A project to put rocket and robot engineering skills into young people’s hands is to lift off in the summer.

Led by young engineers at Joseph Whitaker School, Rainworth, and funded by Ravenshead and Blidworth Rotary Club, STEM Together will involve up to 200 students, young people and community group members learning how to build and operate rocket cars and mini-robots.

STEM Together is an inter-generational project involving primary schools; Brownie, Cub and Scout packs; older people’s groups and organisations supporting more vulnerable members of the community.

The project was first conceived by Blidworth Community Association to encourage more children to take an interest in STEM subjects — science, technology, engineering and maths.

A smaller project last year saw 50 children build miniature robots or mini-bots and compete at Blidworth Summer Fayre.

The young engineers at Joseph Whitaker School won Young Engineers Club of the Year in 2013, and holds the world land speed record for a rocket powered model car – 533 miles per hour.

The group has developed two platforms for STEM learning — a rocket car challenge and a mini-bot challenge. Project participants will build and test their rocket cars and mini bots before competing in a celebration day at Joseph Whitaker in July.

Jon Rea, chairm of Blidworth Community Association, said “STEM Together will help develop the next generation of young engineers and give the community a chance to get involved in science and technology learning.”

Richard Lord, of the Ravenshead and Blidworth Rotary Club, said: “We are very pleased that our club has been able to make a significant financial contribution to this project.”

Pictured are Jon Rea; Raj Chandran, president of Ravenshead and Blidworth Rotary Club, Joseph Whitaker School students and Phil Worsley, young engineers co-ordinator.