Category: Events

Happy Avonmouth: creating pathways to possibility through community, skills and partnership

Author engineering | Posted on

As a busy summer of projects draws to a close, we have had the opportunity to reflect on a very special weekend of community engagement in Avonmouth – and, importantly, on some of the connections and opportunities that have continued beyond the events themselves.

Earlier this year, UWE Bristol joined Avonmouth CE Primary School, Avonmouth Community Centre, The Bristol Port Company, SevernNet and a wide range of local employers and organisations for two connected events: Pathway to Possibilities, focused on employment, training and skills, followed by Happy Avonmouth Day, a community festival celebrating the people, history and future of the area.

Supported by UWE’s CATE Public/Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Fund, together the events created a weekend of opportunities – connecting residents with the industries on their doorstep while bringing together skills, education, sustainability, heritage and community celebration.

Creating a Pathway to Possibilities

The weekend began at Avonmouth CE Primary School with Pathway to Possibilities, developed with The Bristol Port Company and other local partners to bring employment and training opportunities directly into the community.

Avonmouth and Severnside are home to a significant concentration of businesses and employment, but living close to these opportunities doesn’t necessarily mean knowing what is available or how to access it.

Employers, training providers and organisations including The Bristol Port Company, Nisbetts, BCA, V Clean Group, Molson Group, Laundra, Women’s Work Lab, the Civil Service, Day Aggregates, FareShare South West, Smart Works, Co-op, SevernNet, Weston College and UWE Bristol, among others, came together to talk with parents, carers and local residents about employment, apprenticeships, training, upskilling and career support.

Darren Jones MP highlighted the importance of this approach:

“These interventions from The Bristol Port Company and other local organisations are so important to be able to show people that there are real opportunities for great jobs in and around the Avonmouth area.”

David Brown OBE, CEO of The Bristol Port Company, described it as being about “putting one foot in front of the other” – helping people take their first steps towards opportunity.

And those conversations have continued beyond the event. In the months since, we have heard of attendees progressing into both new employment and apprenticeship opportunities following connections made through Pathway to Possibilities.

Sometimes the first step towards a new career is simply discovering that an opportunity exists.

Celebrating Avonmouth – past, present and future

The following day, over 300 people joined Happy Avonmouth Day, a free community festival at Avonmouth Community Centre and the surrounding area.

Local organisations, businesses and residents contributed activities, stalls, music, dance, food and entertainment, alongside port tours, an artisan market, children’s activities, health activities and local history.

The setting had particular significance. Avonmouth Community Centre was once the local school, before Avonmouth CE Primary School moved to its current site. This provided a natural opportunity to explore Living Histories, bringing memories, images and stories of Avonmouth into the building.

This connected with arts-based work led by UWE’s Dr Judith Aston exploring a just transition for Avonmouth and the relationship between business, community and environment. It allowed us to look backwards and forwards in the same space – exploring an area that has long been shaped by industry, people and place.

Looking to the future also meant thinking about sustainability.

UWE’s Inspire Green Futures resources introduced families to green careers and skills, with Josh from the Inspire Green Futures team running UWE’s stall and hands-on renewable energy activities at Happy Avonmouth Day.

This linked with wider UWE work led by Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers around green skills, sustainability, circular economy and decarbonisation, and our ongoing relationships with SevernNet and organisations across Avonmouth.

As industry changes, the aim isn’t simply to tell communities that a green transition is happening around them, but to help local people see where they might fit within it.

[PHOTO: Josh/Inspire Green Futures]

Creating opportunities for students

The benefits extended back into UWE too.

Two School of Engineering students supported Pathway to Possibilities, gaining experience of working with employers, community organisations and residents and seeing first-hand how a university can connect people with education, skills and employment opportunities.

Support from the CATE Student Internship Fund subsequently enabled student involvement to continue into communications and dissemination, helping capture and share the impact of the project beyond the events themselves.

UWE as a connector

Perhaps the biggest achievement of the weekend wasn’t any individual activity, but the network behind it.

