At-Bristol and the University of Bristol are delighted to announce a follow-up event to last month’s successful Science Matters drugs debate. ‘Are soft drugs doing your head in?’ is a free discussion event, taking place on 23 June from 6.30 - 9 pm in Room 128, Bristol City College Hartcliffe.
The first Science Matters event held in Hartcliffe last month with special guest, BBC TV presenter and Bristol University’s Collier Professor of the Public Engagement in Science and Engineering, Kathy Sykes, addressed the topical subject of recreational drugs and proved so popular the audience requested a follow-up. Participants were particularly keen to know more about the effect drugs can have on the brain and body, both in the long and short term. In discussion, links with crime, concern about other activities for young people, questions about genetics and whether being prone to addictions is inherited and changes in legal classification came up as areas of concern. With so many issues raised in debate and with so much still to understand, the audience were hungry for more.
The free follow-up event on 23 June aims to dig deeper into the specific issues raised by the community and will be led by Steve Mills from the Hartcliffe and Withywood Drugs Project. Steve will be joined by a panel of healthcare and drugs experts including Dr Tim Williams, an addiction specialist from the University of Bristol, Jane Bower from Hartcliffe Tackles Drugs and Stella Mann from IRIS (Involving Residents In Solutions).
Designed to delve beyond newspaper headlines, the Science Matters events aim to give community groups the opportunity to find out information for themselves and communicate their views on different ethical issues to key local decision makers and scientists.
Professor Kathy Sykes says: ‘A big aim of these events is for the University of Bristol and At-Bristol to understand local communities better, and start dialogues about issues that really matter, I've personally learned so much and been so inspired by people in the community and the people who've come said they enjoyed and learned from the events too.’
‘Are soft drugs doing your head in?’ is a free event open to all. Places allocated on a first-come-first-served basis on the night. The venue is Room 128, Bristol City College Hartcliffe, Bishport Avenue, Hartcliffe.
For more information about the Science Matters project, please contact Amanda France, At-Bristol Education Officer on 0117 9157 248 or email amanda.france@at-bristol.org.uk or Kathy Sykes on 07903 932 866, kathy.sykes@bristol.ac.uk
The Science Matters project is funded by the Copus Grant Scheme awarded to the University of Bristol, who are working in collaboration with At-Bristol and the University of the West of England.
At-Bristol, a registered charity, has won nine awards since opening in 2000 including the Good Britain Guide 2001’s ‘Family Attraction of the Year’ and ‘Large Attraction of the Year’ in the England in Excellence Awards South West. It consists of three attractions: Explore-At-Bristol - a hands-on science centre, IMAX® Theatre-At-Bristol - the largest cinema screen in the west of England and Wildwalk-At-Bristol - a journey from the origins of life to the ends of the Earth.
It is a Landmark Millennium Attraction whose principal partners include the Millennium Commission (£44.3 million), the South West of England Regional Development Agency (£17.1 million) and Bristol City Council (£15.7 million).