E.ON Next hosts Kids in Motorsport day at Solihull Moors Football Club

Solihull Moors Football Club played host to a ‘Kids In Motorsport’ day held in partnership with E.ON Next Veloce Racing. More than 70 primary school aged children from in and around Solihull were treated to an array of activities centred around the world of energy, racing and football, all tied together with an exciting motorsport theme.

After a warm welcome by SKY Kids FYI presenter Scarlett Archer and motorsport presenter Amber Jones, the children, all aged between 9 and 11 from Tudor Grange, Smiths Wood, and the Heights Primary Schools, headed out onto the Solihull Moors Football Club for a fun warm up by Head Coach, Andy Whing.

The children then went back inside the clubhouse to take part in seven ‘skill stations’ which were all staffed by motorsport and STEM experts in their individual fields.

These included:

• Sim racing: The Year 5s and Year 6s went head-to-head in Formula 1 races in full size racing simulators. The team from E.ON Next Veloce Racing were on hand to give guidance and help improve lap times. After this, they were able to take on a full-size Batak machine which professional racing drivers use to test and enhance their reaction time.
• Experienced paramedic, Gerry Windett explained the crucial responsibilities of the medical team over a race weekend and then gave the children lessons in essential first aid including wound dressing and life-saving CPR.
• Next came media and presentation skills with Sky Kids FYI’s Scarlett Archer and motorsport presenter Amber Jones. These were focused on building confidence with public speaking as well as explaining the media’s role within the sports industry.
• Focusing on the more technical side of motorsport, the children went onto build, code and race LEGO model cars with specialist STEM experts Enovation Consulting. This was then followed by a graphic design challenge where the children designed their own E.ON Next Veloce Racing race car livery. The winning design will now be framed and signed by Veloce Driver, Kevin Hansen before being sent back to the lucky winner.

Solihull Moors Football Club’s 1st Team players Jamey Osborne (captain) and teammate Conor Wilkinson also dropped in to sign autographs for the children and staff.  Conor and Jamey also held a Q&A to share what it takes to be a high-performance athlete.

Miss Shields, Teacher at Smith’s Wood Primary School, said: “It’s a huge privilege for the children to come to an event like this today to get them outside their normal learning environment. Showing the children how many roles are available in motorsport is huge for them as well as seeing how energy and sustainability play a role in the industry. They’ll be able to take a lot of these learnings home with them to use in everyday life.” 

Millie Betteridge, Future Leaders Degree Apprentice at E.ON, added: “It’s amazing to be part of an event that’s aiming to inspire young people. Today we’re celebrating STEM subjects and showing students how we can use them in jobs each day. E.ON is prioritising supporting young people’s development through events such as these and its new Energy Academy program which will focus on teaching students the importance of STEM subjects and leading the energy transition.”

As part of our commitment to inspiring the next generation, E.ON Next has also hosted Kids in Motorsport days in Newham, Sheffield and Nottingham.

npower Business Solutions (nBS) is proud to have a base in Solihull, and this event forms part of E.ON’s commitment to supporting its local communities. For example, the npower Business Solutions Foundation is a new fund designed to support local projects that help build stronger, more sustainable communities.

To find out more about the partnership between E.ON and E.ON Next Veloce Racing, visit eonenergy.com/eon-x-veloce.