Rolls-Royce supports local schoolchildren at Greenpower ‘Gathering of the Goblins’
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars continues its longstanding support for The March CE Primary School at the 2024 Greenpower ‘Gathering of Goblins’ Children in Years 5 and 6 designed and built four electric racing cars with support and guidance from Rolls-Royce Designers, Interns and Apprentices Every year, more than 10,000 school and university students take part in the Greenpower national competitions aimed at encouraging young people to pursue their interests in STEM subjects National final will be held at Goodwood Motor Circuit, close to the Home of Rolls-Royce, on 30 June 2024 “The Greenpower ‘Gathering of Goblins’ is a fantastic event that aims to fire young people’s imagination and bring STEM subjects to life through the excitement of motorsport. We’ve supported teams from The March CE Primary School over many years, with children working alongside our Designers and Apprentices to design and build some truly amazing racing cars. For us, this is both a link to our heritage – the marque first established its reputation as ‘the best car in the world’ through motor trials and racing – and a vital investment in the long-term future of engineering and manufacturing in the UK. We wish the teams every success.”Andrew Ball, Head of Corporate Relations and Heritage, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has continued its longstanding partnership with The March CE Primary School in preparation for this year’s Greenpower ‘Gathering of Goblins’, the UK’s premier event for electric-powered racing cars designed, built, and driven by schoolchildren. The competition is run by Greenpower Education Trust, a UK-based charity whose mission is to enthuse young people about science and engineering by challenging them to design, build and race an electric car. It supplies age-appropriate kit cars that can be built in schools, colleges, or group settings, and then raced in one of three categories at Greenpower events, culminating in an international final. In the UK, the competition attracts over 10,000 students, from primary school age through to university, in more than 700 teams. Similar Greenpower-licensed programmes also run in Europe and the USA. For several years, pupils from Years 5 and 6 at The March CE Primary School, which neighbours the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood, have taken part in the ‘Formula Goblin’ category for children aged 9-11. The marque originally funded one kit car for the after-school STEM Club, but this proved so overwhelmingly popular that it now supports a fleet of four. The chassis and powertrain are supplied by Greenpower and are standardised to ensure a level playing field. However, teams have complete freedom to determine the form and finish of the bodywork that sits on top. In a unique partnership, The March CE Primary School teams work with specialists from Rolls-Royce Motor Cars to develop their designs and bring them to life. As in previous years, the children created a range of bold, imaginative concepts for their cars around a specified theme, which in 2024 was ‘Elements’. They also learned more about the design process from Rolls-Royce designers, who translated their drawings into full digital renders, exactly as they would for a new model or client commission. With the four designs finalised, Apprentices and Interns from the Home of Rolls-Royce at Goodwood attended the STEM Club to help the children build their cars, incorporating some of the actual materials used in Rolls-Royce motor cars. The Apprentices also assisted with driver training, test-driving and pit-stop practice in preparation for race day. The teams will be among those lining up for the race on 30 June, which takes place at the Goodwood Motor Circuit, less than a mile from the school and the Home of Rolls-Royce. For more information on the Greenpower Education Trust and how to get involved with their activities please visit www.greenpower.co.uk.
