A ROSSENDALE man who has spent his whole career in motorsport is using his expertise to help younger people enter the industry.

John Paul Latham, 36,who grew up in Fernhill Close, Stacksteads and attended Fearns High School is behind the ‘good cause company’ and online community www.studentmotorsport.com.

Student Motorsport is the first online motorsport community for young people, students, graduates, educators, institutions, professionals and organisations.

John Paul’s vision was a place where people looking to take the step into the motorsport industry can come to for information and those with experience can share information, provide support and guidance and help create opportunities.

John Paul, who is also known as JP, has worked since 2009 as a motorsport lecturer at The College of West Anglia in Norfolk.

He said: “Student Motorsport was brought to life through my personal experience.

“My passion for helping people led to the vision, development and drive to create a website and online community to help students and young people to step into the motorsport industry.

“It has been a personal goal since I started at my first full-time motorsport job in 2008 and really began development in 2011.

“It’s from my experience that I have been able to develop the idea.”

JP secured his first racing job in Formula Renault in the early summer of 2008, and also worked for Double M Racing.

He was responsible for the assembly, maintenance, repair and support of two Formula Renault race cars.

His other work includes jobs at Formula Palmer Audi, Formula 4, Formula Ford, Ginetta, Radical and Lamborghini.

He added: “While my main employment has been as a college lecturer, I have consistently worked in the motorsport industry to maintain my knowledge, skills and passion for the sport.

“I have a good understanding of what it is like trying to start and develop a career in the motorsport industry, therefore I understand what support students and young people need in order to succeed in this challenging and demanding environment.”

Last month, JP’s business was handed a Small Business Sunday award by former Dragon’s Den star Theo Paphitis.

Each week, Theo rewards small businesses that tweet him and describe their businesses in one tweet.

JP was invited to meet Paphitis to pick up the award.