S E Training Day 2009

For the third year running the Association were blessed with another lovely warm sunny early summer’s day at the beautiful and outstanding venue which provided the backdrop to the NPTA/Barrettine South East Training Day on 14 May 2009.

The whole day was sponsored by Barrettine Environmental Health (with assistance from some of their major suppliers) for which the Association are truly grateful.

Shutleworth College
For those that are unaware Shuttleworth College is in Bedfordshire and used to be one of the two country homes of the Shuttleworth family. For the last three or more decades it has been an Agricultural College used by the farming community of both Bedfordshire and even wider. Literally just down the entrance drive is the famous “Shuttleworth Collection” which was collected together after WWI to commemorate the single winged and bi-plane era which were used to our advantage during that World War. Many times each year several of these same planes put on flying displays which the public may attend and watch.

The Theme chosen for the day “Reduce Your Environmental Impact – and gain a Competitive Edge” which proved to be a good draw for a 95% full house.

The Training Day looked at how pest controllers could become more ‘environmentally friendly’, meeting this growing need – to your own benefit. Its aims were to cover a range of Environmental Impact issues of relevance to the pest control Manager/Controller, whether in the private or public sector.

The day was chaired by Iain Turner on behalf of Barrettine and also as a member of the Management Board for the NPTA. He started the day by introducing Barrie Sheard, recent past Chairman of the Association who did his usual National Rodent Survey Report for 2007/08 ably backed by a ‘Powerpoint’ presentation.

Second to bat was Paul Butt of Natural England who dealt with some of the environmental pressures that are being placed on the use of pesticides. Ably backed with some very clearly shown colour photos of cases he had been called into to make decisions about misuse of rodenticides and also several of case of an outdate poison.

Third to step up to the crease was a guest speaker from Holland, namely Ronald van Lierop who gave a very informative talk about EFK’s and particularly a recently developed fluorescent lamp which only needs changing every two years, thereby reducing the environmental impact from the number used which all contain mercury and lead.

Alan Morris of Bayer Environmental Science, who in the writer’s opinion, stole the whole day, introduced a brand new imidacloprid ant bait called Maxforce Quantaum. Truly a product the UK Pest Control Industry has been waiting for years for! It tackles the ordinary common black garden ant, the ghost ant and more importantly the Pharoah Ant – with results of many trials revealing usually only a small amount of bait and that these colonies can be eradicated within weeks rather than as been the case of months in the past. Gone are the days we all remember of going out to buy a quarter of pound of fresh liver!

The last morning session was rather a strange one from Bob Nicholls on a product called Rezist which is claimed to keep a variety of pests and also non-pests from entering a premises or land. Being non-toxic it is very environmentally friendly, but the question raised in my mind is how does it work? Certainly it’s the answer to stop moles coming into your beautiful lawn and rabbits onto both your lettuce and herbaceous borders! As a repellent it is useful in the management of dogs, foxes, rabbits, moles and geese, the label of which has just been extended to include the above pests.

A Shuttleworth lunch is one to be thoroughly enjoyed and the staff of the College were certainly up this time for an exceptionally fine bit of dining. In the actual dining room one has actually to see and experience at first hand, there is an ambience not met in any of today’s 20th or 21st century dining rooms. Somewhere today’s architects have forgotten what fine dining is all about?

First to bat after lunch was Grahame Turner who gave delegates some very wise words about the need to get treatments right first time and thus avoid call-backs and extra costs for a business. This was followed by a talk by Mike Rogers on “Diatomaceous Earth” found to be a most natural and environmental safe insecticide. Again reducing the environment impact and following the days theme.

The final session was from the Chairman of the day himself, Iain Turner of Barrettine, who discussed the introduction of a new rat bait based upon the active ingredient Coumatetralyl and which as a single outdoor feed bait has great benefits in reducing environmental impact.

Delegates were able to also visit and see a nice selection of support exhibitors during refreshment breaks and their attendance was appreciated by both the Association and also every delegate. For those in need of CPD points arrangements had been made for them to collect their points at the conclusion of the afternoon sessions.

Bat Awareness and Legislation Course
Once the Barrettine day was over and all six exhibitors had packed up their displays and in keeping with today’s NPTA policy we ran our much sort after Bat Awareness Course starting at 4.40 p.m. This course was put on with the help and assistance of Dr Penelope Angold from AMPA Associates and to which 14 delegates attended. From delegates feed-back this was very well received and very worthwhile.

END.

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