Portsmouth company Education Innovation that is bringing science, technology, engineering, arts and maths to life is honoured with a top award at the first Innovation Awards

The firm was created two years ago to deliver exciting and engaging educational experiences for children and young people in Portsmouth and the surrounding areas.

Its vision is to boost aspirations, with particular focus around the science, technology, engineering, arts and maths subjects by providing fun and inspiring learning opportunities.

Now, the business was named Education Innovation of the Year at the first Innovation Awards.

The awards, organised by The News and its owner JPIMedia, were held at the Village Hotel Portsmouth last Thursday.

Gavin Lumsden, from Education Innovation UK, was at the ceremony to pick up the title, which had been sponsored by The Portsmouth Grammar School.

He said: ‘When we came up with Education Innovation two years ago we never thought that we would be standing here today winning an award with the same name as us. Perhaps it was our destiny?

‘We feel very proud and are very excited to be involved with these awards.’

The award judges were impressed by Education Innovation UK’s projects, which are provided to schools either free or at a very low cost due to support from local businesses and Portsmouth City Council.

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Its projects include installing a LEGO Education Innovation Studio at the UTC in Portsmouth, sponsored by local businesses, making STEAM come to life.

In partnership with the Institute of Engineering it hosted hands-on STEAM experiences for children aged 4-16 years through its three FIRST LEGO League divisions.

Local schools are invited to take part for free each year and the project encourages the participants to investigate a real-world theme, develop teamwork and to cultivate design and programming skills but above all, have fun

Its latest and most challenging venture is its STEAM Bus project, delivered in partnership with a group of community stakeholders to provide a solution to a long-standing gap in provision.

The STEAM Bus - a vintage, double decker bus, fitted out as a STEAM classroom - is on track to be an outstanding, innovative resource for local schools.