Donna Speed, the CEO of We The Curious, the Bristol-based educational charity and interactive venue, has signed an open letter to the prime minister, the chancellor of the exchequer and the business secretary.
Speed is joined by a host of leading scientists, academics, MPs and mayors, as well as the owners, trustees and chairmen of science businesses across the country. Notable signatories include the astronaut Major Tim Peake, former work and pensions secretary Esther McVey and Nobel Prize winners Sir Tim Hunt, Sir Venki Ramakrishnan, Sir Richard Roberts and Sir Martin Evans.
The letter, which can be read in full below, urges the government to protect the nation's science and discovery centres which, in normal times, are used by over eight million children and adults every single year.
We The Curious, whose physical premises have been shut since the end of March, is planning to open next month with 'Project What If'
The open letter
Dear Sirs, The future of the UK’s world-class network of Science and Discovery Centres is at imminent risk and we are facing the loss of inclusive and accessible science learning for millions of children and adults nationally. This is at a time when economic growth through science and innovation is a key national priority and when meaningful public engagement with STEM has never been more important. For over 20 years our nation’s regional Science and Discovery Centres have played a crucial role in the whole country’s STEM success, delivering inspirational science learning to children and schools, and working in partnership with local communities. Outside London, Science and Discovery Centres in Newcastle, Merseyside, Yorkshire, Leicester, Belfast, Glasgow, Wales and other regions inspire over eight million schoolchildren and adults every year. If the UK is to achieve the impressive ambitions outlined in our government’s industrial strategy, and develop future leaders of the global scientific and R&D communities, we need to continue to inspire young people across our country to become the STEM innovators and entrepreneurs of tomorrow. Science and Discovery Centres excel at delivering this inspiration. They run science programmes covering everything from spaceports to climate change, providing access to the world of STEM for children and families. They are the meeting place between scientists, industry, and the public, and work with Research Councils, Learned Societies, the UK Space Agency, universities and business to bring the latest brilliant science to millions of people. |
Before COVID-19, the UK’s Science and Discovery Centres were all successful, entrepreneurial, lean independent charities. When we closed our doors in March, most of us saw our income instantly cut off. As things stand today, 96% of Science and Discovery Centres say they cannot cover costs when they reopen as their capacities are reduced by up to 75% to enable social distancing. |
We, like so many UK businesses, have benefited from the government's valued job retention scheme and reduced VAT. Many Science Centres have made significant staff redundancies and taken out loans. However, Science Centres are also charities, with science and environmental education and public engagement missions. Surely we want to protect this precious national asset to continue to engage young people with science for years to come, contributing to the future success of the UK.
It was deeply disappointing to learn that Science and Discovery Centres had been largely excluded from the remarkable government support being made available to other cultural organisations in similar dire straits. Science and Discovery Centres work to place science at the heart of our culture in the UK, and yet were largely excluded from the arts, heritage and culture rescue package of £1.57 billion.
We know that our network makes a big impact. We know that we are at the forefront of supporting STEM learning. We know that we bring value, opportunity and enrichment to every region of the UK and that together we introduce millions of children to science each year.
What we do not know is why you, our government, would allow this valuable and viable national STEM asset to fall through the cracks, putting this network, and all it delivers, in such jeopardy. Despite our national Science Centres For Our Future campaign, the 190+ letters written to MPs, and our repeated representations to BEIS and DCMS, our message still appears not to have been heard.
This is why we, as CEOs, Chairs, Trustees, eminent Scientists, science businesses, Mayors, MPs and University Vice Chancellors are writing to implore you to listen in our time of need, to invest £25 million as an Emergency Resilience Fund to help UK Science and Discovery Centres weather this pandemic and continue to provide the backbone of exploratory science education across the country.
