Science on the Agenda at Caithness Horizons

8th December 2009

Caithness Horizons Supporting Science in the Community.

Caithness Horizons is keen to impress on its community the immense range of subjects that its collection and education programme can encompass. The new museum and exhibition space in Thurso is currently supporting the work of the British Science Association. Jamie Stone, Lib Dem MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, paid a visit this week to Thurso’s Miller Academy to see some of the Science activities being run in and around Caithness. These are being organised and promoted by the Caithness Branch of the British Science Association, with help from its associates, which include Caithness Horizons in Thurso, as well as the UHI Environmental Research Institute, and the newly-formed Caithness Astronomy Group.

Gordon Mackie of the Caithness Astronomy Group spoke to Jamie Stone and local Primary 6 youngsters about the group’s activities around the county over the past year as part of the International Year of Astronomy. These include Moon-watch vigils and presentations by national astronomers, as well as Astronomy Fun Days and an Astro-Art exhibition of children’s artwork at Caithness Horizons.

Christine Russell, Education & Community Officer at Caithness Horizons, highlighted work with volunteers from Key and Health and Happiness, supported by the BSA and UHI’s North Highland College. As a development from Kew Garden’s ‘Great Plant Hunt’, volunteers at Caithness Horizons have planted up troughs outside the recently refurbished museum building with climbing plants and spring bulbs. Also in parnership with the British Science Association will be ‘Darwin, Dick and Miller: Lives Connected’ – a day-long event on the 13th of February 2010, which will bring together speakers on the inter-connected lives of Charles Darwin, Robert Dick of Thurso and Hugh Miller of Cromarty.

Kathleen McDougall and Sabine Freitag of the ERI showed Mr Stone their huge map of the north coast which is part of a Solar System project being run in schools across Caithness and Sutherland in the New Year in conjunction with Caithness artist Joanne Kaar. Pupils will work in groups to create pieces of art about individual planets and the distances involved in the solar system.

The P6 class were excited to see the skeleton framework of the Goblin car, which they will build early in the New Year. Pupils will work with STEM Ambassadors Farr MacDonald and Gary Strachan to build then race the machines, learning valuable skills along the way. Other schools in the county taking part in the Goblin Challenge include Farr, Wick South and Castletown. Mr Stone said he was very pleased to see that Caithness and Sutherland had such a wealth of resources in terms of science activities and that it was great to see such enthusiasm from pupils.



For further information:

Find out more about Caithness Horizons at www.caithnesshorizons.co.uk

Anyone wishing to help or contribute to Science Engagement activities in the North should contact Pat Kieran or Ruth Falconer on pat_kieran@yahoo.com or ruthfalconer@hotmail.co.uk