A primary school, community centre, university, major employers, training providers, voluntary organisations and residents all brought something different. The Bristol Port Company played a particularly important role as a sponsor and organiser, while Avonmouth Community Centre, Avonmouth CE Primary School and SevernNet helped ensure the events were rooted in the community rather than simply delivered to it.

For me (Sarah Behenna), the project also brought together two parts of my own work. Alongside my role in UWE’s School of Engineering, I am Chair of Governors at Avonmouth CE Primary School. Pathway to Possibilities grew directly from conversations about what local families needed, while my UWE role enabled me to draw on relationships with employers, education and training providers and colleagues across different disciplines to help respond.

Dr Laura Hobbs, from UWE’s College of Health, Science and Society, also brought public engagement and evaluation expertise to the interdisciplinary team, helping us think beyond attendance figures to the relationships and longer-term opportunities created.

That feels particularly relevant several months later. The value of community engagement isn’t necessarily captured by how many people walk through a door; a conversation that helps someone discover a route into employment or training can have an impact long after an event has finished.

The CATE Public/Community Engagement and Knowledge Exchange Fund award provided support to make these connections possible, while partners contributed their own time, expertise, resources and networks.

Together, Pathway to Possibilities and Happy Avonmouth Day demonstrated what place-based public engagement and knowledge exchange can achieve when universities, businesses and communities work together rather than simply alongside one another.

And seeing some of those initial conversations beginning to translate into new opportunities is perhaps the most rewarding impact of all.

UWE Bristol’s contribution to Happy Avonmouth was led by Sarah Behenna from UWE Bristol’s Science Communication Unit/School of Engineering, working with an interdisciplinary UWE team including Dr Laura Fogg-Rogers (Centre for Environment, Society and Resilience/School of Engineering), Dr Judith Aston (School of Arts) and Dr Laura Hobbs (College of Health, Science and Society), alongside Avonmouth CE Primary School, Avonmouth Community Centre, The Bristol Port Company, SevernNet and a wide network of local employers and community partners.

Over 1,500 visitors at the School of Engineering Family Fun Day!

Author engineering | Posted on

The School of Engineering welcomed more than 1,500 visitors to its annual Family Fun Day, bringing together families, local communities, staff, students and industry partners for a day packed with hands-on engineering activities and discovery.

Visitors of all ages had the opportunity to experience engineering in action through a wide range of interactive activities. From building and testing wind turbines and trying out flight simulators to watching spectacular liquid nitrogen demonstrations and exploring the ExplorerDome planetarium, there was something to spark everyone’s curiosity.

The event also celebrated the creativity and innovation of young people from across the South West through the Leaders Award competition. Shortlisted inventions were displayed throughout the day, giving visitors the opportunity to explore the imaginative engineering solutions developed by local school pupils.

For older students and their parents and carers, Degree Apprenticeship talks offered an insight into alternative routes into higher education, helping visitors discover how they can gain valuable industry experience while studying for a degree.

The Family Fun Day is an important part of the School of Engineering’s commitment to inspiring the next generation of engineers and demonstrating how engineering touches every aspect of our lives. By providing opportunities to experiment, ask questions and engage directly with engineering research and technology, the event aims to encourage more young people to consider engineering and STEM careers in the future.

Events of this scale are only possible thanks to the enthusiasm and dedication of a huge number of people. A sincere thank you goes to the School of Engineering staff, students, volunteers and partners who generously gave their time and expertise to create such an enjoyable and inspiring experience for every visitor.

Take a look at our highlights video below to see some of the fantastic moments from the day and the incredible atmosphere created by everyone who joined us.

Thank you to everyone who attended, we look forward to welcoming you back next year!

Flying Start Challenge takes off in School of Engineering!

Author joshuawarren | Posted on

The School of Engineering recently hosted the annual Flying Start competition in partnership with several aerospace companies in the West including Airbus and Atkins Realis.

The Inspire Sustainability outreach team helped organise the event which saw around 100 Key Stage 3 pupils from many different schools in the region compete to design, build and fly a glider.  The competition also included other engineering challenges such as poster presentations, straw tower building, wind turbine designs, and balloon car racing.  Thanks also goes to Andy Hill in the Digital Gallery, providing flight and driving sims for the young engineers to have a go on throughout the day.

