FOR IMMEDATE RELEASE

FESTIVAL OF CITIZEN SCIENCE
‘Ignite your inner Scientist!’

British Science Week 2020 (6 - 15 March) is a nationwide celebration of the best of
British science, technology, engineering and maths.
In conjunction with British
Science Week ‘Our Diverse Planet’, Downside Community Centre are hosting a FREE
2-day ‘Festival of Citizen Science’ event on Friday 6 th March + Friday 13th March
2020, from 11am until 8pm.
The 2 Day Event aims to inspire visitors to become Citizen Scientists and Scientists of the
future with free ‘hands-on’ Interactive Science Displays, Workshops, Evening Interactive
Presentations and ‘Stargazing LIVE’ in Isobel Park (weather permitting).
Exhibitor Interactive Displays 11am – 6.30pm:
Fossils of the Isle of Wight – Palaeontologist, Dinosaur Isle
Nature Table + Bug Habitat Creation - Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust
Create your own ‘Toy Story’ Animation – Animator, TimeSlide Studio Productions
Zooniverse ‘Spotting Spider Monkeys’ – Citizen Science IOW
3D Card Modelling Creativity Table – Model Maker, Citizen Science IOW
‘Dino Run’…Real Live Dinosaurs in the Centre’s Gardens! – Citizen Science IOW
Microplastics Sandbox– Citizen Science IOW
Wonder of Wildlife Gardens – over the 2 Day Event, the Centre’s garden will be planted by
visitors with wildlife friendly flowers to attract ‘Bugs’n’Birds’ - Pan Together
Interactive Workshops:
Erupting Volcanoes + Geology in a Jar Led by: Citizen Science Isle of Wight
The Science of Diving Led by: Marine Archaeologist, Shipwreck & Maritime Museum
Pan’s Green Spaces Research Project Led by: Horticultural Ecologist, Hampshire and Isle of
Wight Wildlife Trust
*Exploding Water Rockets! Led by: Aviator, Wight Aviation Museum (*weather dependent)
The Science of Movie Magic Led by: Animator, TimeSlide Studio Productions

FREE Evening Events from 6 – 8pm include:
6 - 8pm Free ‘Stargazing Live’ in Isobel Park with *Fish’n’Chip Supper
Weather permitting, dust off your telescopes and bring your mobile phones or binoculars if you
don’t have a telescope. (*Buy and bring your fish’n’chips from 6pm onward)

Evening Interactive Science Presentations 7 – 8pm with *Fish’n’Chip
Supper:
Friday 6th March 2020: ‘How to Catch the Sun…’
Colin Palmer, Director of Wight Community Energy, explores the world of natural energy: What
is energy? Why do we need it and how can we catch it without harming our home…the Earth.
Friday 13th March 2020: ‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…The Secret of Star Patterns’
Aonghus von Rycker, Astrophysicist and Creator of Memosky® explores the link between
Astronomy (the study of Stars and Planets), and Neuroscience (the study of the Brain and
Nervous System), using Memosky®, a simple interactive Sky Constellation Card Game.
For more information, including workshop times, visit the Fun, Interactive Citizen Science
Website: http://citizenscienceiow.wixsite.com/events or visit British Science Week website
https://sciencelive.net/whats-on/

