Powerpod At Edinburgh Science Festival

Published on Sunday April 15 2007

The Edinburgh International Science Festival was held over the 2 weeks spanning the Easter weekend and proved to be a busy time for the Powerpod crew. With drop-in activities throughout the six days from 7-12 April and running two workshops on both Easter Sunday and Easter Monday, the facilitators had to rise to the occasion. This they all did with great confidence. For several of them this was their first real chance at running the workshops for a very mixed audience.

The young people talked, demonstrated and played with more than 3,000 vistors from many parts of the UK and several overseas visitors. An Italian family were so pleased with what they saw they asked if there was a similar organisation in thier country. And having camped with the Aciragazzi in 2003 we were able to assure them that Italy, too, had a dynamic, progressive organisation with young people who wanted to make a difference.

As part of the "Science Festival at the Botanics" the Edinburgh Woodcraft Powerpod, a trailer fitted out as an education tool to demonstrate the use of renewable energy, was a major exhibit at the entrance to the Botanics Exhibition Hall. The full science program at the Botanics attracted in excess of 10,000 visitors and many of these joined in the hands-on activities supplied by the Powerpod. As well as the drop-in activities, Edinburgh Woodcraft ran four workshop sessions offering co-operative games devised by the Venturers and DFs around the issues of climate change and renewable energy. As well as appearing in the main programme Edinburgh Woodcraft were named on the brochure as one of the sponsors of the event, publicity which we normally cannot get!

The next official outing for the Powerpod is Big in Falkirk Scotland's National Steet Arts Festival on the 5th/6th May, where we will be helping the local Co-operative society in their Fair Trade and Sustainability tent.

Edinburgh Woodcraft Folk