The Trust Annual Review 2017–2018 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 About us Introduction

The Oxford Trust is an independent charitable trust, founded in 1985 by entrepreneurs Sir Martin and The Oxford Trust is at a crucial stage in its Centre (SOC). The WCFI, along with our existing Lady Audrey Wood. Our mission is to encourage the pursuit of science and enterprise. We create, 33-year history and poised to enter a new phase Oxford Centre for Innovation (OCFI), will double our develop and deliver programmes across three key objectives: of operations that will have a pivotal impact on our capacity to support knowledge-intensive start-ups future ability to deliver our mission to encourage by providing flexible, cost-effective office space in the pursuit of science and enterprise. two different city locations. Enterprise – To support the innovation ecosystem in our region (Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire.) Our trustees and staff are focussed on making a The SOC will be the UK’s first integrated indoor- difference to those communities we serve: the outdoor science education centre for primary and Education – To inspire young people about science, technology, engineering and maths. entrepreneurs and high-tech SME businesses in early years children and will enable us to inspire Engagement – To encourage people of all ages to engage with how scientific research our region, primary and secondary schools across even more young people about STEM. impacts on their lives. Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, and our public We began building work on the development at audience of all ages. the start of 2018 and it’s reassuring to know that, as While the Trust focuses on the enterprise strategy, We invest in activities, projects and programmes of In this review you will read about the innovative this is written, we are on schedule and on budget our education and engagement programmes are work and partner with like-minded organisations ways the Trust is making an impact. For example, to deliver this fantastic project by spring 2019. It is delivered through our brand. that share our vision and help us to deliver our our award-winning STEM World of Work an ambitious undertaking – funded by the careful mission. Our current activities include: programme which has reached over 3000 financial stewardship of our trustees and staff, The Trust has a simple but effective charitable secondary school students this year; and our generous contributions from our patrons Sir Martin business model: we own and run the Oxford O Science Oxford education & investment in programmes that encourage and and Lady Audrey Wood, many local individuals from Centre for Innovation (OCFI) on New Road in engagement programmes support enterprise such as Venturefest Oxford and Oxfordshire’s science ecosystem and grants from central Oxford, providing cost-effective office space Advanced Oxford. local and national foundations. for science and tech start-ups. The income from O Innovation centres: OCFI and our new OCFI is reinvested into Science Oxford’s education Wood Centre for Innovation, which We’re proud to share our successes with you – but Our team has worked tirelessly to turn a long-held and engagement programmes. The strength of opens spring 2019 we also know that we can do more, much more. aspiration into a steel-and-timber reality, while still our model is that it is self-sustaining and supports managing to deliver our existing dynamic enterprise, O Venturefest Oxford In spring 2019, the Trust will launch its most both ends of the ecosystem, from inspiring young educational and engagement programmes. ambitious project yet – a new innovation centre children about the O Advanced Oxford and science education centre in Oxford. Situated in Thank you to everyone who has, and continues to, wonders of science to O IF Oxford, Science & Ideas Festival Quarry, Stansfeld Park is a unique share our ambitions. helping high-tech 18-acre site that will be home to the Wood Centre start-ups to develop O The Oxford Trust Enterprise Awards for Innovation (WCFI) and the Science Oxford and grow. O Make Oxford prototyping space

Steve Burgess - Chief Executive John Boyle - Chairman

The Science of Beer at Tap Social - February 2018 The Big Science Event competition – July 2018 Our Enterprise Awards – September 2018 *Please note that the Science Oxford data within this review covers the academic year 2017/18.

