£5,000 sponsor deal from Maplin means team will take robotic creation to Los Angeles

IT was a case of ‘California, here we come’ for a team of students from Barrow Hall College after being awarded generous sponsorship cash to take part in a robotics competition in Los Angeles.

The group of year 13 pupils made it through to the world championships after winning the national Vex robotics competition two years in a row in London.

A lack of funding meant the team missed out on the world championships last year but thanks to an appeal from team member Adam Heywood, who works part time at the Maplin store in Warrington, the electronics company ensured they would not miss out again.

The business provided £5,000 towards the £6,000 trip with the rest of the cash provided by Solvay Group, EMR Group and Le Control Engineering Services with donations from staff, parents and governors and Warrington South MP David Mowat.

John Cleland, chief executive at Maplin, said: “We’re thrilled to be in a position to help the team realise their dreams and enhance the reputation of the technology abroad.”

The competition requires teams to build a sophisticated robot that will take part in a series of challenges.

The Sankey six were described by organisers as an ‘inspiration’ for making it down to the national final on their own earlier this year on a midnight bus arriving at 7am on the day of the competition.

Electronics teacher Lee Welsh said: “We are immensely proud of everything they have achieved.”