DUDGEON

The Dudgeon Community Fund receives a donation of around £125,000 each year from the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm, operated by energy company Equinor, to support STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) education projects in Norfolk, designed to inspire the next generation of scientists, innovators and inventors.

Greenpower Education Trust is a UK charity which uses the excitement of motor sport to enthuse young people about STEM by challenging them to design, build and race a single seat electric car. It does this by supplying age-appropriate kit cars which are built in schools and raced at Greenpower organised events at motorsport venues around the UK.

As a result of a 2024 grant from the Dudgeon Community Fund, Greenpower has been able to run two such championship heats at the Lotus Cars test track at Hethel in Norfolk. These events helped teams from five schools in Norfolk make it through to the finals at Goodwood motor racing track on Sunday 13 October 2024.

The five Norfolk schools are Alderman Peel High School, Framingham Earl High School, Ormiston Victory Academy, The Langley Senior School and Town Close School

“The F24 electric racing car project inspires students through a superb range of activities. They run the team at events -completing 90-minute races with three drivers, and no adult help in the pit stops. They learn to communicate and solve problems about technical aspects such as body design, car assembly, battery performance, statistics and team logistics. Above all, what we see at events is young people taking ownership of real-world challenges” said Matt Buck who is Greenpower’s ambassador in Norfolk and a teacher at Town Close School.

He continued: “As many schools collaborate with local business partners to provide financial support or help with the development of the car, students gain further valuable experience through working with external organisations.”

Recalling one of the race days, Alice J, a student at Alderman Peel High School, wrote in the team portfolio:

This has been my second year at the car club and, so far, it has been simply phenomenal. The race day was one of the highlights of the year. Racing other cars, cheering on our team and finally driving the kit car was an amazing experience. Even just looking at the other kit cars, we already starting thinking about improvements to make on our own.

Chris Hosea, the Plant Manager of the Dudgeon Offshore Wind Farm, holds the Greenpower concept in high regard, saying:

“I can’t think of a better way to introduce students to such a broad spectrum of ‘real world’ STEM subjects, including electrical and mechanical engineering issues, than competing in a kit car that they have designed and build. Such a great opportunity to learn out of the classroom ”

The Dudgeon Community Fund is administered by the Norfolk Community Foundation (www.norfolkfoundation.com). Grant applications from schools and colleges in the Great Yarmouth, North Norfolk and Breckland regions of Norfolk can be submitted to the Fund at any time, with funding awards being made up to four times a year.