U's backed campaign earns accolade.
Colchester United’s partnership with an Essex driving school has picked up a national award, with the efforts in improving road safety for young drivers being acknowledged by Michelin.
Karl Rushen and Gary Lipman, who run Streetlife Driving School, teamed up with the U’s in September 2011 and the driving instructors’ efforts saw them pick up the Michelin Road Safety Champion accolade.
The competition judges selected Karl and Gary after being impressed with their dedication to educate young drivers about road safety.
The pair set up Streetlife Young Driver Education (S.L.Y.D.E), which provides road safety education sessions and driving lessons to 15 and 16 year olds at Colchester United Weston Homes Community Stadium.
The aim of S.L.Y.D.E is to encourage youngsters to learn about and adopt safe driving habits before they reach the legal age to drive.
Karl and Gary were presented with a trophy from the Michelin Man and the team from Michelin at the prize giving ceremony, which took place on Tuesday 29th January at Colchester United’s Weston Homes Community Stadium.
Reflecting on the win, Karl said: “It’s fantastic that our work and commitment to road safety has been recognised by the Michelin Road Safety Champion Awards. We hope this award will inspire others to drive improvements and make our communities safer.”
Michelin launched the campaign to find the UK’s top road safety champions to celebrate all the fantastic achievements and dedication of people who go out of their way to raise road safety standards and promote road safety to the general public.
The awards provided an opportunity for members of the public to honour the contribution of exceptional people who promote road safety in their communities.
.For more information, please visit www.michelinrespectforcommunities.com