Photo Op: Budding chemists to solve ‘crime’ at University of Warwick
Thursday 24^th March 11.45am
Chemistry building, 3^rd Floor Lab

Students from across Coventry and Warwickshire will descend on the University of Warwick on Thursday for a fun-filled day of chemistry as part of the Salters’ Fesitval of Chemistry.

Teams of four 11-13 year-olds from each school will take part in ‘The Salters’ Challenge’ in which they will use their analytical chemistry skills to solve a mysterious crime.

Later on in the day they will then compete in a practical ‘University Challenge – How Dense’ which will test their chemical skills as they try to identify how dense solutions of Sodium Chloride are.

Nick Barker will be on hand to give a fun session entitled Chemical Magic where he will give a display of different chemical reactions.

The day will then end with a prize giving ceremony at which all participants will be given fun prizes and certificates and the winners of the The Salters’ Challenge and University Challenge will be awarded prizes for their schools.

The Salters' Festivals of Chemistry are an initiative of The Salters' Institute, whose aim is to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young. The Festival at The University of Warwick is one of a series of fifty-three Festivals which are taking place at Universities throughout the UK and the Republic of Ireland between March and June 2011.

The Institute is delighted that the Royal Society of Chemistry is again working in partnership with it for the Festivals this year.

Notes to Editors

1. The Festivals are one-day events for schools held at Universities throughout the UK and Ireland. The first series of Festivals was held in 1991. Festivals were then held in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998 and 2000. Since 2000 Festivals have been held every year. In 2011 there will be a series of 53 Festivals being hosted by 40 universities between March and June. The aim of the Festivals is to make chemistry more exciting, more relevant and fun to students aged 11 to 13 years and to encourage schools to set up their own chemistry clubs.
   
   
2. Competing schools are represented by a team of four students from years 7 or 8 (or equivalent in Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). Prizes for the winning schools are awarded at each Festival and all participants receive fun prizes and certificates. During the last ten years, over 24,400 students have experienced the fun of practical chemistry through the Salters' Festivals of Chemistry.
   
   
3. Since 1991 sponsorship support of the Festivals has been raised from over one hundred companies. Many of the Festivals are also sponsored by local companies.
   
   
4. The Salters’ Company is one of the Great Twelve City of London Livery Companies and was founded in 1394 for the medieval trade in salt. The Company’s activities today are centred on charitable and educational giving. The Salters' Institute, established in 1918, and now the Flagship Charity of the Salters' Company, aims to promote the appreciation of chemistry and related sciences among the young and to encourage careers in the teaching of chemistry and in the UK chemical and allied industries.
   
   
5. The Institute’s three core activities are the Salters' Festivals of Chemistry for 11 to 13 year olds; Salters' Chemistry Camps for those aged 15, in partnership with other scientific institutions, and Curriculum Development, undertaken at The University of York, including Twenty First Century Science and Salters-Nuffield Advanced Biology, Salters Advanced Chemistry and Salters Horners Advanced Physics.

For more information please contact:

To confirm attendance please contact Luke Hamer, Assistant Press Officer, University of Warwick, on 02476 575601, or on 07824 541142. Alternatively email l.hamer@warwick.ac.uk

Ms Christina Forbes ~
The University of Warwick
Tel No: 024 76572970
E-mail: christina.forbes@warwick.ac.uk

Miss Fleur Layzell
Publicity Co-ordinator
The Salters' Institute
Tel No: 020 7628 5962 ext 260
E-mail: publicity@salters.co.uk 
Website: www.festivalsofchemistry.co.uk

Schools attending are:

School	Town
Alcester Grammar School	Alcester
Arnold Lodge School	Leamington Spa
Caludon Castle School	Coventry
Campion School	Northampton
Ernesford Grange School & Community College	Coventry
Exhall Grange School	Coventry
George Ellliot Community School	Nuneaton
Huxlow Science College	Wellingborough
King Edward V1 School	Stratford-Upon-Avon
Lyng Hall Comprehensive School	Coventry
Northamptonshire Grammar School	Northampton
Princethorpe College	Rugby
Sibford School	Banbury
Sponne School Technology College	Towcester
The Dixie Grammar School	Nuneaton
The Kings High School for Girls	Warwick
Whitley Abbey School	Coventry
Wrenn School	Wellingborough

PR33 22nd March 2011