2 3 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 May We launched our children’s wildlife Our year in pictures March photography competition and wildlife cameraman Doug Allen gives a talk in Contract signed with Beard Oxford Abingdon. Applications for Enterprise to develop Stansfeld Park and broke Awards open. September ground on project, Thinking, Doing, July We celebrated our patrons 90th November Talking Science project rolled out to Oxford Presenter Network birthdays, launched our CSI Cogges Hertfordshire and Essex. Make Oxford launched, Science Oxford named Former astronaut Scott Kelly talked January forensic science challenge and prototyping space opened. Provider of Year by Careers & space walks, we launched the Big FameLab heats kicked off, James Wong welcomed new trustee Jonathan Enterprise Company, Big Science Science Event 2018 and held our first raised £700 for UNICEF at our How Flint to the Board. Event final takes place. conservation day at Stansfeld Park. to Eat Better event , Science On Your Doorstep series started. 2017 2018

SCIENCE OXFORD LIGHT UP YOUR

WINTER 6TH DECEMBER THE BULLINGDON ICE COLD SCIENCE CABARET OUR POPULAR A BLIZZARD OF BRILLIANT SCIENCE PERFORMERS SATURDAY

. FOR AGES 16+ CLUBS 9TH DECEMBER OXFORD CENTRE FOR INNOVATION ARE BACK WITH A NEW PROGRAMME CHRISTMAS CODING WINTER / SPRING CREATIVE COMPUTING CLUB: TEST YOUR SCRATCH CODING SKILLS. FOR AGES 9-15 2018

16TH DECEMBER OXFORD CENTRE FOR INNOVATION WONDERFUL WEATHER SATURDAY SCIENCE CLUB: MINI METEOROLOGISTS EXPLORE THE SCIENCE OF WEATHER. FOR AGES 5-9

21ST DECEMBER OF OXFORD CHRISTMAS SCIENCE A FESTIVE WORKSHOP MAKING CRACKERS AND DECORATIONS. FOR AGES 4-9

31ST JANUARY/1ST FEBRUARY ST ALDATES TAVERN FAMELAB OXFORD HEATS COMING COME AND WATCH THE BEST IN NEW LIVE SCIENCE PERFORMERS COMPETE SOON FOR A PLACE IN THE UK FINAL. FOR AGES 16+ 14TH FEBRUARY CHIPPING NORTON THEATRE 2018 THE LIGHT FANTASTIC A DAZZLING JOURNEY ACROSS THE LIGHT SPECTRUM. FOR AGES 8+ June August October SCIENCEOXFORD.COM Gatsby Charitable Foundation gives support We run Summer events Existing buildings at Stansfeld February April to new education centre fundraising programme for underserved Park were demolished, December New computing CPD for teachers We hold STEM Experience Week campaign. We run Oxford Green Week communities, including library Science Oxford employer launched for Science Oxford Month for secondary students, IF Festival All Science Oxford winter events events and photography competition winners tour, shows, workshops and awards were launched and we of Computing. We also celebrated launched with schools poetry sell out, and Christmas twitter announced at Headington Festival. Robot Camp in East Oxford. hosted our Young Scientists of campaign reaches 6,750 people. International Day of Women & Girls competition and FameLab final takes the Year. Primary school NASA model in Science and took part in Oxford place in London. challenge begins. Careers Fest.

4 5 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18

We also welcomed former US astronaut Scott Kelly, who touched down in Oxford to talk about life on board the Sharing success ISS as part of our vibrant year-round public engagement programme. Thanks to our great partnership with Abingdon School, a packed family audience of 400 people heard wildlife cameraman Doug Allen talk about life under the Arctic ice. It was a privilege to hear these two inspirational explorers talk about life at the extremes.

