£10,000+ worth of equipment set to benefit current and future students
An educational establishment in Bury is celebrating after receiving an Olympic sized donation from a company who supported Team GB athletes during Tokyo 2020.
West Suffolk College in Bury St Edmunds take delivery of over £10,000 worth of sporting equipment from Gait and Motion Technology Ltd (GMT).
In addition to the equipment that will support Sports Science courses at the College, GMT has also helped to deliver a six week educational training programme.
A former student who met representatives from GMT at a West Suffolk College careers fair earlier in the year has also been given a part time position with the company.
Scott Barton and George Cummins are founders of GMT, who supply a wide range of cutting edge biomechanics technology for elite athletes, universities and private healthcare clinics.
George said: “We have worked with many British Champion athletes, including marathon runners Charlotte Purdue, Lily Partridge and Natasha Cockram, race walker Tom Bosworth and ultra-trail world champion Tom Evans. However, we are based in Bury St Edmunds and we were keen to support our local college.”
“We initially got involved by attending a College sports career fair and from this experience, the partnership has grown.
Scott said: “We felt that by working with the College will hopefully open the student’s eyes to the many and varied opportunities that are available in the healthcare and sports industry. In addition to this, we are keen to support the next generation coming through. We want to keep the link going and will be looking to work with the college again in 2022.”
Tavis Coulson, 17, from Bury, is a level three sports science student at the college. He said: “Long term I want to be a sports nutritionist working with top UK based cyclists. So working closely with a company who supports elite athletes has been inspiring.”
Freya Butcher, 17, from Lakenheath is also on the level three sports science course. She said: “This contribution not only helps us, but it will help future students as well.”
Course Director of Sports Science at West Suffolk College, Chris Steele, said, “Over the last few weeks, GMT have delivered course content, offered work experience opportunities to our students and now they have donated thousands of pounds worth of equipment. I nearly fell off my chair when they told me about the donation. We can’t thank them enough.”
