Science Festival Launches at the Global HQ of the World's Largest Telescope

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 schedule celebrates 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 Hall and 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.

All activities that are happening have been validated by the Children's University so children can bring along their Passport to Learning to have it stamped.

To find out more about the free events available sign up for alerts and information on the website at www.amazedbyscience.co.uk or by following @amazedbyscience on twitter or via the facebook page at

Get involved by using the hashtag #juniorgenius before and during the events.

ENDS

Issued by Marketing Cheshire
For further information, please contact:
Laura Young, Marketing Cheshire
07919 004 116
l.young@marketingcheshire.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

For full listings for the Amazed by Science Festival and all event and booking details please visit www.amazedbyscience.co.uk

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For media enquiries please contact: Laura Young, on 07919 004 116 or at l.young@marketingcheshire.co.uk