In March, we opened Make Oxford – a new prototyping facility at the Oxford Centre for Innovation. This Our new Make Oxford prototyping space opened in March creative workspace is for local high tech businesses and entrepreneurs but is also proving popular with our Saturday science club members. Records and awards Our schools programme went from strength to strength. Over 13,500 children took part in our popular primary

Secondary school students taking part in our science investigation competition The Big Science award-winning World of Work programme Event. Our secondary careers programme – STEM World New beginnings the local Headington community, work that has of Work – was named Provider of the Year by education evolved into an ongoing community engagement funder The Careers & Enterprise Company. An artist’s impression of our Stansfeld Park development There’s nothing like a party to get the new (academic) programme that includes partnerships with local We love to share our successes, which has had a year started and so it was that we found ourselves primary and secondary schools plus community positive impact on our social media reach. Our Twitter surrounded by colleagues and friends at a special groups in east Oxford. A highlight was a children’s following rose by 17 per cent over the year to 14,000+ celebration in September to mark the 90th birthdays photography competition which we ran in and our Facebook page now reaches an average of of the Trust’s patrons, Sir Martin and Lady Audrey collaboration with Headington Action that had over 6,000 people per month. Wood. The celebration was a great opportunity for all 150 entries from local primary schools. the charities that the Woods’ founded and still support It’s certainly been a year of good news for the Trust. – including the Earth Trust, Wild Oxfordshire, the Sylva We also built on our work to bring STEM engagement Read on to explore the data and impact of the Trust’s Foundation and the Trust – to come together to say a to underserved communities and people across programmes. big ‘thank you’. the region. The summer library tour of our popular A pupil skateboards as part of Joining Forces schools workshop

It was a quite a year of celebration and achievement Science of Magic show reached over 1,000 children for the Trust too; we broke ground on the biggest from ten villages across Oxfordshire. We launched development in our history – a £13m project to build a new Saturday club in Bicester and welcomed 13 a new science education centre and innovation young people from the Rose Hill area to a week-long centre at Stansfeld Park in Headington Quarry, Oxford Robot Camp where they learnt about engineering, (see pages 14–15 for more information). The new CAD, robotics and 3D printing. HALF TERM Science Oxford Centre for early years and primary- OCTOBER 2018 Touch down 24TH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY aged children, their teachers and families and the SO YOU THINK YOU KNOW ABOUT DINOSAURS? I’M MONKEY’S UNCLE: WHAT DEFINES MAN? EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGIST, AUTHOR AND BROADCASTER BEN GARROD Wood Centre for Innovation will enable us to increase AGE 7+ We welcomed a new Trustee – Jonathan Flint 26TH , WITNEY AGE 16+ FIRE SHOW our reach and impact across all our programmes. (former CEO of Oxford Instruments), and said a sort THE SCIENCE OF FIRE, EXPLOSIONSAGE 7+ & FIREWORKS 27TH OXFORD CENTRE FOR INNOVATION OXFORD, SATURDAY SCIENCE CLUB ABINGDON & BICESTER FESTIVAL OF LIGHT PUPPET THEATRE & CANDLEMAKING AGE 5-9 of goodbye to the Oxfordshire Science Festival, 27TH OYAP, BICESTER SATURDAY Building community engagement Our Science Oxford team reaches schools across the region SATURDAY SCIENCE CLUB CLUBS WHERE THE WILD THINGS LIVE AGES 5-17 which, under new leadership but with continued AGE 5-9 The Stansfeld Park project also gave us an Trust support, has evolved to become the IF Oxford WWW.SCIENCEOXFORD.COM opportunity to meet and work closely with Science & Ideas Festival.

6 7 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 Supporting innovation

Oxford Centre for Innovation (OCFI) Venturefest Oxford 2018 O 99% occupancy rate O 26 companies operating from the centre O 226 people employed on the site O GVA per filled job: c£11m O Occupancy support for companies: c£220,000

