Picture this: It’s October 10th at the Barnstaple Hotel. The North Devon Manufacturing Awards, or as I like to call it, the Oscars of making cool stuff, is in full swing. Engineers, designers, and tech whizzes gather to celebrate.
They’re all sipping their welcome drinks, waiting for the night to begin.
Our host, the legendary David ‘Fitz’ Fitzgerald, kicks things off, but not before everyone gets a warm welcome from NDMA Chairman, Tim Puttick. The buzz starts with the annual STEM challenge sponsored by Krempel. Imagine this: seven schools, over 900 students, and a wild challenge to build the longest bridge using dried spaghetti and marshmallows that can hold an egg! Southmead Primary School took the crown for the longest bridge, while Lynton Primary and West Buckland School tied for the strongest.
But wait, there’s more! This year introduced the North Devon Robotics Design Challenge for secondary schools, with a marine twist. Year 7 students designed robots to help in marine environments. Queen Elizabeth School, Crediton, nabbed the trophy. And who doesn’t love a good prize ceremony?
The night isn’t just about awards. Helena Hills, CEO of TrueStart Coffee, shared her startup story, giving everyone a jolt of inspiration. The evening wrapped up with a heartfelt moment dedicated to the charity ChemoHero, reminding everyone what really matters.
The event was a mashup of creativity, innovation, and community spirit. If that’s not a night to remember, I don’t know what is.
Check out the winners below…