Yours sincerely,
Dr Penny Fidler
Chair of Trustees
UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres CEO Winchester Science Centre
Ben Ward
CEO
UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres
Additional signatories
Leading Scientists and Academics
Sir Venki Ramakrishnan FRS PRS, Nobel Prize winner, President of The Royal Society
Dr Richard Henderson CH FRS FMedSci HonFRSC, Nobel Prize Winner, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge
Sir Tim Hunt FRS FMedSci FRSE MAE, Nobel Prize winner, Emeritus Scientist, The Francis Crick Institute
Professor Tomas LIndahl FRS FMedSci, Nobel Prize winner, Emeritus Scientist, The Francis Crick Institute
Sir Paul Nurse FRS FMedSci HonFREng HonFBA MAE, Nobel Prize winner, Director of The Francis Crick Institute
Sir Richard Roberts FRS, Nobel Prize winner, Chief Scientific Officer at New England Biolabs
Professor Sir Martin Evans FRS FMedSci, Nobel Prize winner, Emeritus Professor, Cardiff University
Sir Gregory Winter CBE FRS FMedSci, Nobel Prize winner, Emeritus Professor, MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge
Professor Lord Martin Rees OM FRS FREng FMedSci FRAS, Astronomer Royal, Fellow of Trinity College andEmeritus Professor at University of Cambridge
Professor Dame Athene Donald DBE FRS, Professor of Experimental Physics and Master of Churchill College, University of Cambridge
Helen Sharman CMG, OBE, HonFRSC, British Astronaut
Major Tim Peake CMG, Astronaut
Professor Brian Cox OBE FRS, The Royal Society Professor for Public Engagement in Science and
Professor of Particle Physics at University of Manchester
Professor Alice Roberts, Patron of ASDC, Professor of Public Engagement with Science at University of Birmingham
Professor Lord Robert Winston FMedSci FRSA FRCP FRCOG FREng, Professor of Science & Society and Emeritus Professor Fertility Studies at Imperial College London
Professor Jim Al-Khalili OBE FRS, Distinguished Chair, Professor of Physics, Professor of Public Engagement in Science and Centre Director at University of Surrey
Professor Graham Baldwin, Vice-Chancellor, University of Central Lancashire
Professor Paul Bartholomew, Vice-Chancellor, Ulster University
Dame Janet Beer DBE, Vice-Chancellor, University of Liverpool
Professor Sir John Burn FRCP FRCPE FRCPCH FRCOG FMedSci, Chair, Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Dr John Cater CBE DL, Vice-Chancellor, Edgehill University
Dr David Cleevely CBE FREng FIET, Member of the CSaP Advisory Council, Chairman, Raspberry Pi
Dr Helen Czerski, Research Fellow University College London
Professor Chris Day, Vice-Chancellor Newcastle University
Professor Carlos Frenk CBE FRS, Ogden Professor of Fundamental Physics Institute for Computational Cosmology Durham University
Professor Gaoqing Max Lu AO DL FREng FAA FTSE FIChemE FRSC FCAS FNAI, President and Vice-Chancellor University of Surrey
Professor Dame Anne Glover PRSE FRS, Special Advisor to the Principal at the University of Strathclyde
Professor Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor Queen’s University Belfast
Professor Paul Hardaker FInstP FRMetS CMet, CEO Institute of Physics
Professor Maria Hinfelaar, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive Wrexham Glyndwr
University Professor Karen Holford CBE, Deputy Vice-Chancellor Cardiff University & Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering Research Committee
Professor Julie Lydon OBE, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive University of South Wales Professor Paul Anthony Madden FRS FRSE, Professor of Physical Chemistry and Provost of Queen’s College University of Oxford
Dr Robert Massey, Deputy Executive Director Royal Astronomical Society
Dr Sarah Owenson, Head of Student Programmes, Dept of Bioengineering, Imperial College
