The REACT Foundation Award 2013 Winners.

Thirteen West Cumbrian teenagers were given the promise of thousands of pounds recently by a local engineering charity.

Almost £9,000 was earmarked for the youngsters as part of the REACT Foundation’s Bursary and Year 11 Awards 2013. A top prize of £3,000 was given to one young hopeful who will make use of the money towards higher education and university fees.

Hugh Guise, of Keswick School, scooped the bursary after applying for an engineering-related degree at university which he is due to start in September.

The charity has seen an outstanding response for the cash prizes this year - 12 other students were also given cash promises of £200 each at the Foundation’s Award Evening held at The Beacon, Whitehaven on Thursday May 2nd.

The Year 11 teenagers were awarded the cash after pledging to study an engineering, maths, technology or science-related subject at sixth form in September. The awards have been designed to help them kick-start their careers by offsetting some of the costs of going to university and sixth form.

During the awards event another winner was also announced as part of a scheme run by the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) West Cumbria. A £1,000 bursary, now in its fourth year, was promised to Cockermouth School student Jack Cooper. IMechE offers its own bursary in addition to the Foundation’s fund in recognition of its help encouraging West Cumbrian students into a mechanical engineering-related degree.

REACT Foundation chairman Pete Woolaghan handed out the bursaries to Hugh, while IMechE West Cumbria’s, David McArthur gave his organisation’s prize to Jack.