Make Oxford

O 4 skills training events hosted for The Foundry 3D printing at Make Oxford O 235 laser cutting and 3D printer jobs completed Oxford Centre for Innovation O 14 business prototyping projects completed With its universities, science campuses and national Oxfordshire’s leading technology sectors and research laboratories, the Oxford region has a featured over 50 local businesses. O 5 co-located companies using the space dynamic innovation ecosystem. It is home to over Make Oxford, our prototyping facility based at OCFI, 6,000 high-tech, knowledge intensive businesses opened early in 2018 and is slowly gaining traction that are at the forefront of UK and global research in amongst groups within the innovation community. Innovation Support areas such as robotics, autonomous vehicles, digital Several businesses moved into the centre to be co- O 754 Venturefest Oxford attendees Supporting the innovation ecosystem health and space. located with the facilities. Demand for prototyping The Trust is involved in this complex, dynamic jobs continued steadily throughout the year. Make O 50+ exhibitors ecosystem through our investment in activities Oxford, along with other shared spaces at OCFI, O 12 meet-up groups hosted 65 events at OCFI and programmes that support and encourage also became home to 12 local tech meet-up enterprise. Our innovation centre – the Oxford groups, which convene for monthly Centre for Innovation (OCFI) – offers affordable, networking events. Advanced Oxford flexible office space to high-tech start-ups. Reflecting the region’s flourishing innovation The venue has been perfect for us, and we O 20 member companies landscape, it remained at near-full capacity all year. consider ourselves very lucky to have been Venturefest Oxford 2018 Over 200 people worked in the building at any O 40 days of administrative support able to use it! We’ve managed to bring one time. together quite a few people from different In September, we celebrated the region’s innovation areas that would not have met otherwise. Enterprise Awards successes at our annual Enterprise Awards, held Meet-up group organiser in collaboration with Venturefest Oxford. The O 15 companies and young entrepreneurs entered reputation of the awards is growing – thanks in part Advanced Oxford (AO) is a group of senior leaders O awards presented to the continued support of our loyal sponsors as from Oxfordshire’s major knowledge-intensive 4 well as the calibre of applicants and winners. businesses who are working together to support the O Twitter campaign reached 13,549 people long-term development of the Oxford region as a Professor Sir John Bell was presented with the vibrant and prosperous place to work and live. The O 80 guests attended awards ceremony Consultant Connect wins Trust’s Outstanding Achievement Award. Venturefest Barclays Award for Innovation group currently has 20 members and we provided itself, which we support, was also a success with over 40 days of administrative and communications over 700 attendees and lots of positive feedback support to help AO get started. on the redesigned programme which showcased

8 9 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 Inspiring young people

Primary O We reached 197 primary schools and over 27,900 pupils Primary pupil enjoying Sound of Science workshop O 49 primary schools are part of our membership scheme O We delivered 144 outreach workshops and shows O We delivered CPD training to 659 teachers O 13,500 pupils from 77 schools participated in The Big Science Event

Secondary STEM work experience O We reached 2,529 students in 77 schools through the Pupils from Hanborough Manor Church of England Primary School, STEM World of Work programme winners of the Oxfordshire Big Science Event 2018. O We ran 14 Careers Days and 9 STEM Workplace Visits Our Science Oxford schools team provides a huge Diabetes Care and Playforce. This year the BSE range of STEM outreach opportunities to primary involved a staggering 13,500 children from 77 O We delivered 4 STEM Experience Weeks and 36 STEM and secondary schools across Oxfordshire and schools. It continues to be a huge success and the Work Experience Placements Buckinghamshire, as well as continuous professional 2019 competition has already been launched. O We engaged with 87 high-tech employers development (CPD) training to teachers. STEM work experience Our successful STEM World of Work programme, O students entered Young Scientist of the Year Over the past 12 months, our primary outreach funded by the Careers and Enterprise Company 126 team continued to deliver a diverse range of (CEC), creates opportunities to inspire secondary workshops and shows to nearly 200 primary school students to consider careers in science, schools across the region. Our science CPD for technology, engineering and maths. “It’s very interesting and gives a wider teachers is highly valued and therefore very popular This year it reached over 2,529 students – a success understanding of different careers within – we reached nearly 450 teachers through our acknowledged when Science Oxford received the general CPD programme and had a small number the STEM industry.” Secondary student, of enquiries for CPD from outside our region. award of Provider of the Year from the CEC. We STEM World of Work have yet to find equivalent funding for October Oxfordshire’s young scientists of the year 2018 onwards but intend to continue offering “The best bit was setting up our STEM World of Work activities via contributions Thinking, Doing, Talking Science (TDTS) is a professional from schools and to seek other grant opportunities own experiment and looking at development programme for teachers that aims to make where possible. something we wanted to find science lessons in primary schools more practical, creative out about.” Big Science Event With the building of the new Science Oxford and challenging by developing strategies to enable pupils to Centre (SOC) at Stansfeld Park well underway, the use higher order thinking skills. It is run by Science Oxford, participant, 2018 team has already begun work on the centre’s new in partnership with Oxford Brookes University, and research programme for schools. The outreach programme into the impact of the programme on pupils has been Our science investigation competition The Big complements the activities on offer in the SOC – funded by the Education Endowment Foundation. This year Science Event (BSE) is a leading light in our primary developing a ‘multi-touch’ approach to engagement 211 teachers from 150 schools benefited from TDTS CPD programme and we’re grateful for the ongoing with local schools, where the Science Oxford training and the opportunities of a nationwide programme support of our competition partners such as Abbott experience extends beyond just one activity or visit. are currently being explored. Our CPD for teachers continues to be popular

