Young people invited to express their views on science and environment

Express your views in a song, a video, a photograph! Two competitions for young people, focusing on science and environmental themes, and offering amazing cash prizes, are being launched this week as part of Bangor’s first week-long Science Festival.

The Science Festival runs from Friday 11 March until Saturday 19 March 2011 and will have events to appeal to all ages and interests.

If photography, art and poetry are your thing, and you’re any age under 18, you are invited to send a photograph, a poem or a piece of artwork expressing science and nature. Individuals, schools or youth groups are being invited to enter before 1 February 2011 for a chance of winning family tickets to Greenwood Forest Park/Gelli Gyffwrdd, and the latest digital cameras.   

Sustainability and ethical sourcing are hot topics in Wales and the UK at the moment.  That’s why schools and youth groups are being invited to share their views about sustainability. The competition, sponsored by Waitrose, has been designed to inspire young people to get involved with current issues and encourage them to voice their opinions. The Competition asks for a three minute clip in any format which creatively communicates a message about sustainability addressed to Wales’ First Minister. 

The winning entries of the photography, art and poetry competitions will also form part of a public display at Bangor Museum & Art Gallery for the duration of the Festival and of National Science and Engineering Week 2011 (March 11th – 20th).  The entries by the three finalists in the communication competition will all be viewed by the First Minister.

Entry details can be found on the web site for the Bangor Science Festival.

Stevie Scanlan, one of the competition organisers said “Bangor University is hoping to get everyone excited about science during the Festival. That’s why we’ve devised these competitions to encourage everyone to get involved.  We have already had a good response from Schools studying the Welsh Baccalaureate, as taking part in this competition contributes to the qualification.” 

The programme for the week-long festival can also be found on the web site. Activities for all ages are taking place and all public events will be free to attend

Publication date: 17 January 2011