ENDS

 For more information, interview or to request photos or a photoshoot on the day, please
contact:
Rachel Thomson, Downside Community Centre Manager
Tel: 01983 248170 email: enquiries@pantogether.org.uk
Or Neeve O’Flynn-Mundin, Event Co-ordinator
Mobile: 07392 542520 email: citizenscienceiow@gmail.com
Website for Citizen Science IOW: http://citizenscienceiow.wixsite.com/events
Find our events on the British Science Week website https://sciencelive.net/whats-on/
Notes to editor
Pan Together is a charity which runs the volunteer led Downside Community Centre and
includes the Isobel Community Café. The Centre is hosting British Science Week 2020 Festival
of Citizen Science here on the Isle of Wight, following a successful grant application to BSW20
funders.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/pantogether
About British Science Week
British Science Week (BSW) is a ten-day programme of science, technology, engineering and
maths events and activities across the UK for people of all ages.
'British Science Week takes place between: 6-15 March 2020 Join us for a ten-day celebration of science, technology,
engineering and maths. The theme for the 2020 activities is: ‘Our diverse planet’ ‘We are pleased to announce that the theme
for the British Science Week 2020 Activity Packs and Poster Competition is ‘Our diverse planet’. Our activity packs will contain
lots of activities on this theme, with anything from biological diversity and social diversity, to the diversity of knowledge and
STEM careers. There are lots of ways to explore this theme, and we’re very excited to work on what will certainly be another
incredibly exciting British Science Week!’
British Science Association
www.britishscienceweek.org

Anyone can organise an event or activity, and the British Science Association helps organisers
plan by providing free activity and support resources. We welcome and support any type of
organiser, from schools to community groups, from parents to large organisations. The
resulting programme of events is a hugely varied and eclectic mix.
This year, British Science Week (BSW) runs from 9-18 March and is a ten-day programme of
science, technology, engineering and maths events and activities across the UK for people of
all ages. The public can find out more by visiting www.britishscienceweek.org
About the British Science Association
The British Science Association (BSA) believes that science should be part of – rather than set
apart from – society and culture, and is owned by the wider community. Our programmes
encourage people of all ages and backgrounds to engage with science, become ambassadors
for science, and ultimately to be empowered to challenge and influence British science whether they work in science or not.
Established in 1831, the BSA is a registered charity that organises major initiatives across the
UK, including British Science Week, the annual British Science Festival, regional and local
events, the CREST Awards and other programmes for young people in schools and colleges.

 The BSA also organises specific activities for professional science communicators, including a
specialist conference and training.
www.britishscienceassociation.org

Interactive Displays
Dino Run!
How Brave would you be, if
you came face-to-face with
a Living Dinosaur?
Well, a flock of dinosaurs
will be visiting the centre
so you can get up close to
discover that dinosaurs
really do still exist to this
very day…
Nature Table + Bug Habitat
Creation
Citizen Scientist
Volunteers from HIWWT will
guide you on the nature
surrounding you and how to
create a Bug Habitat for the

Create your own 3D
Creative Card Models.
Your models can also be
animated to create your
very own mini movie.

Zooniverse ‘Spotting Spider
Monkeys’ Become an Online
Citizen Scientist! From the
comfort of your own sofa, travel
to Mexico’s Rain Forest + help
Scientists
conserve
Spider

Wonders of Wildlife
Gardening
‘Help Downside Community
Centre’s Wildlife Garden Grow
and take home tips to create

WORKSHOPS:
It’s Not Rocket
Science…YES IT IS!
Explode Water
Rockets with Citizen
Scientists from
Wight Aviation
Museum in Isobel
Park and discover the
science of gravity,
propellant,
aerodynamics, design
and FUNNNNNN!
‘The Science of Movie
Magic
how your eye tricks
you!’
TimeSlide
Studio
presents
a
Mini
Animation Studio for you
to explore the Science of
Movies.
Bring along
your favourite toys and
create your own ‘Toy

Free EVENING PRESENTATIONS with GUEST SPEAKERS:

The Science of
Diving
The Shipwreck &
Maritime Museum
How can we hold
our breath
underwater for a
very long time?
Discover all the
amazing science
behind diving and
underwater
archaeology. How

 GUEST SPEAKER

GUEST SPEAKER

‘How to Catch the Sun…’

‘Twinkle Twinkle Little Star…
The Secret of Star Patterns’

Colin Palmer
Director
Wight Community Energy

Aonghus von Rycker
Astrophysicist + Creator of Memosky®
Friday 13th March 2020
7-8pm

Friday 6th March 2020
7-8pm

MEMOSKY®