Sittingbourne Invicta Rotary Club Sponsors Students To Build A Caterham Seven

CATERHAM, UNITED KINGDOM – Sept 22, 2011: The Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta has teamed up with British sportscar marque, Caterham Cars, to help students to gain an NVQ qualification by building a Caterham Seven.

Two schools and the charity, Catch22, from the Sittingbourne area in Kent will give thirteen students the opportunity to take part in the ‘Invicta Rotary Caterham Cars Schools Project’.The students will be split into two teams and will build the iconic Seven from scratch in 32 school weeks under the watchful guidance of the Swale Skills Centre, also based in Sittingbourne.

The after school project is designed not only to allow each participant to develop their engineering and team work skills but also to help cultivate their communication abilities. Throughout the build duration, the students will make two presentations to the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta and produce a full report detailing their progress and personal development.

Students, aged between 14-19 years, from the Sittingbourne Community College, Westlands School and Catch 22, will sign a ‘work contract’ as a measure of commitment and to help their understanding of what they might expect to find in the ‘real world’.

Each participant has been nominated by members of staff at each institution – aptitude and enthusiasm were at the top of the criteria list.

Dudley Cramp, Member of the Rotary Club of Sittingbourne Invicta, said: “This project promotes community support which is what we aim to achieve at the Rotary Club. The children involved in the Invicta Rotary Caterham Cars schools project will take away the skills that they need for the rest of their lives and there is nothing more rewarding than watching the students develop into responsible adults.”

Andy Noble, Sales Director at Caterham Cars, said; “The Sevens for Schools project is more than a practical experience. It gives the students involved a real insight into life outside of school. I would have loved to do something like this when I was at school, but the opportunity wasn’t there so I’m only too pleased to help out with initiatives like this.

“We always say that the only way to truly understand the Seven is to drive it. These children can’t yet do that but building one gets them up close to experience the cars, which is what Caterham Cars has always been about.”

Caterham Cars has established similar initiatives at 15 schools around the UK over the past four years. Any schools wishing to participate in the Sevens for Schools scheme should contact 01883 333 700 or visit www.caterham.co.uk for more information.