Children, teachers and families across Shropshire watched this weekend’s British Grand Prix with added interest as many had starred in a film shown at Silverstone that was made about Nick Corston, a Ludlow born dad who has launched a creativity revolution at Ironbridge, on World Creativity Day.
Mr Corston’s work was reignited and inspired by the passing of his mother Di Corston a year ago and by the arts and crafts play scheme and and his dad Peter had run for local children every summer, which was funded by winter roller discos.
Over ten years ago Mr Corston co-founded non-profit community enterprise STEAM Co. in his sons’ primary school to run special creativity school days to inspire children. He’s since worked with school communities across the UK.
And a year to the day after his mother’s funeral, Mr Corston was approached by one of the McLaren Formula One racing team’s sponsors, US tech firm Smartsheet who wanted to replace their logo on the car with STEAM Co’s and to make a film about their work as SponsorX.
Filming took place over four days in London and Shropshire, with a rocket launch in the forest at Monstay Farm, Ludlow, and at Broseley C of E School, where children undertook activities including making and firing paper rockets.
Children were also shown how to code a remote control car in the film by Richard Smith of Shropshire based EdTech specialists Amazing ICT.
A family from Broseley C of E Primary were also invited to meet superstar driver Lando Norris and enjoy a tour of the McLaren Technical Centre in Woking before joining him again for a pit tour at Silverstone before the big race.
Mr Corston has launched the #OurMIllion23 appeal to raise funds for fully funded STEAMsters and Pop-Up Creativity Day Art Trucks that contain everything needed to run a creativity day in a school, fete, or festival.
He wants to see the first three on the road in Shropshire, Cornwall and Yorkshire and invited families from these places to join him at the events in Silverstone.
To watch the film or donate visit www.steamco.org.uk
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