Accrington & Rossendale College goes all out to win soapbox challenge

Gold sponsors of the 2024 #AmazingAccrington Soapbox Challenge, Accrington & Rossendale College, are hoping that science and technology can bring them success at this year’s event.

College students and staff have been busy in their new Accrington campus-based engineering workshop upgrading their fantastic entry for this year’s Soapbox Challenge.

In surroundings including jet engine testers and an internal combustion engine test rig, Accrington & Rossendale College’s determined team have used a wind tunnel where they completed aerodynamic testing of their cart.

Their entry for the 2024 event, named Phoenix, will also feature a reclined seat to cut down on aerodynamic drag, in an attempt to increase their speed and achieve the fastest time.

The competition will be fierce for the Soapbox Challenge, which takes place on Saturday 24th August between 10am and 3pm, with over 30 carts having already signed up across Hyndburn and beyond.

Free-to-attend, the event is also being sponsored by Hyndburn Borough Council, and will include prizes for the fastest cart, the best dressed team and the best designed cart.

The Soapbox will also pause for an interval, as it did last year, to allow spectators to #ShopLocal and #EatLocal with a fantastic range of food stalls on offer and local businesses open on the day such as al fresco dining at The Crafty Fox, while there will also be entertainment for all the family to enjoy.

Dr John Barker, from Accrington & Rossendale College, said: “We are really looking forward to Saturday 24th August and the Soapbox Challenge. We are looking forward to the downhill section and hopefully achieving the left hand bend at the end of the course.”

Murray Dawson, chair of #AmazingAccrington, said: “There is great synergy between the Soapbox and Accrington & Rossendale College, with their fantastic engineering department and all the incredible facilities that they have to help produce a very exciting cart. They have been long-term supporters of the event and they are going all out to be successful in this year’s event.”

Businesses or people looking to enter the 2024 #AmazingAccrington Soapbox Challenge, can find more information on the #AmazingAccrington website: https://www.amazingaccrington.co.uk/soapbox-challenge/

All entry fees for the Soapbox Challenge will go to local charity Maundy Relief, with over £8,000 having been raised for Maundy since the event started in 2018.