Businesses at the Westcott Venture Park near Aylesbury are behind an ambitious project to inspire 9 to 11 year-olds from Swanbourne CE School to build two electric racing cars.
When the IET Formula Goblin racing cars are ready to line up on the starting grid the students will be racing them against other schools from across the country at the historic Goodwood race circuit in West Sussex on Sunday 12th July.
The project was the brainchild of motor racing team and sports car specialist, Topcats Racing, where the racing cars will be built with the help of the company's expert engineers over the next few weeks, and the cars are being sponsored by Bucks Recycling and Robin Dalwood Car Paintshop, both based at Westcott Venture Park. The cars were bought by The Friends of the Three Schools, which is the fundraising federation for Swanbourne CE School.
Topcats Racing director Charlotte Gilbert explained: “The idea was born after our racing team visited the Autosport Show in January and met up with the exhibitors of Greenpower Education Trust's Green Goblin Formula team.”
“This exciting project will inspire them through engineering, science, maths, design and team work, not to mention the excitement of the race days. Younger children at the school are also involved with designing the car bodies and colour scheme and researching lightweight materials and aerodynamics to help them with the designs.”
“The classes were divided into build teams and they soon got to grips with the tools and components of the cars.”
The project will also test the students' business skills as they are busy trying to raise sponsorship from businesses to buy crash helmets and racing suits and sell advertising space on the racing cars and racing suits.
Tricia Murray, managing director at Bucks Recycling adds: “Motor racing is a very glamorous world and one rarely opened up to school children. Charlotte and Warren Gilbert of Topcats have provided an exciting learning experience for these lucky youngsters and I am proud to be a sponsor.”
You can follow the team's progress with the project at www.topcatsracing.com.
Sponsors and other businesses interested in this exciting project can get more details from Charlotte Gilbert at Topcats Racing on 01296 655109.
