Sidley pupils' council challenge

This was a challenge from Rother District Council as part of its 3.5 million regeneration project.

Faced with the need to find names for the 2,260 square metres of industrial space being built and the site's new road, RDC turned to Year 5 youngsters at the nearby school.

The scheme will feature workshops in two blocks, together with a two-storey building for incubator units. It will provide 120 new jobs.

Pupils were asked to come up with some titles for the project which had meaning to Bexhill but also captured a spirit of innovation.

The children did not disappoint and came up with names connected to the town's rich tradition in motor racing.

To mark the occasion they were invited to the newly re-opened Bexhill Museum to enjoy the exhibition on motorsport and to be told the winning names for the first time.

Following their efforts it was decided the road running through the site should be called Elva Way - after the Elva sports car which was build in London Road.

One building will be known as the Nichols Workshop after Frank G Nichols, the car's designer.

Another block will be named Edge Workshop after Selwyn Francis Edge, an Australian businessman who raced his car in the inaugural 1902 Bexhill speed trials.

The incubator units will be know as Napier House after the car driven by Selwyn Francis Edge.

The site will be marketed as the Elva Business Centre.

RDC leader Councillor Carl Maynard said: "It made perfect sense to ask the children at Sidley Community Primary School to name these buildings, as the school is within a few hundred yards of the site and they are the ones who will have to live with it in the years to come."

The runners up in the competition were Rhys Brockhurst, Lauren Oliver, Tyrone Gunn, Sasha Cousins, Jordan Turner.

Joint second prizes went to Neil Streek, Lucy Chifodya, Emily Parris.

The winner was Ishmam Chowdhury who came up with the suggestion Edge's Workshop.

The children were accompanied by deputy head James Freeston who said: "They had lots of fun being involved in this. It's great for them to be part of the community. We are a community school and being involved in events like this one is very important to us. They are delighted to be here."

Ishmam agreed: "It's a lot better than being at school!"