Energy gym wows judges in prestigious national competition
The students and staff from Thomas Gainsborough School are, front row, Tom Wainwright and Charlie Knox, middle row, Ed Clark, Sarah Dowley and Arley Foat, back row, Charlie Stone and Harry Barron. Photo: Gooderham PR.
Students from a secondary school in Great Cornered will be taking their place in a prestigious national final after impressing judges with an environmentally-friendly project.
The “Enercycle” team from Thomas Gainsborough School has been shortlisted in the final of the V&A Innovate National Schools Challenge.
Under the theme “move, connect and renew”, Year 9 students came up with a green gym that harnessed energy spent from exercise which was then converted into electrical energy and donated to those in need.
Sarah Dowley, technology teacher at Thomas Gainsborough, praised the students for coming up with such a topical design.
She said: “The students wanted to do something that was environmentally-friendly and they also researched the fact that more people had got involved in cycling and exercise since the start of the pandemic.
“We are always encouraging our technology students to think outside the box and they certainly did that.
“We are very proud of their efforts and I know the students are looking forward to showcasing their plans in the final.”
Judges said they were impressed by how the Enercycle plans could make a real impact on rising fuel costs and that students had even identified a suitable local site for the project.
The judging team added: “This idea has been well-researched, identifying a clear problem and speaking to cyclists to iterate their design. The judges thought it was a great idea, well-planned, well-articulated and brilliantly realised.”
Enercycle, made up of Tom Wainwright, Charlie Knox, Arley Foat, Charlie Stone and Harry Barron, will be pitching their plans to a group of renowned judges in London on Tuesday, March 22.