Nearly 500 pupils from across the county gathered in Whittle Hall at RAF Cranwell, near Sleaford to attend the annual Sir Isaac Newton Schools Lecture, this year presented by the television personality Dick Strawbridge and entitled 'Going Green'.
The lecture, organised and co-sponsored by the local elements of Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET) and the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) aims to stimulate an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) amongst young people. The event has been hosted by the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering, RAF Cranwell since 1988, having been initiated by the IMechE in 1967, utilising national sponsorship and high profile speakers.
In his talk, Dick Strawbridge quickly gained the complete attention of his audience and with the help of a few well chosen props, plucked like rabbits from his 'box of tricks', tackled the major issues of a family of four attempting to convert, and then live in, an old farmhouse in a green and eco-friendly way. Water supplies (from a stream), electricity (using a waterwheel), waste disposal (a recyclable cesspit) and fuel for the old Land Rover (used chip fat oil) were all graphically explained, along with basic family finance (how to make money from your parents, by sharing the profits from going green) and other major issues which humanity is now beginning to try to come to terms with. Not a cough or a shuffle could be heard; his young listeners were clearly enthralled. A prolonged question and answer session ensued, with many school groups queuing up for further discussion and to have their photographs taken.
After serving in the Army for 20 years and rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Dick Strawbridge was awarded the MBE and has subsequently embarked on a new career in television with programmes such as BBC's 'It's Not Easy Going Green' and Channel 4's 'Scrap Heap Challenge'. Attending his lecture were RAF Cranwell's Station Commander, Group Captain Nigel Wharmby, Councillor Ian Cartwright (Chairman, Lincolnshire County Council), Mrs Stella Morgan from STEMPOINT (the local node of the STEM education network), Mrs Di Grocock, Lincolnshire County Council Children's Services Department, Mrs Carol Sayles (IET), Mr Barrie Fitton (IMechE) and Wing Commander Chris Pye who chaired this year's event and represented the Cranwell Branch of the RAeS.