We’re delighted to announce that Graham Jeffery has won the STEM Ambassador of the Year 2016 Award for the Bristol, Bath and Somerset region for his work on the BLOODHOUND Project.

BLOODHOUND Ambassadors play a vital role in the Project’s success, as they take our story out to teachers, students and the public. Our STEM Ambassadors engage with students and young people at schools and colleges, with the aim of inspiring them about science, technology, engineering and maths.

This is Graham’s story. If this inspires you to consider becoming a BLOODHOUND Ambassador, you can find out more in the Ambassadors section of our website.

“My involvement with BLOODHOUND dates back to 2008, when I attended several of the early BLOODHOUND presentations at the University of the West of England. I became a 1K Club member in 2009 and a BLOODHOUND Ambassador the same year. After a career of over 40 years in engine design with Rolls-Royce, I was totally supportive of BLOODHOUND’s STEM education objectives – and the engineering of the Car quite interested me, too!

“As an Ambassador, over the past seven years I’ve supported events as far afield as Manchester, Birmingham, Barnstaple, Goodwood and Swansea, in addition to assisting regularly at the BLOODHOUND Technical Centre. I’ve also gone into local primary and secondary schools, as both a STEM and a BLOODHOUND Ambassador. My specialities are my compressed air and water-powered rockets. I particularly enjoy giving demonstrations and leading ‘hands-on’ activities.

“I felt really rewarded only a couple of months ago when a Year 5 pupil exclaimed, ‘That was the best thing I’ve ever done!’ after launching the compressed air rocket that he’d made himself across the school field. I’ve recently assisted with the BLOODHOUND Rocket Cars and the current Model Rocket Car Competition is a fantastic way of engaging the younger generation.

“Receiving the award of STEM Ambassador of the Year for the Bristol, Bath and Somerset region came as a total surprise. I nearly didn’t make it to the occasion at Bristol Zoo, as earlier in the day my car left me stranded in Wiltshire and I’d had to get back to Bristol by train. However, returning home by bus with my award certificate and a bottle of bubbly really made up for what had earlier been a trying day!”