10 11 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 People & communities

Our adult engagement programme Banana keyboard making for OYAP O We ran 27 adult events in Accessible Instruments project O 20 venues across region O 21 people took part in FameLab O We reached 2,259 people through events O 95% scored our events as excellent or good O 31% not been to a science event before O 14% have come to their first science event since studying Lucy Guile, junior doctor and science at school winner of FameLab UK 2018

O 400 tickets sold to astronaut Scott Kelly talk

A young dinosaur fan meets primatologist, author and TV broadcaster Ben Garrod at ‘So you think you know about dinosaurs’ event

Public engagement with STEM is not just about Another key development in improving our Our family engagement programme putting on big science names in large venues; for us audience diversity this year was the establishment O 90 days of clubs shows and it is also about reaching new audiences (especially of a programming strand specifically for teenagers workshops delivered underserved people and communities) and this was aged 12–17. This is a challenging audience to a major focus of our activities this year. Underserved reach but our monthly Maker Club and Creative O 4,743 young people reached has several meanings. People might be underserved Computing Club sessions specifically designed for Wildlife photo competition winner because activities are unaffordable for them, or teenagers proved popular. They were able to attend O 102 Saturday science clubs run hard to get to, or not suitable for their age group or unaccompanied and had the freedom to focus on O We delivered 62 hands-on workshops accessible for their particular needs their own skills development and projects. O And performed 20 shows We delivered over 200 adult and family events A real highlight of the year was our summer series in different parts of Oxford and Oxfordshire and of activities that focused on reaching underserved O 7 central Oxford venues used worked in partnership with a range of cultural young people across Oxfordshire. We ran a free O 10 libraries on our summer tour venues. We used 17 different venues in central week-long Robot Camp for 11–15 year olds who live Oxford for our events, including theatres, in Rose Hill, which included tech workshops, visits O We ran 5 unique projects for underserved communities. bookshops and pubs plus seven venues further to local STEM employers and a final exhibition of afield in the city, such as The Glee Club and their work. Ultimate Picture Palace (East Oxford) and Tap The popular Science Oxford Fire Show heats up We also provided science drop-in activities at five “It was unique, more stuff like this Social Brewery (West Oxford). We also took to the Playscheme days for the Bretch Hill community road, bringing workshops and shows to 11 venues please!” (Big Bang to Big Band, Chipping in Banbury and two play days in Faringdon and in other parts of the region, including Abingdon, Bicester as well as taking our Science of Magic Norton Theatre). Woodstock and Great Missenden. We ran a CSI show on a tour of local libraries in Berinsfield, forensic challenge and Fire Show workshop at Chinnor, Chipping Norton, Cowley, Headington and Cogges Manor Farm in Witney, and a jazz/space Woodstock. We also partnered up with the Ark-T mash-up at the theatre in Chipping Norton. Centre in Cowley and OYAP (Oxfordshire Youth Arts Partnership) in Bicester on the My Normal: Accessible Instruments project.

