King's Lynn carpenter nails gold at finals
A young carpenter from Lynn has struck gold at the UK’s most prestigious skills competition following months of intensive training.
Charlie Reeve, who works at EN Suiter and Sons and studies with City College Norwich, bagged top spot in the carpentry competition at the WorldSkills UK National Finals.
Charlie underwent a seven-month process of regional heats and extra tuition before competing in the finals themselves and emerging as the best of the best.
Charlie said: "I couldn’t believe it when my name was read out. Winning gold at the national finals was a real pinch-me moment.
"It hasn’t been easy and I have put in loads of extra hours of training during evenings and weekends, but it all proved worthwhile.
"A huge amount of thanks goes to my training manager and EN Suiter and Sons for getting behind me in the way they did. Hopefully this win will open many doors in the future."
More than 400 young students and apprentices took part in the finals, in over 60 disciplines held at 21 venues across the UK.
They learned of their victory during a special live programme from Channel 4’s Packed Lunch studios, presented by Steph McGovern.
Steph said: "That is just brilliant. Everyone should be jumping for joy. What an early Christmas present that is. Charlie must have put in some graft to smash it like that."
Deputy chief executive of WorldSkills UK, Ben Blackledge said: "Charlie and the other winners are a true inspiration. To have excelled after such a difficult year is a testament to their drive and determination.
"Skills are the lifeblood of every economy, creating high quality jobs, rewarding careers, inward investment and growth."
WorldSkills UK specialises in selecting and training young people to represent the UK at international competitions.