Scholarship boost for Lancaster teen

Gabriel Littler, from Lancaster, third from right at the Arkwright Scholarships Awards with other winners. Picture by Andrew Wiard.

Gabriel Littler, an aviation and engineering enthusiast, has been awarded a Arkwright Scholarship.

The award, sponsored by the Royal Air Force Charitable Trust (RAFCT), provides £1,000 of funding towards courses, travel, expenses and enrichment activities, alongside a three-day RAF course and the opportunity for behind the scenes visits to the Royal International Air Tattoo and Scampton Air Show.

The 17-year-old Lancaster Royal Grammar School student received the scholarship for his hard work and outstanding commitment to the industry; and the promise that he can contribute to the future of engineering.

Gabriel was one of five pupils to be presented with bursaries by RAFCT Trustee Ian Beresford at a ceremony in London recently.

“This scholarship presents exciting opportunities for me and I am very grateful,” said Gabriel.

“I love designing and building things so the money the scholarship provides will go on to help me do just that.

“I’m really looking forward to meeting other people who have won this scholarship and have the same interests and goals as me.”

Gabriel, who is part of his schools’ Army Cadets, is currently studying A Levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry, and hopes to study a degree in Aeronautical Engineering at university.

He said: “I’m also really interested in the RAF cadets and what they do, especially because my grandfather flew fast jets for the RAF during the cold war.

“I can’t wait to go behind the scenes at the Air Tattoo and see some of the next generation planes that will be part of the RAF in years to come.”

The Arkwright Scholarships Trust is a registered charity that administers the most prestigious scholarship scheme of its type in the UK.

This year, five RAFCT sponsored scholarships have been awarded, designed to inspire, nurture and support students through their A-levels and encourage them to pursue engineering at higher education to progress into a career in the field.

RAFCT funds a wide range of projects and initiatives that promote the Royal Air Force, support its people and encourage in youngsters an interest in aviation. To find out more visit www.rafct.com.