12 13 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 ANNUAL REVIEW 2017-18 Increasing our impact

The Wood Centre for Innovation (WCFI), which opens in April 2019, will provide innovation space for entrepreneurs, start-up and grow-on companies working in science and technology. The WCFI will twin with our Oxford Centre for Innovation in central Oxford, meaning resident companies can The woodland will be an exciting place to explore and learn in use meeting facilities on both sites. Income from the WCFI will be reinvested back into the Trust its programmes. The adjoining Science Oxford Centre (SOC) will be the UK’s first indoor-outdoor education centre for children aged 3–11. The ethos of the centre is to enable skills-based learning through ‘active prolonged engagement’ with a unique exploration zone full of hands-on exhibits, complemented by workshops and shows that Science Oxford will be developing and delivering. There will also be a 120-

seat flexible auditorium for demonstrations, talks Breaking ground on the site in March 2018 and conferences. The SOC will be fully open by

The Science Oxford centre (left) and Wood Centre for September 2019. Innovation (right) at Stansfeld Park, opening in 2019. Most exciting is the 15-acre woodland setting of the new centre, which will be used for a wide The Trust has always wanted to find new ways to In January 2018, Beard range of STEM learning experiences, providing increase the reach and impact of the work we do Oxford was appointed a unique opportunity for children to explore the across our three core areas of enterprise, education to develop the site world around them and learn what ecology is and engagement. In 2016, we purchased the lease and building work all about. The woodland includes ponds and on 18 acres of land in Headington Quarry, a began soon after. grassland as well as being home to animal species little-known plot of woodland, ponds and We have named including foxes, badgers and deer. It has required dilapidated buildings that once comprised the the development significant work to bring it back to life so we are An artist’s impression of a pond and walkway in the grounds of the Park Stansfeld Outdoor Education Centre, owned by Stansfeld Park, working closely with landscapers, designers and Birmingham City Council. after the Rev John conservationists to ensure we maximise Our plan is to create a new science education Stansfeld (right). its potential. Rev. John Stansfeld centre and innovation centre to inspire future He founded Progress has been rapid, with the building structure generations of science innovators; to give more the site in 1919 complete and internal fit out already underway. young people the opportunity to experience the as a rural retreat for We are being sympathetic to the development’s excitement of science investigation and discovery; the working poor of his Oxford parish and woodland setting with green features such as a and to support young high-tech businesses by encouraged young people to learn skills that might sedum roof on the education centre and using giving them the space to grow and flourish too. help them in later life. sustainable British poplar for cladding. Photovoltaic panels and air source heat pumps will help to keep the energy bills down. There’s no doubt that 2019 is going to be transformative for the Trust and we look forward to The amazing Oxford Conservation Volunteers have been bringing you along on the journey. helping us to rejuvenate the woodland and make pathways safe

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Fundraising

The £13m development of Stansfeld The Science Oxford Centre (SOC) is Park divides into two funding streams. being funded through a combination We are funding the Wood Centre of other Trust reserves and substantial for Innovation (WCFI) through the philanthropic support. Thanks to the realisation of the Trust’s strategic generosity of our patrons, individual reserves, built up over many years donors and grant-making foundations, of investing in start-up companies, we have now secured £1.1m in alongside a manageable level of donations towards the opening of the commercial debt. SOC – with over £460k pledged in the past twelve months. designed and produced by www.imageworks.co.uk

www.theoxfordtrust.co.uk @theoxfordtrust

The Oxford Trust is a registered charity no. 292664, a company limited by guarantee no. 1898691