Message from the Chief Executive, Linda Conlon
Dear Friend,
I hope you and your family continue to stay well.
It’s now almost a fortnight since the science centre reopened. In the last column I shared some trepidation about how visitors would respond; I’m delighted to say that the feedback has been very positive. Our visitors are loving the new Dino Experience, which brings together those perennial favourites, dinosaurs and LEGO®.
It’s good to know that all the efforts we’ve put into reopening to create an exciting and safe experience have been appreciated by our visitors. There’s been high praise, too, for our team, who are back in action doing what they do best: welcoming visitors and delivering a great experience. If you’d like to visit, see here for more information and to book your ticket. (Tickets must be pre-booked online.)
Of course, we’re still living in massively uncertain times. Capacity in the science centre has been significantly reduced and our usual revenue streams have all but dried up. At the start of the pandemic, we anticipated a return to some semblance of normality and usual staffing levels within a few months. Reduced hours and redundancies were alien concepts. Now, like many other charities, we are navigating increasingly uncertain terrain with no roadmap, while trying to do the best by everyone. It’s a challenge we all face.
As always, if you have any thoughts, ideas or experiences to share, please get in touch by emailing info@life.org.uk.
Stay safe,
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LEGO® is a trademark of the LEGO® Group of companies which does not sponsor, authorise or endorse this exhibition.
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Safety first as visitors return
Life Science Centre is celebrating after a successful reopening on 1 August.
The safety of visitors and staff was paramount, with many COVID-19 safety measures introduced, including significantly reduced visitor numbers and mandatory face coverings for everyone aged 11 years and older, unless they are exempt.
The face coverings rule applies to Life's staff, too, with Linda Conlon having no qualms to appear on local TV news to discuss reopening while wearing one. (You can watch it here.) The timing of the interview was apt, as that very day the Government made a surprise announcement that face coverings in venues including museums, science centres and art galleries were to be mandatory from 8 August.
Visitor feedback on the COVID-19 safety measures has been positive, too. Life is participating in a national benchmarking exercise for UK science centres, with visitors from the 16 venues involved (soon to increase to 18) sent a post-visit survey created by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA).
Early results show Life Science Centre scoring above the national average for overall rating of COVID-19 safety measures (9.48 out of 10, with the benchmark set by averaging scores of all venues at 8.96.)
Life always values feedback to improve its experience. Please email info@life.org.uk if you have any suggestions.
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Calling at Life Science Centre only
The Metro celebrated its 40th anniversary yesterday. In 2017, local professional LEGO® artist Steve Mayes was commisioned to build a LEGO® model of a Metro train, which you can now view at Life Science Centre, alongside more of his intricately-detailed models. (Included with LEGO® Dino Experience.)
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Join our science village!
Audience Research and Evaluation Manager, Life
Life is looking for an experienced audience researcher to join the team to help develop external relationships, programmes and new ways of working in order to better serve its communities.
The role is a one-year fixed term contract and supported by the Inspiring Science Fund, which is co-funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome.
More information and to apply >
Social Distancing Volunteers, NHS Newcastle Fertility Centre
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is starting to reopen more of its services and they are now recruiting a team of volunteers who will help to keep people safe whilst accessing its services. Volunteers will encourage visitors to practise social distancing and good hand hygiene.
More information and to apply >
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Applications open for Queen's Award for Voluntary Service 2021
Wearing her hat as a Deputy Lieutenant for Tyne and Wear, Linda Conlon invites people to apply for next year's Queen's Award for Voluntary Service – the highest award that can be bestowed on local volunteer groups in the UK.
Any group doing volunteer work that provides a social, economic or environmental service to the local community can be nominated for the award. Each group is assessed on the benefit it brings to the local community and its standing within that community.
Applications are open until midnight on 25 September 2020.
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Highlights from #LifeGoesONline
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Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for our latest content, and visit the online content hub to find all of our activities in one place.
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Local COVID-19 research
- Researchers at Durham University are investigating whether specially trained dogs can sniff out COVID-19 in humans in a collaborative project with the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine and Medical Detection Dogs.
The researchers are now trying to recruit thousands of volunteers who have mild COVID-19 symptoms and are due to have a swab test, or who have had a swab test conducted in the previous 24 hours. They're targeting the North West of England, as the region has experienced a recent rise in coronavirus cases.
Should the trial be successful, these dogs could be deployed to airports in the UK within six months, with the potential of screening of up to 250 people per hour.
More information >
- Newcastle University is inviting young people aged 13-17 years to take part in research on their experiences of social distancing during the pandemic. Participants will be asked to regularly share what they're experiencing and feeling via Facebook and Instagram direct messaging until the start of the next school year in September. To take part, you can send a message to the group's Facebook or Instagram accounts or email steph.scott@ncl.ac.uk. In addition to contributing to important research, participants will each receive a £20.00 Amazon voucher.
Enjoyed reading this? Explore more local research and other important resources in Life's COVID-19 hub.
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Life recommends
Our pick of the latest books for you to delve into during your staycation this summer:
- The recently-published book Why We Swim by Bonnie Tsui mixes human history with stories of modern-day incredible swimmers and a meditative look at the joy of swimming to discuss why humans are drawn to the water.
- Society celebrates great inventions, but rarely is innovation given much attention. (Unless you're visiting a science centre, of course!) In his latest book How Innovation Works, Matt Ridley explores how innovation is a misunderstood process – including by policy-makers and business people – arguing that it is a bottom-up process, turning inventions into things of practical use to people.
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Support us
The International Centre for Life (Life) is a science village that is part of the fabric of Newcastle upon Tyne and a valued resource to the region. The groundbreaking research and patient therapies that take place here have led to international recognition.
From the thousands of babies born with the help of fertility treatment received onsite, to the patients with debilitating diseases who have benefitted from research and clinical treatments, Life has made a difference to so many. There is nowhere quite like it in the world – a place where researchers, clinicians, science communicators and educators work side-by-side on one site, sharing expertise and ideas and creating a unique circle of science.
The charity Life Science Centre is at the heart of this circle. Welcoming about 300,000 visitors a year, its mission is to help people of all ages, from all communities, explore science and to discover its relevance to their own lives and to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals. This mission has never been more crucial than it is today.
COVID-19 has had a massive impact on us. Please support us so that we can continue to make a difference. Click the button below to make a donation.
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