How to preserve a piece of football ground grass turf

So, if you are reading this you are either a regular follower of my blog, or you may have come across this through having an interest in the preservation  of a piece of turf!

As an avid follower of football, rugby and other sports, I can appreciate the sense of pride when your team takes part and preferably wins a final of a national competition. In the spring of 2016 I was contacted by a fan of Hibernian FC with a very interesting request.

On 21st May 2016, Hibernian FC beat Rangers FC in the 131st Scottish Cup Final held at Hampden Park. This was Hibernian FC’s first win of the Scottish Cup in 114 years, having last won the cup in 1902 and only one time previous to that in 1887. As you can imagine, as a fan of Hibernian FC this was a momentous victory, ending the long drought of not winning the competition.

Hibernian FC Scottish Cup winners 2016

A small piece of Hampden Park’s hallowed turf was gathered by one fan, presumably as he left the terraces to leave the ground. The piece of turf may even have been dropped by the boots of a Hibernian FC player. (Although I do hope it wasn’t from the massive pitch invasion that happened at the end of the game). The Hibernian fan took the piece of turf home, still celebrating his team’s amazing victory and then contacted me in the hope that I could preserve the turf in resin.

Paperweight containing a piece of Hampden Park turf

And this is the result; I set the piece of turf within a square paperweight and added details of the achievement to the paperweight. What a lovely way to preserve the memories of this victory.