My former tutor Kevin Gornall, who has died aged 47 from a brain tumour, was a design and technology teacher at the all-girls Sandbach high school and sixth form college in Cheshire, where he specialised in engineering.
The hours “Mr G” dedicated to his job went far beyond the school day, and he often supported his students in entering science and technology-related national and international competitions, including those run by the Greenpower Education Trust, F1 in Schools and TeenTech.
Many of his students used the extracurricular work he organised to support their applications to Arkwright scholarships, industry placements and degree courses in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
Although Kevin and his pupils enjoyed considerable success in many of the competitions they went in for, what truly mattered to him was that his students had fun doing them, and that they gained something from the experience. The medals and podium places were merely a bonus.
His commitment was recognised when he was named as outstanding design and technology teacher in 2017 at the Design and Technology Association’s Excellence Awards. His enthusiasm and dedication was supported by his infectious mantra that “nothing is a problem, only an opportunity to find a solution”. More than just a teacher, he truly inspired the next generation of engineers and will be greatly missed by all who were lucky enough to have been taught by him.
Born in Rainford, Merseyside, to Margaret (nee Byron), a retail merchandiser, and Gil Gornall, a housing officer, Kevin attended Rainford high school before doing one year of an automotive engineering degree at Coventry University and then returning home to complete an HND in engineering in 1997.
Working for a spell in computer-aided design with Martin Roberts, a manufacturing company in Skelmersdale, in 2000 he upped sticks to travel around France as a campsite courier in Normandy, Paris, the Alps and Corsica. It was on a campsite in Paris that he met Sara Lennon, and they became partners, marrying in 2020.
On returning to the UK towards the end of 2001, Kevin completed a teaching qualification at Edge Hill University and found his true vocation as a technology teacher, first at Westhoughton high school in Greater Manchester and then, in 2012, at Sandbach high, where he remained until his death. He worked tirelessly for his pupils, inside and outside the classroom, always searching for exciting new projects and experiences that would give them a greater breadth of knowledge beyond the national curriculum.
Outside work, Kevin enjoyed working on cars and was a big Formula One fan. He was also a keen traveller and snowboarder, and enjoyed walking his two dogs.
He is survived by Sara, his parents, brother Chris, sister Suzanne, three nephews and a niece.
