This year’s Institute of Groundsmanship (IOG) Industry Awards event is set to break all attendance records, as more than 500 seats have already been booked – more than ever before – four weeks before the event.

The awards acknowledge excellence in groundskeeping by volunteer and professional teams in the UK, ranging from grassroots to professional stadia level.

Now in its seventh year, the awards event will be staged at the Birmingham Metropole Hotel on Wednesday 4 November, the opening day of the SALTEX exhibition at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC).

The awards will see winners being picked across 19 categories and the event will be hosted by talkSPORT journalist Mark Saggers – with impressionist Alistair McGowan providing the after-dinner entertainment.

According to IOG chief executive Geoff Webb, this year’s record numbers are partly thanks to the awards being held in conjunction with SALTEX.

“We’re pleased at the record number of advance bookings this year when the event is being held alongside SALTEX – which itself has more exhibitors than it did last year,” he said.

“Together, the awards and SALTEX will showcase everything that is great about the groundscare industry.”

Background

• SALTEX is the UK's national event for grounds care, sports, amenities, estates and green space management. From turf care and specialist machinery to landscaping and playgrounds, more 250 exhibitors bring the latest products, equipment and expertise to the NEC Birmingham for two days.

SALTEX is free to visit. For more information, click here.

• The IOG is the membership organisation representing grounds managers, groundsmen, grounds maintenance managers, greenkeepers and all others involved in the management of sports pitches, landscape and amenity facilities in the UK.

As well as maintaining the IOG Performance Quality Standards and providing a consultancy service for sports grounds, lawn maintenance and amenity horticulture, the IOG’s Training and Education programme includes cricket, football, tennis, horseracing, bowls, artificial surfaces, turf science and many other specialist subjects.