[T]V personality Dick Strawbridge MBE has visited students at Energy Coast UTC.
The ‘Scrapheap Challenge’ presenter was in the area attending a Sellafield Ltd excellence event, and took the time to pop into the college to share his experiences as an engineer. During the visit, Dick met with a team of students working on the Royal Navy ‘Operation Clean Sweep’ Challenge. Together they discussed a wide range of engineering topics including buoyancy principles, flotation co-efficients and geodesic domes.
Cherry Tingle, Principal said: “I would like to thank Sellafield Limited for inviting Dick Strawbridge MBE to meet with our students. His passion and knowledge for engineering are inspiring. Our students and staff enjoyed his visit, and his expert advice was greatly received by our students.”
Craig Coulson, Teacher, Energy Coast UTC said: “It was wonderful to have Mr Strawbridge visit the college today. He was able to spend some time with a few of our students that have volunteered to take part in the Royal Navy Engineering Challenge “Operation Clean Sweep”. He was inspirational, and his infectious enthusiasm for engineering coupled with his vast body of experience has enabled the students to look at engineering and its challenges in different ways. In the short time since his visit there has been renewed interest in the challenge from more students within the college, creating a buzz of enthusiasm and creativity within the teams. I look forward to seeing what solutions they create to meet the Royal Navy’s challenge and would welcome him back into college with open arms if he had time in his busy schedule.”
Stuart McCourt, Sellafield said: “Dick was delighted to meet Energy Coast UTC students and staying longer than planned. Students talked him through their challenge, and Dick gave some great background on methods he had used for lifting items from his many previous projects and how the same buoyancy principles applied to their project and something he was working on to create a floating geodesic dome sleeping area on the moat of his French Chateau.”
