Two Governors / Trustees of a local High School (Warden Park) identified that by the time children reached high school some students had not been fully made aware of the opportunities or the applications for STEM subjects. They also identified that many local businesses had more they could offer local schools. They felt they could do more for the local community. Therefore, they formed a working group comprising a local primary headteacher, local business owners and senior managers to found an event in 2015 called the Mid Sussex Science Week. The first year was funded through donations from local business owners and has since seen support from the local authority as well.
MSSW is now in the fourth year and parents and teachers have seen first-hand how inspired the children are from the experiences they have been exposed to. This could be a life changing event for some children who would not have considered science-based subjects for a career before – it can open their minds to the possibilities for their future.