Transport for LondonGreen travel is a gas for school kids
I learnt a lot of new things about hydrogen as a fuel
No, we're not amid the fumes of Silverstone, but high up on the ninth floor of City Hall.
We've come to check out the London Schools Hydrogen Challenge and this remote-controlled, hydrogenpowered model 'H Racer' speeding around our feet is providing school children with a glimpse into the future.
The challenge has seen 11 to 14-year-olds from 110 schools all across the Capital completing a series of interactive online science lessons.
During the classes students were able to learn about hydrogen technology - a cleaner, less polluting fuel that could be used in the vehicles of the future to help improve air quality and cut the carbon emissions that contribute to climate change.
As many as 535 students from across London took part in the lessons, with 33 of them chosen to represent their school at the Grand Final at City Hall last Thursday.
Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, was there to personally congratulate the students.
He said: 'Hydrogen is an exciting fuel of the future which is developing all the time, so it makes sense to encourage our young people to find out more so they can become the hydrogen pioneers of the next generation and help find solutions to the challenges we face today.'
Later that same morning, the Mayor held the grand final prize draw.
First prize of £1,000, sponsored by Air Products, went to Waldegrave School from Richmond; while second and third prizes of £600 and £400 (both sponsored by Transport for London) were awarded to St Paul's Girls' School from Hammersmith & Fulham and Smithfields Community College from Wandsworth, respectively.
Abbie Chase, one pupil from Richmond's winning Waldegrave School, said: 'I liked the way the lessons built up my knowledge and I learnt a lot of new things about hydrogen as a fuel.'
- You can find out more about the London Schools Hydrogen Challenge at www.lshc.co.uk
