Sixth form students at Cardinal Hume Catholic School in Gateshead have been given an exclusive insight into a North East amateur rowing team's preparations for a gruelling 3,000-mile race across the Atlantic.
The school is partnered with Deloitte, which is also supporting Team Tyne Innovation’s participation in the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge, a 3,000-mile race known as the world’s toughest row.
As part of Deloitte’s partnership with the school, Team Tyne Innovation met sixth form students studying business, design and sports science.
The rowers spoke about the challenges facing them and also explained how innovation across the North East has helped prepare the boat and crew for the epic row, which will start in December from La Gomera in the Canary Islands and end in Antigua in the Caribbean.
A wide range of pioneering products and services that are supporting the team in the challenge have come from businesses, colleges and universities in the North East.
As well as hearing first-hand what the four rowers in Team Tyne Innovation will be facing, and to ask questions, the students also had the chance to get into the boat to get a real insight into what the team’s life will be like during the Atlantic crossing.
The purpose of the visit was to get the students thinking innovatively about problem-solving and to raise their aspirations in terms of what is available to them when they finish school.
Deputy head teacher Martin Errington said: “We are fully aware of the importance that partnerships with employers play in raising aspirations for our students’ futures.
“Being able to work closely with Deloitte is a vital part of this. Through this partnership we were delighted that our students were given the opportunity to meet Team Tyne Innovation’s captain, Phil Kite, and to find out more about the team.
“The information Phil shared about the challenge of rowing across the Atlantic was not only inspiring and motivational for the students, it also helped raised some important issues and the need for local businesses to be innovative in responding to these issues. This is something that resonates strongly with young people today and will provide an excellent context for their learning in the coming months.”
Phil Kite, captain of Team Tyne Innovation, said: “The whole project is about innovation and engineering, and I think that is a great career option for young people. The world needs things to constantly change and improve through innovation.
“In terms of this boat and this challenge, plastics in the sea has been a major focus for us. We need to innovate and reduce the need for plastics and work out how to clean up the seas. That is just one example of a project that people can take forward throughout their lives.”
As well as highlighting innovation in the North East, Team Tyne Innovation is also supporting three great local charities Daft as a Brush, The Stroke Association and St Oswald’s Hospice. The team is still on the lookout for more products, from grab lines and navigation lights to safety clothing and satellite phones, which will enable the crew to complete the crossing in the fastest possible time.