All of which took place in the School of Engineering in what proved to be an exciting and brilliant day of innovation and inspiration.  The young engineers certainly left the day with raised ambitions and a stronger view of what studying engineering at UWE could look like for them.

The competition was very close, with the team from Clifton High School taking home the top prize!

James Candy from Atkins Realis, thanked the Inspire Sustainability team and the School of Engineering. “It turned out to be a great event. We massively appreciate the effort and enthusiasm you brought to the day, and your support made a real difference.”

To find out more about the Flying Start Challenge, visit https://flyingstartchallenge.com/

To find out more about the Inspire Sustainability outreach team at the School of Engineering, contact the team at engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk or check out the other blog posts about the team’s outreach at Engineering Our Future blog | Engineering Our Future

Mayor of the West of England champions Circular Economy at UWE Bristol Repair Café

Author katcorbett | Posted on

We were delighted to welcome Helen Godwin, Mayor of the West of England, to our March Repair Café at the School of Engineering. The Mayor brought along her family’s cuckoo clock for repair, which had stopped working, and was supported by a team of staff, students, and community volunteers.

The Repair Café is a free monthly event held every second Wednesday during term-time, offering UWE Bristol staff, students, and the wider public the chance to have broken items repaired. From electrical appliances to clothes, and anything that can be glued, soldered or stitched, the initiative embodies UWE Bristol’s commitment to the circular economy and sustainability.

Since launching in 2023, the Repair Café has hosted 22 events, with over 1,660 volunteer hours contributed. More than 600kg of waste has been kept out of landfill, preventing an estimated 4,628kg of CO2 emissions – the equivalent of growing 77 tree seedlings over ten years.

Mayor Helen Godwin said, Initiatives like this are such a great example of our community coming together. Experts are mentoring and working with young people, passing on practical skills while helping people to fix and reuse things they care about.

“It also shows how reuse and repair are part of our region’s DNA – bringing people together, sharing knowledge, and celebrating the good things happening across the West of England.”

Kat Corbett, Interim Head of Circular Economy at UWE Bristol, added, “We’re so happy Helen stopped by the Repair Café to make use of the skilled staff, students and members of the public that volunteer here and collectively support people with the cost of living while also helping them to live more sustainably.

“As a university, we’re committed to reducing waste and embracing a circular economy. We’d really encourage members of our local community to make use of this free service available to them and have their own items repaired, like Helen.”

Dr Laura Fogg Rogers, Associate Professor in Engineering in Society, who leads student engagement in the Repair Café, said, “Our Repair Café events empower students to develop their skills to repair items, as well as gaining employability experience. Events like this are a great example of the Everyday Economy, and a growing sector for green jobs. That’s why we support the Bristol Repair Coalition to grow the repair and reuse movement across the West of England.”

Members of the public interested in having items repaired can sign up for upcoming Repair Café events via UWE Bristol’s website.

Get training to inspire schools in green jobs

Author louisacockbill | Posted on

Are you passionate about green jobs? Want to inspire children into the green sector & empower teachers in their eco-teaching? This could be the training for you.

When: Tuesday 25th November, 4 – 6pm

Where: 4Z002, School of Engineering, UWE Bristol, Frenchay campus

Get tickets here

The Inspire Sustainability team based in the School of Engineering, are partnering with Graphic Science, the STEM Ambassador Delivery Partner for South West England – to deliver the training.

This training session is for people passionate about green jobs in the South West of England who want to connect with schools to inspire the next generation into the green sector – both through sharing career stories with children directly, and through empowering teachers to use examples of green careers in their teaching.

Expect to be equipped with the resources, lesson plans, and insight into how to deliver engaging green job workshops in schools. The workshops are based on the “Inspiring Green Futures” top-trump style cards that feature 48 local people in green jobs.

