The First Garden City Science Festival

Robot challenges, satellite launching, bionic ears, the physics of circus skills, 'lab in a lorry' etc... and throw in a lecture from none other than a Nobel Prize winner - and over 2,500 students from the world's first Garden City were very much in science mode.

The first Science Festival, with over 45 programmed events in just two days, took place at The Highfield School and also at the Plinston, Broadway, on Wednesday and Thursday, January 25 and 26. Children from the Fearnhill School Maths and Computing College in Icknield Way, Letchworth Garden City, also played a full part in the Festival, participating in all the exciting, practical projects.

Organised and funded jointly by The Highfield School and Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, the events included lectures, careers talks, debates, films, theatre presentations, science workshops, lots of practical tasks and family learning sessions - many supported by local companies.

Alastair Stewart, the Foundation's Education Liaison Officer, said: "There has been a sharp decline of science teachers and some pupils are becoming less interested in science in general, which is a worrying trend."

"This festival was organised to go some way towards to attracting pupils to science as a career - locally at least."

"The event inspired, excited and motivated students about science and raised awareness of the many science based career opportunities that are available to young people and gave students a chance to experience a variety of activities, building upon their lessons and making science real and relevant," Mr Stewart added."

One of the highlights was a lecture entitled 'Advances in Cell Research' , by Tim Hunt, winner of the Nobel Prize in Medicine (2001) for his research for the Imperial Cancer Research Fund, together with Leland H Hartwell and Sir Paul Nurse.