Legend in town
FOOTBALL legend Sir Bobby Charlton was inspired by work being carried out in Barrow to help solve the global problem of landmines.
The World Cup winner visited Furness College yesterday to present graduate Neil Brace with an accolade for his research into landmine detection using magnetic pulses to scan the ground.
The former Manchester United number 10 appeared as founder and trustee of the charity Find a Better Way, which was set up this year to improve the lives of people living with the threat of the explosive devices.
The record England goalscorer’s visit was instigated by Ken Seddon, Furness College’s engineering technology curriculum manager, through his involvement with the charity.
Sir Bobby, 74, gave a presentation to students in which he described his emotional visits to Sarajevo in Bosnia, Vietnam and Cambodia, where mines are scattered indiscriminately.
The 1958 Munich air disaster survivor said it would cost around $30bn and take 1,000 years to clear the world’s 110 million active landmines using existing technologies.
Sir Bobby told the students: “It’s a big ask, but if any of you have any idea of what you want to do, and you get an opportunity to help us, then that is what we want – people to tell us if they can find a better way.
“I find myself really quite comfortable when talking to young people, no disrespect to the older ones.
“I want you to think very carefully on what you are doing.
“If you’re in engineering and that’s your ambition, then think how you can link some of your ideas to landmines – and you would be a friend of mine forever.”
The Busby Babe presented Mr Brace, a B Eng (Hons) electronic engineering first-class honours student, with an Institution of Engineering Technology prize of two years’ free IET membership, in reward of his work.
Mr Brace, 37, a Sellafield commissioning engineer who travelled to Barrow from Workington for four years to complete his part-time degree course, said: “It’s an absolute honour to meet Sir Bobby and I feel really pleased, because it’s all my work own work, so I feel it’s all genuine thanks that I’m receiving.”
Source :
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