I have posted the following press release as it involves one of our local charities and local business working in support.
SPARKPLUG, Islington’s Youth Charity know primarily for it’s activities taking young people on off-road motorcycle scrambling trips and providing mechanics courses has now expanded it’s activities into the world of karting. To broaden its offering further, it will now be forming an all-girls karting team with major support from two well-known businesses – The Driver from King’s Cross and The Raceway, formerly from King’s Cross and now located in Docklands.
The SPARKPLUG Team will eventually consist of five girls who will earn their places through a series of competitions over the coming months to be held at The Raceway’s karting track. Girls between the ages of 13 to 16 will be selected from local youth projects around the Borough and over the coming year ten girls each month will have the chance to participate at track-day sessions at The Raceway to try to qualify for the Team.
The girls will receive instructions from The Raceway’s experienced staff well as from Junior Championship Karting Driver Joseph Reilly who will be involved throughout the programme to help mentor the girls and develop their racing skills.
The top driver at each day’s session will earn a place in the run-off later in the year, and will have the chance to return for three more track-day sessions during the following months to receive additional instruction and gain more experience. Later in the year, the top drivers from the various track-days will compete in a final show-down to select the five strong SPARKPLUG Girl’s Team.
Once the final Team is selected the real competition begins as they will be invited to participate in the Johnny Herbert Celebrity Challenge Race that take place each year at The Raceway to raise money for charity. Named after the well-known Formula One driver, The Challenge invites major sporting celebrities and business teams to race each other. Celebrities have included: Jenson Button, Damon Hill, David Coulthard, Robbie Williams, Nick Mason (Pink Floyd). Clearly the SPARKPLUG Team will have its work cut-out!
All the events will be taking place at The Raceway which for many years was located in the Goods Way Yards in King’s Cross. However, now with the new construction going on in the area, they have relocated to a fantastic new venue in Docklands.
Major support for SPARKPLUG’s new undertaking is also coming from The Driver, the former Pub on Wharfdale and Caledonian Roads that has been recently transformed into a striking new wine bar and restaurant – notable also for it’s new “green wall” exterior. Without the support of The Driver, the new Team could not have been formed!
The first of these track-day sessions will be taking place at The Raceway in early April.
SPARKPLUG is already well-known to local Councillors, but when he heard the news of this new initiative, Caledonian Ward Councillor Paul Convery was delighted and commented… “This is wonderful news and a great initiative by local business to get involved with the young people of our community. The Council has already shown its support for SPARKPLUG through the construction of a new youth facility in Bingfield Park. This kind of action from local business will add to SPARKPLUG’s ability to channel our young people into positive activities which will sustain them for life.”
Martin Willis, the Head of SPARKPLUG also wanted to express his thanks to these local businesses for their innovative thinking in coming up with an idea like this. “It’s not only about supporting the work of local groups like ours with money. This is a prime example of how creative thinking can help different entities join-up to form a programme that can work.” He also wanted to thank the many volunteers that already attend SPARKPLUG’s youth sessions to act as unpaid mentors providing leadership to the area’s young people.
Stephan Schulte, a Trustee of SPARKPLUG added that during these tough times for business, these two companies were stepping up and making a substantial contribution to the local community which in real terms is in the order of £50.0 K over the year!
For more information on how local business and residents can get involved with the work of SPARKPLUG, please check out their website at: www.thesparkplug.org or contact Martin Willis at: m.willis@thesparkplug.org.
Kings Cross Environment 