Professor David Phillips CBE FRS FRSC, Emeritus Professor of Chemistry Imperial College
Dr Anna Ploszajski, Materials Scientist, Engineer & Science Communicator
Professor Sir Martyn Poliakoff CBE FRS FR Eng FIChemE FRSC, Professor of Chemistry University of Nottingham
Professor Michael Reiss, Professor of Science Education UCL Institute of Education
Professor Graham Richards CBE FRS, Chairman and Founder Oxford Drug Design Ltd
Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice-Chancellor, Chester University
Sir Eric Brian Smith DSc FRSC FLSW, Chemist and former Vice-Chancellor Cardiff University
Professor Iain Stewart MBE FRSE, Director Sustainable Earth Institute, University of Plymouth; President of the RSGS; UNESCO Chair in Geoscience and Society and BBC presenter
Dr Kathy Sykes OBE, Founding Director Cheltenham Science Festival and Famelab
Professor Nalin Thakkar BDS FRCPath, Vice-President for Social Responsibility and Professor of Molecular Pathology University of Manchester
Professor Tom Welton OBE FRSC FCGI, President Royal Society of Chemistry and Professor of Sustainable Chemistry, Imperial College London
Professor Steve West CBE, Vice-Chancellor, President and Chief Executive Officer University of the West of England
Lady Audrey Wood OBE, Founder Oxford Instruments
Sir Martin Francis Wood CBE FRS HonFREng, Founder Oxford Instruments
Science Businesses and Trusts
Philomena Gibbons, Director of Culture and Society, Wellcome Trust Mottie Kessler MBE, Chairman and CEO, 2M Holdings
Dr Stephen Barr, President and Managing Director, Almac Sciences Iain Percy OBE, CEO, Artemis Technologies
Dr Geoff Mackey, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, BASF plc
Richard Carter MBA, Managing Director, BASF UK and Ireland and Chairman of the NW Business Leadership Team
Richard Bonner, President, Bristol Chambers of Commerce & Initiative, Business West
Andrew Kelly, Director, Bristol Festival of Ideas
Tom Bowtell, CEO, British Coatings Federation
Bryan Davies, Chairman, Castle Chemicals Ltd
Peter Newport, CEO, Chemical Business Association
Steve Elliott, CEO, Chemical Industries Association
Joanna Woolf, Chair, Cogent Skills
Dr Tony Bastock, OBE FRSC, Former Chairman, Contract Chemicals Ltd, Vice President Cefic and President CIA
John Hirst, Chief Executive, Destination Bristol
Julian Roberts, Head of Marketing, ESET Internet Security
Malcolm Skingle, Director Academic Liaison, GSK
Steve Bagshaw, Chair, Industrial Biotechnology Leadership Forum
Tom Crotty, Group Director, Corporate Affairs, Ineos plc
Tom Gray, Chief Technology Officer, Kainos
Martin Rolfe, CEO National Air Traffic Services
Kieran McCorry, National Technology Officer, Microsoft Ireland
Dr Jonathan Aylen, President, Newcomen Society
Paul Adams, Marketing Director, NOKIA Europe
Cormac Whelan, CEO, NOKIA UK & Ireland
Clare Harvey, CEO, Ogden Trust
Ian Meadows OBE, Chairman, R S Clare and Co Ltd
Peter Davidson, Executive Director, Tank Storage Association
Harry Swann, Chair, The Centre for Industry Education Collaboration
Savita Willmott, Chief Executive, Bristol Natural History Consortium
Stephen Marcos Jones, CEO, UK Petroleum Industry Association
Sharon Davies, Chief Executive, Young Enterprise
Mayors and MPs
Mayor Tim Bowles, Mayor, West of England
Darren Jones, Labour MP for, Bristol North West, Chair of the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee
Justin Madders, Shadow Health Secretary, Labour MP for Ellesmere Port & Neston
Rt Hon Esther McVey, Conservative MP for Tatton
Stephen Metcalfe, Conservative MP for South Basildon & East Thurrock
Mayor Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor, Liverpool City Regions
Derek Twigg, Labour MP for Halton
Craig Whittaker, Conservative MP for Calder Valley, HM Lord Commissioner to The Treasury
