Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Teenager’s creative thinking earns him innovation award
A schoolboy’s idea for a combined glass and coaster has won him an award and cash prize.
The design. by Lawrence Coomber, 14, who attends Simon Langton Boys, beat more than 100 other entries in the annual Rotary Club of Canterbury Innovation Competition and earned him £300.
The competition, now in its fourth year, aims to encourage young people to come up with innovative products and ideas which could be turned into potential business opportunities.
This year attracted the biggest number of entries so far and included:
a ring to measure pulse, heart rate and blood pressure
an inflatable protective sleeve for first aid kits for use in sports injuries.
a clip with retractable cord for mobile phones to prevent them being dropped and damaged.
creating homes from old shipping containers aimed at the student market.
a straw which detects if drinks have been spiked a device which prevents children from undoing their seat belts The competition finals were held at the Old Sessions House at Canter- bury Christ Church University and participants and representatives were welcomed by the university’s Dean of Education, Dr John Moss, who emphasised the importance of design and engineering to future development.
The shortlisted 10 finalists all made presentations to the judges, but it was Lawrence’s combined coaster and glass, designed to avoid marking tables, provide stability to the glass and even be colour coded, which impressed the judges most.
Runner-up was Oscar Cornall, of the Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School in Faversham, who won £100 for his “easy grippers”.
His prototype has already been used and approved by his grandmother and is designed to help those with arthritis or only one-hand to hang out washing.
Rotarian Brian Dobinson, who has organised all the innovation competitions, was thanked for his efforts by club president Sharon Jordan.
Mr Dobinson told the Gazette that this year saw the first entry into the competition from a non-selective school and he hoped it would attract more in the future.