Get your science on with British Science Week!

Gareth Morgan All, Opp Notts

British Science Week is a celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths with thousands of events and activities organized in schools, in communities and by a whole host of cultural organizations, businesses and other venues. There are already almost 2,000 events registered already, taking place up and down the UK, from Cornwall to the north coast of Scotland including Science in the Park at Wollaton Hall on Saturday 18^th March!

British Science Week also tries to make these brilliant local events bigger, louder and nationally supported by organizing a number of high profile events and activities with key partners – both nationally and regionally – that help us reach more people, and generate more publicity, social and digital media coverage.

How to get involved…

As ever, there are lots of ways to participate during the week for non-school audiences. In particular, there are three things we’d like you to do this year…

1. Get penguin spotting! Each year we promote a special citizen science activity for people to get involved with. This year we’re once again partnering with Zooniverse and our chosen project is penguin watch.

2. Try some marvellous experiments! This year, we’ve partnered with Puffin UK to celebrate the publication of a new edition of Roald Dahl’s iconic tale, George’s Marvellous Medicine and a special companion book, George’s Marvellous Experiments. We’re excited because we think this won’t just help to inspire budding young scientists but, it will also help us to reach budding young book readers who might not have previously considered themselves scientists.

3. Put your trainers on! Run the Solar System is both a virtual 10k race, built by Six to Start, the team behind ‘Zombie’s Run!’, that can be run anywhere in the world at any time during the Week. And you can use this as part of your Sheriff’s Challenge! Do download the App, which is available here.

4. Go to Science in the Park! It’s free, it’s fun, and it’s a chance to see some of the most exciting science, technology, engineering and maths the city has to offer. There’s a whole host of exhibitors coming to amaze the public about things as small as microbes and as big as planets – and everything in-between. You can watch dancing robots, test your reaction speeds, make your own bacteria and much MUCH more. Just come along, wonder round the beautiful house and gardens of Wollaton Hall, and chose which stalls to stop at depending on what interests you most (or try to visit them all!). For more info, click here.

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Happy First Birthday, OppNotts!

Gareth Morgan All, Opp Notts

A year ago today OppNotts launched at Primary Parliament – so we thought we’d celebrate! In the last year we’ve worked with over 6000 children and young people in Nottingham and we want to increase that number over the next year!

As it’s our birthday, we’ve got a present too – but, as we’re generous, we thought we’d give it to you as well, rather than just keep it to ourselves. It’s the new OppNotts Events Calendar! This is where you’ll be able to see loads of exciting things that are happening in your area and across the city that are aimed at you! Plus, your school can add their own events too! Take a look and see what you can do this March in Nottingham!

As it’s our birthday, we decided to  keep this blog short – and it’s got nothing to do with us wanting to disappear off and eat cake! Have a great day and be sure to wish us a happy birthday!

By Opportunity Notts – aged 1!

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Celebrating International Women’s Day

Gareth Morgan All, Opp Notts

Today is International Women’s Day, which celebrates the achievements of women all across the world – From women in politics, to sport and everything in between. It is also a day that promotes equality; which is when everyone is treated the same no matter who they are, where they come from, or whether they are male or female. Sadly we live in a world where people’s opportunities can be limited by their background, gender identity or the colour of their skin. This is wrong.

International Women’s Day highlights the amazing contribution women make to our world and the gap in recognition and support they receive when compared to men. For example, the pay gap between men’s average earnings and women’s in 18%!

To mark International Women’s Day we want you to think about women who inspire you and are working to make a difference. This could be the education campaigner Malala Yousafzia, author J K Rowling or some of last summer’s amazing Olympians and Paralympians like local stars Helen Richardson-Walsh, Beckie Downie or Sophie Hahn. It doesn’t have to be famous people either – women working in our schools, emergency services and other jobs are the everyday heroes that we need to reconise today as well. History is a great place to look for inspiring people too and at OppNotts we think Emily Wilding Davison, a school teacher from near Newcastle who campaigned for Vote for Women over 100 years ago, is some who should be celebrated. Go on, find someone who inspires you!

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