UK Science and Discovery Centre and Museum CEOs, Chairs and Trustees
Bryan Snelling, Chief Executive, Aberdeen Science Centre, Aberdeen
Helen Slaski, CEO, Cambridge Science Centre, Cambridge
Sir Hugo Brunner KCVO KStJ HonLL.D JP, Patron, Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum Trust Ltd, Merseyside
Peter Gossage, Patron, Catalyst Science Discovery Centre and Museum Trust Ltd, Merseyside
Dr Diana Leitch MBE FRSC, Chair of Trustees, Catalyst Science Discovery Centre & Museum, Merseyside
Martin Pearson, CEO, Catalyst Science Discovery Centre & Museum, Merseyside
Professor Frances Balkwill OBE, Director, Centre of the Cell, Whitechapel, London
Dave Watson, Director, Cheltenham Science Group, Cheltenham
Dr Isabel Bruce OBE, Chief Executive, Dundee Science Centre, Dundee
John Simpson, CEO, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Professor Sir Pete Downes OBE, Chair, Dynamic Earth, Edinburgh
Emma Alesworth, Executive Director, Eco Attractions Group,
Leigh-Anne Stradeski, Chief Executive, Eureka! Children's Museum, Halifax
Peter Smart, Chair, Eureka! Children's Museum, Halifax
Rosie Waldron, Head of Public Engagement, Francis Crick Institute, London
Dr Stephen Breslin, CEO, Glasgow Science Centre, Glasgow
Linda Conlon, MBE, CEO, International Centre for Life, Newcastle
Fiona Cruickshank OBE, Chair, International Centre for Life, Newcastle
Catherine Johns, CEO, Kielder Observatory, Northumberland
Jo Marsden, Director, Lakeland Wildlife Oasis, Cumbria
Kevin Tomlinson, CEO, MAGNA, Sheffield
Kath Cockshaw, Executive Director, Marks Hall Estate, Essex
Jenny Layfield, CEO, National Coal Mining Museum for England, Yorkshire
Rebecca Walton, Learning Manager, National Coal Mining Museum for England, Yorkshire
Laura Pye, CEO, National Museums Liverpool, Liverpool
Chas Bishop, Chief Executive, National Space Centre, Leicester
Professor Sir Martin Sweeting, Chair, National Space Centre, Leicester
Professor Paul Smith, Director, Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford
Jo Artherton, Marketing & PR Manager, Pensthorpe Natural Park, Norfolk
Julia Twomlow, Creative Director and CEO, PK Porthcurno Museum of Global Communications, Cornwall
Clairette Arram, Governance and Risk Manager, Royal Institution, London
Helen Jones, Director of Global Engagement and Strategy, The Science Museum Group (Science Museum, London; Science and Industry Museum, Manchester; National Science and Media Museum, Bradford; National Railway Museum, York; Locomotion, Shildon)
Susan Davies, CEO, Scottish Seabird Centre, East Lothian
Caroline Pankhurst, Manager, South London Botanical Institute, South London Lesley Kirkpatrick, CEO, Techniquest, Cardiff
Stephen Bowden, Chair, Techniquest, Cardiff
Karl Hansen, Executive Director, The Living Rainforest (part of the Trust for Sustainable Living), Newbury
Dave Poulton, General Manager, The Look Out Discovery Centre, Bracknell
Steve Pizzey, CEO, The Observatory Science Centre, East Sussex
Steve Burgess, CEO, The Oxford Trust & Science Oxford, Oxford
Toby Watley, Director of Collections, Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum (part of Birmingham Museums Trust), Birmingham
Adrian Doyle, Director, W5 Science and Discovery Centre, Belfast
Donna Speed, CEO, We The Curious, Bristol
Chris Sims, Chair, We The Curious, Bristol
Dr Kathreena Kurian, Trustee, We The Curious, Bristol
Professor Julian Rayner, Director, Wellcome Genome Campus Connecting Science, Cambridgeshire
Professor Sir Mike Stratton FRS FMedSci FRCPath, Director, Wellcome Sanger Institute, Cambridgeshire
Dr Toby King, Chair, Winchester Science Centre, Winchester
Scot Owen, CEO, Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, Wrexham, North Wales
Lynda Powell, Chair, Xplore! Science Discovery Centre, Wrexham, North Wales
