Mims Davies, the MP for Mid Sussex, attended the Inaugural Burgess Hill STEM event held at the Kings Church Burgess Hill, in the build up to ‘Mid Sussex Science Week’ in June. This week is an annual event organised by volunteers of local businesses, schools and local authorities, with the support from Sussex STEM & Canterbury Christ Church University and is ‘Back with a Bang’ in June.
After attending, Mims said:
“It is fantastic to see this event extend to Burgess Hill. I was delighted to be invited to attend this inaugural event to meet with the six schools taking part. Birchwood Grove Community Primary, Bolney c of E Primary, London Meed Community Primary, Sheddingdean Community Primary, Southway Primary and Woodlands Meed, and their STEM ambassadors.
“It is vital our pupils get the opportunity to understand how exciting, challenging and fulfilling these subjects are before they move to Key Stage 3, where they will make the decision on which subjects to take for their GCSEs. Huge thanks must go to the businesses’ who are sponsoring this event and mentoring the students. Without them and the organisers, this event could not take place. I look forward to seeing how the students embrace this year’s challenge and am looking forward to seeing their amazing work later this year.”
STEM is a way of inspiring primary school students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths before they move on to secondary school. Founded in 2015 by local councillor Pete Bradbury and Phil Todd, current Chairman of Mid Sussex Science Week, with support from local headteachers and local businesses in and around Haywards Heath. Students have taken part in some exciting projects since Phil took over as Chairman in 2018, and has seen first-hand how inspired the children are from the experiences they are exposed to and as he explained: "This could be a life changing event for some children who would not have considered science or engineering-based subjects for a career before. It can open their minds to the possibilities for their future.”
