Two determined Suffolk New College students have won regional construction competitions and are now setting their sights on becoming the best in the country.
Why it matters: The dual victories in prestigious industry contests showcase the high standard of vocational training in the region and continue Suffolk New College's strong track record in national skills competitions.
Lawrence Metcalfe and Zack at Suffolk New College preparing for the national SPARKS finalSuffolk New College
The winning spark: Zack Bloomfield, 20, from Felixstowe, won the Midland regional Sparks competition, designed to find the best apprentice electrician in the country.
The A R Electrical trainee beat nine other competitors during a four-hour installation challenge in Corby earlier this month.
Bloomfield will compete in Birmingham on 2 April 2025, facing five other apprentices during a two-day challenge at the JTL Training Centre.
His tutor Lawrence Metcalfe said: "He is a great student and I'm proud of his efforts. He has every chance of winning if he shows focus."
Owen Breadman and Luke Warren get ready for the HIP finals at the end of MarchSuffolk New College
Plumbing success: Luke Warren, 21, from Ipswich, also tasted victory in Corby, winning the Heating Industry Plumbing (HIP) learner of the year regional heat.
The level 3 plumbing apprentice, who works for the Daly Group, beat nine other contestants during a five-and-a-half-hour challenge.
Warren now advances to the national finals in Staffordshire at the end of March.
His tutor Owen Breadman said: "Luke did everything pretty much perfectly. It was brilliant for Luke to win this. He is one of the top students in the country."
By the numbers: The college has a track record of success in these competitions, with student Jane Thorp previously winning the first-ever female Sparks competition and placing second in last year's national finals.
What they're saying: Bloomfield described his victory simply: "I went in, cracked on and came out on top. It was a nice feeling to win."
He received books, tools and a radio for winning his heat and added: "I'm hoping to go in there, do what I did in the regionals and win. It would be a great achievement."
Warren was equally confident: "I felt confident going into it and it was fun. I was happy. I was allowed some headphones and that helped me relax. I listened to The Kooks. Winning has given me great recognition."
Looking ahead to the finals, he said: "I hope to win it."
The bottom line: These regional victories continue Suffolk New College's tradition of excellence in national skills competitions, with both students now preparing to showcase Suffolk's apprenticeship training on the national stage.
The West Stand Senior shares her account of Town Women's 3-1 defeat of Plymouth Argyle at Portman Road on Sunday, 23 March, as they go top of the league.
Pre-match thoughts
Having thoroughly enjoyed watching England’s Lionesses play – often more than the England men’s team of late, I confess my interest in women’s football was piqued. I would have loved to play for a team when I was younger, but that opportunity was non-existent back in the mists of time.
I heard the Ipswich women’s team are doing well, and as they are at Portman Road today, not their usual home ground in Felixstowe for this match, it was the ideal chance to go and see them at a more accessible ground for me and cheer them on.
ITFC mascot Bluey waving at fans as coaches arriveSophie DebenhamIpswich.co.uk
A brief history of the women's game
Women's football has been played in England for over a century, in common with the men's game. It was originally very popular in the early 20th century, but after being banned by the men's Football Association (boo hiss), its popularity declined.
It wasn’t until the 1990s that the number of female players and spectators increased, eventually leading to England hosting (and winning) the Women's European Championships in 2022. We have yet to host a women’s World Cup Competition, so perhaps that’s one for the future.
Ipswich Town Women’s FC
They currently compete in the Football Association Women’s National League (FAWNL) Southern Premier Division, the country's third tier of women's football. If they win today, they will top that league and be a step closer to gaining promotion to the championship.
I must admit I wasn’t very au fait with the structure of the women’s football competition, but I understand that the league pyramid consists of 72 teams, divided into six divisions of 12 each. In a change from previous seasons, both winners of the Northern and Southern Premier divisions will be promoted to the Women's Championship.
Town are the current favourites to take that Southern slot.
Similarly to the men’s game the Championship is the second tier with the Women’s Super League (WSL) at the top, which is peopled by the usual suspects – Chelsea, Manchester City, Liverpool, Arsenal etc.
Today’s opponents are Plymouth Argyll Women’s Football Club, currently sitting near the bottom of the Southern table, so this is a big game for both teams.
In 2024, Ipswich Town women played their first ever game at Portman Road on 23 March 2024 against Chatham Town, a game they went on to win 5-0 in front of a 10,173 crowd. Today’s game is a year to the day from that match and hopefully they will be just as successful.
My train broke down just outside Manningtree, and I thought I was going to miss the kickoff. Aaaaagh!
The match
I’m not going to give you a blow-by-blow detailed account of the game as the ITFC website has already covered it. The match is available to watch on Town TV, YouTube and X. I will, however, tell you quite simply the score line did not reflect the match as Town had so many more chances, near misses and scrambles in the goal mouth that it’s surprising their score was not doubled.
Town created chance after chance in a game that could've easily finished well beyond the modest scoreline of 3-1Sophie DebenhamIpswich.co.uk
The Town team dominated most of the match, playing skilful and attractive football. Town’s Lucy O’Brien scored within the first minute to show they meant business, and it certainly was a marker for the rest of the game.
Natasha Thomas got Town's second of the game in the 26th minute from a cross by Sophie Pesket.
Town made it three in the 57th minute after a rebound from the goalkeeper fell nicely for Sophie Peskett, who slotted it home with ease.
Peskett scoring for Ipswich Town vs PlymouthSophie DebenhamSophsinfocus
Plymouth were reduced to 10 players in the 80th minute after Papaioannou was shown a second yellow following a foul on Seaby. Having fought hard throughout the game and defended stoically, they came back with an excellent goal in the 82nd minute as Charlotte Whitmore intercepted a loose pass from Town’s goalkeeper, firing into an empty net from outside the box.
Final score: Town 3-1 Argyll
Round up
There was a nice vibe around the ground—lots of families enjoying an afternoon of shared entertainment and love of the beautiful game. Next to me, Alice Martin, aged 6 years old, had brought her Mum and Dad to her very first Ipswich game. She was very well-behaved and seemed to enjoy the match. A fan of the future? Or maybe, indeed, a player.
Ipswich players completing their lap around the pitchSophie DebenhamIpswich.co.uk
Great to see that games like these are being taken seriously and being supported so well with a record breaking crowd of 10,807 in attendance.
Matches like this one serve as an encouragement and an inspiration to young girls – to take part in sport and follow their dreams, as well as bringing people together. The club is all about inclusion and this is one of the ways they are showing it. Game Changer and Mark Ashton are championing the women’s team, community and participation alongside the men’s, youth and disability teams.
Ed Sheeran turned heads in the stands every time he popped into viewBarbara Norrey
Ed Sheeran’s appearance at the game today, I’m sure helped to boost the numbers and the excitement. He appeared in the gallery behind where I was sitting with a pink balloon in the shape of a heart so that everyone could take a quick picture. He also had a singsong with the players after the game in the dressing room to celebrate their win.
You’ve gotta love Ed – such a good ambassador for the club.
I thoroughly enjoyed my afternoon out.
Hats off to the players for the time and patience they showed at the end of the game with the fans—talking to them, signing autographs, and taking selfies. It was lovely to see.
And hats off to the Club, the players, and all those involved – staff and volunteers – for this wonderful event.
So, if you love to watch good football and prefer to support your local team – consider following the Town Women – you won’t regret it.
