The 2015 Amazed by Science Festival will launch at Jodrell Bank on 23rd May, just weeks after the site was announced as the permanent headquarters for the Square Kilometre Array Organisation.
Jodrell Bank’s involvement in the festival is to excite and amaze the future stars of science and technology, and to help children to understand the wide range of careers available in the field of science and technology in this talent-rich area of Cheshire.
The site was awarded the honour as a result of a bid backed by the UK government via the Science and Technology Facilities Council, the University of Manchester and Cheshire East Council, as well as Oxford and Cambridge Universities.
The construction of the game-changing telescope is set to be one the most inspirational science projects of the 21st Century and will position Cheshire as an international hub of science and technology.
Marketing Cheshire and Jodrell Bank have teamed up for the second year running to deliver the inspiring event programme for Amazed by Science, Cheshire STEM Festival, with events taking place at activity hubs across the county during the May half term holiday.
The schedulecelebrates science, technology, engineering and maths throughout Cheshire and makes STEM subjects exciting and engaging for children.
The festival is free and the schedule is packed with over 100 different hands-on activities for children of all ages.
Highlights include the explosive sounds and sights of the Air Products show returning to Crewe Lyceum, The Big Telescope Science Show and the Siemens Interactive Games Show at Jodrell Bank, also the wonderful Johnny Ball will also be bringing Maths to life at Chester Town Halland architectural master-classes and magical tower tours will be taking place at Chester’s much-loved Cathedral.
At the Golden Square Shopping Centre in Warrington visitors will have the chance to try out finger-boarding and skateboarding skills and find out what happens on a nuclear site with the team at Sellafield Ltd, and the Flashbang Science event will be happening at the Warrington Fish Market.
The festival has attracted sponsorship from several big names from the science community including headline sponsor Siemens in Congleton and partners such as Urenco, The National Nuclear Laboratory, Waters Corporation, Sellafield Ltd, British Science Association, Astra Zeneca, Manchester Metropolitan University and The University of Chester.
Katrina Michel, Chief Executive of Marketing Cheshire commented:
“The Square Kilometre Array announcement only reinforces the importance of Cheshire as a global centre for science and innovation, and as a major contributor to the national science agenda. The festival hopes to inspire the next generation of scientists and we are so grateful to our sponsors and venues for getting behind us again to make this event possible.”
Andrew Peters, Managing Director of Siemens Digital Factory said
“Siemens is proud to back the Science Festival in Cheshire. We fully see the benefits of promoting science and technology across the region – not least because it helps enthuse our young people interested in engineering and innovation. The Square Kilometre Array is yet another selling point for the region – and hosting the festival at its location can only serve to raise the profile of science still further”
