act as a training ground facility. In June 2011, work began on the pitch at the stadium to make it the first organic football pitch in the world. This was then followed in December 2011 by the installation of 180 solar panels to the EESI stand to help the club generate its own electricity. In April 2012, the club introduced the first solar powered robotic lawn mower to be used on a football pitch in British football. The Etesia robot mower - known as a 'mow bot' - uses GPS technology to automatically guide it round the pitch without the need for human intervention. In August 2012, a Manchester United XI played a pre-season friendly at the ground in aid of the Sustainability in Sport foundation which was created by Forest Green chairman Dale Vince and Gary Neville. On 25 August 2014, a BT Sport televised Conference National derby game with Bristol Rovers saw 3,781 in attendance, the highest ever recorded league attendance at the stadium. The stadium hosted what is believed to be the world's first ever vegan football match on 1 November 2014 in a Conference National game against Lincoln City. The match received support from Paul and Stella McCartney. Environmental features Following the investment of new chairman and eco-tycoon Dale Vince, and his company Ecotricity, The New Lawn employs a number of eco-friendly features designed to help make the stadium one of the most environmentally sustainable football stadiums in the world. The playing surface features as the world's first organic football pitch, while solar panels on the roof of the stadium as well as outside will eventually provide enough electricity to power 25 per cent of the stadium. The pitch also collects rainwater to be recycled around the stadium and all waste cooking oil at the club is recycled into biofuel. The club introduced a solar powered 'MowBot' in April 2012 which cuts the grass on the pitch and uses GPS technology to automatically guide it round the pitch without the need for human intervention. It is the first solar powered robotic lawn mower to be used on a football pitch in British football. Local farmers use the grass cuttings from the stadium to condition their soil plus the stadium is the first meat-free football stadium in the country after the club changed to an environmentally sustainable menu in February 2011. The area outside the stadium has