Monday 9 April 2007

The Edinburgh International Science Festival features the Powerpod!

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 the 7th to the 12 th April and running 2 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 doing the workshops to a very mixed audience.










This being Edinburgh in the school holidays the young people talked, demonstrated and played with over 3000 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 10000 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 4 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 brochures as one of the sponsors of the event, publicity which we normally cannot afford.

The next official outing for the Powerpod is Big in Falkirk Scotland's National Steet Arts Festival on the 5th/6th May where we shall be helping the Central Scotland Area Committee of the Scottish Co-op in thier Fair Trade and Sustainability tent.

Powerpod Project Group success at Young Scots Awards 2007


The Powerpod Project group gained the Environmental Award at the Young Scots 2007 ceremony at the City Halls in Glasgow on the 29th March.

They were presented the prize by Justice Minister Cathy Jamieson who had earlier expressed her joy at seeing the Woodcraft Folk on the shortlist as she was an ex-Woodcraft leader herself.

They were also offered a prize by Scottish Gas the sponsors of the award of a visit to one of their windfarms as well as wild water rafting on the Tay.

The evening was sponsored by the Sunday Mail and Lloyds TSB and a wonderful Mardi Gras theme with Brazilian dancers and steel drums featuring heavily in the opening ceremony.

The award was accepted on behalf of the group by Gordon Bruce, Zoe Hutchison and Lindsey Riddoch.