Breif agenda:

  • learn a little bit about the background to why this resource was created, includingthe just transition and inclusive recruitment issues it seeks to address.
  • focused practical training – equipping you with what you need to go into schools and talk to children and teachers about green careers
  • end with opportunities to sign up to workshop days in schools, and to get involved in UWE led teacher CPD sessions, where you can connect with teachers and influence their lesson plans.
TicketS! Getting green job information into schools Tickets, Tue, Nov 25, 2025 at 4:00 PM | Eventbrite

Internship Reflection: Finding Purpose Beyond the Pay | CATE’s internship scheme

Author engineering | Posted on

By Nicolle Hanselmann

I was lucky to be accepted into the School of Engineering’s summer internship programme. While everyone knows students are often broke (yes, money does help), my motivation came from somewhere deeper.

A little background before I dive into my experience.

I’m a mature student studying Mechatronics, about to begin my third year on an Integrated Master’s degree. Excited, and maybe a bit scared, I chose this path to save time, which meant skipping the usual placement year that helps students stand out after graduation. Placements can often be the golden ticket during interviews, but for me, internships became the bridge, the opportunity to gain experience, build confidence, and see where I might belong.

So, what was the experience like?
And would I recommend it to other students?
The answer is: Absolutely, yes, without a doubt.

What I Did

The variety of things I got involved in was incredible, and to be honest, fun. And how many people can say that about work?

My very first task was helping at the Cheltenham Science Festival, where we welcomed families, schools, and curious minds from all walks of life. It was my first real taste of making science accessible and enjoyable. I found myself explaining technical ideas in simple, playful ways, testing not just my knowledge, but my ability to connect.

We had children (and enthusiastic adults!) building wind turbines out of cardboard. Some people had never done anything like it before, and that meant a lot to me, because I am “some people.”

Other events I supported included:

  • Festival of Nature, Bristol: I greeted passersby, encouraged them to join in, and helped run our “Find the Sustainable Job Posters” activity (which came with well-earned stickers!)
  • UWE Family Fun Day: Welcoming families, helping with activities, and watching kids light up as they explored the engineering building
  • Women Like Me Mentoring Scheme: A mentor–mentee programme where I had the chance to share thoughts and be part of conversations that matter.
  • Leaders Awards Day: A celebration of creativity and potential young minds, and I got to be part of the team behind it
  • Unlock Cyber Taster Day
  • And, of course, the behind-the-scenes stuff, setting up, packing down, and tidying. Because every job, big or small, matters.

New Skills and Unexpected Growth

One of the highlights for me was blogging for the School of Engineering, with my reflection featured on the official UWE Engineering Blog:

Engineering Family Fun Day – A Celebration of Curiosity, Creativity, and Community | Engineering Our Future

I also found myself developing science communication skills in ways I never expected. No, I wasn’t giving formal speeches, but I was constantly talking to people, answering questions, guiding activities, and breaking things down in real time. That kind of spontaneous, human-centred interaction is public speaking, just more personal, more alive.

I learned how to tailor conversations depending on who I was talking to. A five-year-old? A retired engineer? A curious parent? Every moment taught me something.

These are the skills I’ll carry forward, not just in my studies, but in life.

A Heartfelt Thank You

This internship showed me a new side of engineering, not just circuits and code, but people, purpose, and passion. I got to work with some of the most down-to-earth, inspiring science communicators I’ve ever met. They believed in me, supported me, and gave me the space to show up as myself.

To brag a little (because sometimes it’s important!), here’s what Elaine Brown MBE, one of the staff I worked with, wrote to my supervisor Sarah Behenna, after the Unlock Cyber Taster Day:

“Just wanted to say thank you for introducing Nicolle, who was an absolute superstar. She was my go-to meet and greet person, welcoming all the schools as they entered the building. I don’t know how many steps she took during the day, but she made sure everything ran smoothly.”

A reminder that it’s not just about what you do, it’s about how you show up.

