BBC NEWS FEATURES SPP PUMPS APPRENTICE SUCCESS

News Story – 20th February 2026

We were delighted to welcome a BBC Gloucestershire film crew to our main UK manufacturing and services facility last week, where they filmed and interviewed one of our Services fitting apprentices, Billy Pugh, alongside Liam Marley, who leads our apprenticeship program at SPP Pumps.

This feature is now live on the BBC website and highlights Billy’s impressive journey as he balances a full time-engineering apprenticeship at SPP Pumps with competing as an elite downhill freeride racer across the whole of Europe.

Over the past few years, Billy has competed in international races in Poland, Switzerland and France, and is now setting his sights on the iXS European Downhill Cup in Portugal this April.

Liam Marley praised Billy’s dedication and commitment, describing him as having a “really good work ethic” and said that SPP Pumps is “so proud of him”. Billy is currently halfway through his three-year-long engineering apprenticeship.

Billy’s race season begins in April in Portugal, with his long-term ambition set on competing at World Championship level later this year. At the same time, he remains focused on completing his apprenticeship.

SPP Pumps is incredibly proud of Billy’s achievements, and we look forward to seeing both his career as an engineer and downhill freeride racer progress.

The BBC (British Broadcasting Corporation) is the UK’s publicly funded, independent national broadcaster.