The industry’s largest free education offering, Learning LIVE, is back for SALTEX 2025, delivering its biggest and most tailored programme to date. 

Following a record-breaking 2024 that saw more education hours delivered than ever before and over 1,000 attendees engaging with sessions, this year promises even more opportunities to power up your skills and gain accredited CPD points. 

With pressures mounting on grounds teams to deliver high-quality playing surfaces and green spaces, Learning LIVE provides real-world insights and sector-first knowledge, completely free of charge. 

Among the highlights is James Haskell, one of the most recognisable personalities in sport. In his headline session, High Performance Mindset: Lessons from the Pitch to the Boardroom, James will draw on his career as a professional rugby player, media personality and entrepreneur to explore the role of elite playing surfaces in sporting success. 

A first for 2025 will be the GMA NextGen’s takeover of Learning LIVE. Made up of talented young professionals dedicated to championing the industry and inspiring the next generation, NextGen will lead two dedicated Spotlight Stage sessions. Covering diversity in the industry and youth engagement, the sessions will see alumni share their own journeys into grounds management, their role as changemakers and ideas for attracting more young people into the sector. 

Sarah Hunter, Head of Events at the Grounds Management Association (GMA), said: “Learning LIVE has become a cornerstone of SALTEX and of the wider industry. It’s the largest free education programme of its kind and it continues to grow in scale and impact. 

“This year, we’ve worked hard to make the content more tailored than ever before, shaped around the real challenges and opportunities faced by people on the ground. It’s about equipping professionals at every level with knowledge they can take straight back to their venues.” 

Key sessions from the Learning LIVE programme include: 

• The preparation and delivery of FIFA 2026 World Cup - Alan Ferguson, Senior Pitch Management Manager, FIFA 

• Public Parks: Gardening for People and Planet - Matthew Pottage, Head of Horticulture & Landscape Strategy, The Royal Parks 

• High Performance Mindset: Lessons from the Pitch to the Boardroom - James Haskell, Rugby legend, broadcaster, DJ and best-selling author 

• Course success at the 2025 Open Championship - Graeme Beatt, Course Manager, Royal Portrush Golf Club 

• UEFA Champions League, Nations League Final & Women’s EURO 2025 pitch preparations - Lee Guerriero, Stadium Operations and Pitch Expert, UEFA 

• Future-proofing turf management: Water resilience in a changing climate - Tony Hanson, Managing Director, Environmental Solutions International, Mark Hunt, Technical Specialist, Prodata Weather Systems, Roger Davey, Managing Director & Founder, Irritech and Dr Tom Young, Blue-Green Infrastructure Specialist, The Environment Partnership 

• Sustainable solutions at multi-sport venues - James Wright, Senior Maintenance Manager, University of Leeds, Andrew Turnbull, BioAgronomist, South West Agronomy, Sam Kingston, Grounds Manager, Wesley College and Andrew Bulter, Head of Grounds & Gardens, Repton School 

From community sport funding and machinery security to grass seed innovation, pest and weed management and youth engagement in grounds careers, the full programme offers something for everyone across the sector. 

Click here to view the full programme. 

With more than 30 sessions across the Main Stage, Spotlight Stage and Community Sport Stage, there’s a wealth of knowledge on offer from some of the most respected names in the grounds management industry. 

SALTEX 2025 takes place on 12-13 November at the NEC, Birmingham. Register for FREE at saltex.org.uk and be in with a chance of winning a Cramer Tools Lawn Mower, complete with charger and battery, worth £2,240!