Final Thoughts

I now proudly include this on my CV:

Outreach and Engagement Intern – UWE School of Engineering
 May–July 2025

  • Delivered interactive STEM activities at public events and festivals
  • Contributed a published blog to the UWE Engineering site
  • Supported event planning, coordination, and inclusive engagement
  • Gained hands-on skills in science communication and team collaboration

If you ever have such an opportunity, take it. It might just be the thing that connects the dots in your journey, shows you what you’re capable of, and reminds you why you chose this path in the first place.

Future Ambition Fair brings skills, support and opportunity to Lawrence Weston

Author katcorbett | Posted on

On Tuesday 15 July, UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team partnered with Ambition Lawrence Weston to deliver the Future Ambition Fair – a community event designed to connect local residents with employment, training, and support opportunities.

Held at Ambition Lawrence Weston’s community hub, the fair brought together a wide range of local organisations offering advice on jobs, apprenticeships, further education and green career pathways. The event aimed to create a welcoming, practical space for people of all ages and backgrounds to explore their next steps.

A group of year 10 students learning about retrofitting with the Green Register and their Retrofit Trailer

Practical Help in a Friendly Setting

Attendees had the opportunity to speak directly with stallholders from local colleges, employers, and support organisations, as well as access free, hands-on support including:

  • CV writing and interview preparation
  • Free professional LinkedIn portraits
  • Information about local training and job opportunities
  • Family-friendly activities and free food throughout the day

The fair also welcomed a group of Year 10 students from St Bede’s Catholic College, who engaged with stallholders and took part in career conversations as part of their wider career development learning.

Participating organisations included Bristol City Council – Employment, Skills and Learning, Babbasa, Severnnet, Bristol Energy Network, Youth Environmental Service (YES), The Green Register, Bristol Waste, Wheels to Work, and others. UWE Bristol’s own Degree Apprenticeships and School of Health and Social Wellbeing teams were also present to share information on pathways into healthcare and work-based learning.

Strengthening Local Collaboration

Stallholders and attendees alike emphasised the value of personal conversations and being able to explore opportunities in a supportive environment. Many of the organisations involved highlighted the importance of showing up in community spaces, especially where access to careers support and higher education can be limited.

UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team, which leads projects focused on inclusive, community-led climate action and sustainable futures, organised the event as part of its work to connect green and healthy futures with real-world skills and employment pathways.

“We’re really pleased with how the event came together,” said Laura Fogg-Rogers, who leads on UWE Bristol’s Inspire Sustainability Team. “It was about creating a space where people could explore ideas without pressure – and where support felt genuinely accessible.”

Ambition Lawrence Weston, a long-standing community-led regeneration organisation, played a key role in shaping and promoting the event locally.

Looking Ahead

The Future Ambition Fair follows a successful similar event held in St Pauls earlier this year, and forms part of a growing programme of community-based career events co-organised by UWE Bristol and neighbourhood partners.

Plans are now in development for future events that build on these partnerships and continue to support residents in discovering new pathways into meaningful, sustainable work.

Engineering Family Fun Day – A Celebration of Curiosity, Creativity, and Community

Author engineering | Posted on

“It was great to see so many young people being interested in STEM. It was also a good day for parents who are not in the STEM field as well, to see them ask questions and inspire their children was amazing!”
– Sally Sin, Student Ambassador

UWE Engineering did it again! Our Family Fun Day welcomed a lively crowd of over 800 parents, children, students, and staff, all brought together by the magic of science, technology, and imagination.

The day was packed with hands-on activities that sparked curiosity across all ages. From making wind turbines, where every design seemed more creative than the last, attending the planetarium, to taking part in immersive simulations like car racing and flying, there was something to delight everyone.

Younger children dived into arts and crafts, decorating a beautiful wind turbine nature park. Meanwhile, our ever-popular Minecraft zone remained a crowd favourite, drawing in families for a digital STEM adventure.

For teens, the Degree Apprenticeship Talks offered valuable insights into future pathways in engineering, while those curious about sustainability took part in a fun ‘Find the Sustainable Job’ trail. The team championed for children to join the activity, and they enthusiastically did! As they explored the building, spotting posters and collecting stickers, their faces lit up with pride. And when their faces shone, so did their parents

Throughout the day, our enthusiastic staff and student ambassadors were on hand to guide visitors, answer questions, and make sure no one missed a thing. With plenty of food (yes, there were hotdogs!) and good vibes all around, the event kept everyone fuelled and smiling.

