Science4u.info receives the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service

Science4u.info, led by a team of healthcare professionals, including 50 volunteers at GOSH, has been honoured with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service, the highest award a voluntary group can receive in the UK.

Science4u.info is an annual event with an accompanying website that is in its 17th year, which targets students from less advantaged backgrounds from schools all across London to encourage them to study science. It also highlights scientific careers with a focus on the range of disciplines the NHS and other public and private sector organisations can offer. From Cardiac Physiologists to Microbiologists, science4u.info provides a fun-filled interactive educational day for pupils and teachers which is curriculum related and CPD session for teachers. It is run entirely by volunteers and relies on sponsorship for its activities. They partner with hosts the University of Westminster, The Royal College of Pathologists run an interactive workshop and volunteers from across the NHS and other organisations offer hands on science activities.

Science4u.info is one of 230 charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year. The award aims to recognise outstanding work by volunteer groups to benefit their local communities. The number of nominations remains high year on year, showing that the voluntary sector is thriving and full of innovative ideas to make life better for those around them.

Dr Kimberly Gilmour ( Chief of Laboratory Medicine at GOSH) and Dr Stuart Adams (Joint Trust Lead Healthcare Scientist at GOSH) are both co-chairs for science4u. They share their gratitude towards the accolade:

“It is an honour and a pleasure to receive this prestigious award on behalf of all the organising committee, our enthusiastic volunteers, our partners, sponsors and the University of Westminster. This award is very much a recognition of all the parties involved who give their time to ensuring such a successful and worthwhile event and to the schools that support this event. We hope it will enable us to continue running this event for many years to come”.

Paul Hampson (University of Westminster) says:

“We would also like to thank the teachers in the schools that have enabled their pupils to benefit from first-hand knowledge of discovering the many opportunities and careers that science can offer and hope that we may meet them in the future.”

Learn more about science4u.info here.