Celebrating its tenth jamboree, the University of Liverpool's award-winning Science Jamboree has welcomed over 4500 young members from the Cheshire and Merseyside’s Scouting and Girlguiding organisations, to experience a fun-packed day of hands-on STEM exploration.
On Saturday 29 November 2025, over 500 Cubs, Beavers, and Brownies joined this year’s event for 'hands on' experiences and got involved in a huge range of interactive scientific experiments and activities — all linked to badge requirements and designed to spark curiosity.
Launched in 2016, the Science Jamboree was created to give university students the opportunity to develop their science-communication skills, build confidence and inspire the joy of discovery with young people. Each year around 70 students, supported by staff and specialist mentors, form project teams to design and deliver safe, engaging sessions based on the strict briefs for Scouting and Girlguiding criteria. The Science Jamboree is organised by Drs Charlie Devlin, Laura Randle and Cate Cropper along with Chris Marchant.
This year’s 10th celebration had extra surprises with Professor Pat the Liver Bird joining in with the fun packed programme that included:
- Planetarium stargazing
- Mini-drone flight training
- Solar system building
- Gravity-defying egg drops
- Marvellous Medicine
- Bicycle mechanics
- Marshmallow bridge engineering
- Authentic cave painting techniques
- The chemistry of “dragon snot”
…and many more inspiring activities.
“Harder to get into than a Taylor Swift concert!”
Cate Cropper, event organiser and Senior Lecturer at the University of Liverpool, said:
“It’s a privilege to be part of something so joyful and educational. Alongside my colleague Chris Marchant, we’ve been involved since the very beginning, and the enduring partnerships with Girlguiding and Scouts County and Regional Commissioners have been instrumental to our success.”
Reflecting on the event’s popularity, she added:
“The Science Jamboree sells out almost as soon as places open — it’s genuinely harder to get a place here than to get tickets for a Taylor Swift concert! We’re incredibly proud of our students, who design and deliver these sessions with such passion and professionalism.”
“A highlight of the Scouting and Guiding calendar”
Heather Lomas, Northwest Regional Lead Volunteer for Scouts, said:
“Science Jamboree is one of the highlights of our year. It’s a fantastic day. Everyone enjoys it and learns a huge amount, from our youngest members to troop leaders. They experience an amazing range of STEM activities that have been designed to inspire learning and help develop young people's STEM skills for life. Our partnership with the University of Liverpool is something we value deeply.”
Sue Clough, Girlguiding Cheshire Forest explains:
"Hands on learning has so much more impact when delivered by professionals and those with specialist knowledge of the subject. Science being made fun and 'cool' and delivered outside of a school setting to our uniformed organisations makes it so much more memorable and enjoyable for the young members attending. Thanks to all those involved in delivering this and congratulations on your 10-year milestone!"
Merseyside County Lead Volunteer, Chris Valentine-Burrows, added:
“It's a great opportunity for our scouting and guiding organisations to engage with the university's students and local communities. For many young people, this is their first time in real laboratories and their first chance to try so many different STEM activities. The Jamboree has introduced thousands of young people to the amazing world of science.”
Cheshire County Lead Volunteer, Dave Hopley, agreed:
“The fact that places sell out so quickly every year speaks for itself. The Science Jamboree gives young people the opportunity to try something new, develop STEM skills, and earn badges along the way — it’s a real win-win.”
Jenny Brown, Girlguiding Wirral County Commissioner, adds
“We’d like to say a big thank you to Liverpool University for welcoming Girlguiding units from the Wirral over the last 10 years! Experiences like this spark confidence and curiosity, provide access, and open our young members’ eyes to the world of STEM. It is so important that girls see the exciting careers waiting for them and know that they can be innovators of the future.”
Chris Marchant, organiser and Outreach Manager for the School of Physical Sciences and Scout Leader at 1st Great Sutton in Ellesmere Port, concludes:
“We’re incredibly proud to celebrate this milestone for the Science Jamboree and the legacy it has created. More than 4,500 young people — and over 700 university students — have been part of this fantastic event, and each year we see the impact it makes. Our students gain invaluable communication and employability skills, while the young people they work with leave inspired, curious and excited about science.”
University of Liverpool
Saturday 29 Nov 2025