The whole team agreed, the day was exciting, curiosity was sparked, and the time flew by! We learned, we shared, we laughed. We’re already looking forward to hopefully hosting it again in summer 2026. See you then!

Inspire team feature at the Festival of Nature

Author louisacockbill | Posted on

UWE Engineering’s Inspire Sustainability team took part in the Festival of Nature events in Bath and Bristol city centres between 7th and 15th of June – speaking to visitors about green jobs in our region.

The Festival of Nature is a huge annual celebration of the natural world, with a whole range of activities and events designed to engage local people in the environment. The Inspire team is taking part in these events as part of the Green Futures project funded by the West of England Combined Authority to inspire young people into green career pathways. The project has aims to see thousands of local school pupils and children with special educational needs, but also has an emphasis on family engagement – recognising the role parent’s play in shaping children’s careers.

“Create a wind turbine nature park” was the activity on offer at the team’s stalls at SouthGate Place in Bath, and Millennium Square in Bristol. Over three days, 750 people crafted their ideas for the nature park onto tablecloth collages, all whilst having conversations about the real people who care for nature parks and are involved in installing wind turbines in local communities.

One of the beautiful nature parks crafted by visitors to the festival

At the Bristol Festival during “Wild Weekend”, the Inspire team joined the UWE Bristol marquee and, with the help of a few UWE student ambassadors, added in another element to activities – challenging children to take part in a hunt for green jobs. Young people searched for posters placed around the festival marquees depicting people in green roles – including Engineering’s own Laura Fogg-Rogers.

Local child, Maisie, won the competition and a pack of “Inspire Green Futures” card packs.

Green Job Hunt competition entries

Also on at the Bristol event was the “Great Green Expectations” training session led by UWE partner Liz Lister from Graphic Science – to aid educators incorporating green jobs into their lessons. The Inspire team will be running more of these sessions for educators and ambassadors in the autumn – please get in touch if interested – engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk.

Photos of the team in action in Bristol and Bath – special thanks to Sarah, Nicolle, Dream and Keily from UWE and STEM Ambassadors Peter, Fadl and Ben. Plus Liz for running the training session.

The team had great conversations with a whole range of visitors: from connecting teachers and community leaders in to the Inspire resources, to conversations with a student wanting to use dance to promote environmentalism.

Two wonderful weekends where UWE engaged the community in green jobs – thanks to the West of England Combined Authority for funding this important work raising awareness of the need in, and new emerging opportunities for, green jobs.

UWE Engineering at Cheltenham Science Festival

Author joshuawarren | Posted on

This year’s Cheltenham Science Festival was again attended by UWE’s Inspire Sustainability team, providing an exciting STEM activity for the thousands of school children that came along. The team had an activity stand in the festival’s ‘Discover Zone’, along with other festival partners bringing STEM to life.

The team brought their popular ‘Power our Future’ activity, which invites children to become engineers to design and build the best wind turbine blades, generating the most clean energy! The teams must consider the shape, size, angle, and material of their blade design, as well as choosing how many to build! Then test their designs on the real wind turbine, and generate as much energy as possible.

The activity is designed to encourage children to think like an engineer and follow the ‘engineering design process’, whilst also bringing together some key learning around sustainability and how we as a society need to move faster towards renewable energy sources like wind.

The week was a great success with thousands of children making their way through the festival’s ‘Discover Zone’ over six very busy days. The UWE stand saw a lot of interest and every team had their team name and score placed on the leaderboard! We particularly loved the creativity with team names, and congratulations to team ‘Pancake Grandpa’ that ended up winning the week with a score of over 11 volts!

The team and the stand at Cheltenham was also supported by the IMechE, you can find more information about them here.

You can also find information about the workshops and outreach that the Inspire Sustainability team provide by visiting the curiosityconnections.net site, or by emailing the team on engineeringourfuture@uwe.ac.uk.

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