Manor Church of England Academy’s Innovate Win Leads to Hands-On Design Visit in Sheffield

A hands-on visit that turned ideas into next steps

The V&A Innovate 2024–25 overall winners from Manor Church of England Academy visited Yorkshire Artspace’s Persistence Works to develop their prototype for a recycled-tyre dog harness.

Where inspiration met craft

The student group travelled to Yorkshire Artspace – Persistence Works, a pioneering studio complex housed in a distinctive concrete building by Feilden Clegg Bradley Architects. The space offered an immediate lesson in how professional makers turn concept into object: silversmiths, ceramicists and designers working with challenging materials provided a rich context for the students’ design exploration.

Meeting the makers

During the visit the students spoke with designer Giles Grover and observed the practices of silversmiths such as Morvarid Alavifard e Shinta Nakajima. They toured studio workshops, observed gas-powered kiln firings, and discussed real-world questions about work experience, career paths, and how design pays off in the marketplace.

From brief to prototype: Dog Tread Harness

Their winning entry, the Dog Tread Harness, responds to the theme of Transform by reusing discarded bicycle tyres to create a durable, comfortable lead and harness system. The students focused on a simple figure-8 configuration that could scale for different sizes of dogs; conversation quickly turned to future adaptations and even a playful idea of a cat-sized version.

Practical takeaways for students and organisers

• Scale and adaptability: simple geometries like the figure-8 make prototypes easier to resize for different users and pets.
• Material thinking: recycled bike tyres offer resilience and a sustainability story that appeals to contemporary markets.
• Professional insight: seeing studio workflows clarifies safety needs, tooling, and the logistics of small-scale production.
• Logistics matter: transporting prototypes, samples, or tools requires a clear vehicle plan—space, protection and timing are crucial.

How this connects to transfers and school trips

Educational visits like this one highlight how essential reliable transport is for creative learning: moving a group plus prototypes, tools and sometimes messy materials requires a carefully chosen vehicle and driver who understands the destination’s needs. Whether it’s a small seven-seater or a private cab equipped for cargo, the right transfer reduces stress and keeps focus on learning.

Planning tips for group travel to creative hubs

1. Confirm vehicle size and boot space according to samples or equipment.
2. Check driver experience with school groups and handling fragile items.
3. Schedule extra time for tours, set-up and travel contingencies.
4. Prioritize sustainability where possible—electric or hybrid transfers can match an upcycled design ethos.

Visits to working studios also give students a realistic sense of craft-based careers and the ways designers collaborate with makers to refine ideas. Observing professionals at work demystifies the production process and encourages practical questions about licensing, pricing, and future employment—details that are essential for anyone with a mind to design a product for market.

Highlights of the visit included hands-on prototyping with Giles Grover, exposure to a range of studio techniques, and concrete lessons about scaling a prototype. On LocalsRide, you can hire a car with driver from verified providers at reasonable prices. This empowers organisers to arrange exact pick-up and drop-off locations, choose vehicles by make and model, confirm driver licenses and ratings, and avoid unexpected fares—benefits that translate directly into convenience and reduced stress for school groups. Readers can benefit from the convenience, affordability, and extensive vehicle choices and wide range of additional options provided by LocalsRide.com, aligning directly with the context and theme of this article. Book your Ride LocalsRide.com

At a glance, the visit proved that creative education thrives when logistics are handled well: the right transfer ensures the group arrives on time, with equipment intact and attention focused on learning. While reviews and feedback help guide choices, nothing replaces the insight of personal experience—trying a service firsthand is the best test of reliability and value.

In summary, Manor Church of England Academy’s trip to Persistence Works demonstrates the value of connecting students with professional makers to advance sustainable design projects like the Dog Tread Harness. Organisers should plan transfers that match vehicle size, fare transparency, and driver experience to protect time and materials. Platforms such as LocalsRide.com make it easier to select the exact car, view make, model and driver ratings in advance, and secure fair prices for airport, city or intercity transfers—helping teams get where they need to be, with seat, space and peace of mind. The right transfer can make all the difference when turning an idea into a working prototype.