthWest Scotland South East South West Wales WestMidlands Yorkshire Ireland

Beds, Bucks, Herts, Oxon

Roger Clark

07825 152536

roger@advancegrass.com

Devon, Cornwall, Dorset

Neil Rogers

07824 635908

neil@advancegrass.com

Wales

Peter Holmstrom

07876 440599

peter@advancegrass.com