University News Last updated 12 June 2019
Hundreds of young people from across the region have been treated to a day of free activities, giving them the chance to transform waste materials into their own beautiful creations.
More than 1,000 visitors attended Birmingham City University’s Inspired Family Day, which marked World Oceans Day, and featured a range of activities focussed on reducing plastic, cutting waste and protecting our seas.
The annual event featured opportunities for attendees to create their own jewellery, transform waste fabric into woven wall hangings and turn scrap beads and sequins into embroidery panels.
In celebration of World Oceans Day, activities were themed around making use of waste materials, promoting sustainability and reducing the use of plastic.
An array of recycled products, which would ordinarily be heading for landfill, were used throughout the day in activities hosted by academics from the University which also gave visitors a taste of life in higher education.
World Oceans Day (8 June) is an annual celebration of our oceans and aims to raise awareness of ways to protect them and the sea life that inhabits them.
Other events included creating water filters from waste plastic bottles and learning how to eliminate oil pollution using recycled household waste products.
Young people also came face-to-face with Birmingham’s history through sessions with The Museum of Archaeology London, who taught guests about the excavation of Birmingham’s Park Street burial ground in preparation for the first phase of HS2.
The Museum allowed visitors to take part in a replica archaeological dig and get their hands on real-life artefacts discovered underneath the historic site in the centre of Birmingham.
Sara Middleton, Associate Dean for Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Arts, Design and Media, said: “Inspired Family Day gives us an opportunity to welcome hundreds of people from our local community through our doors and give them a taste of life at a university.
“Family Day is all about inspiring the next generation of talent in the West Midlands through fun activities, but it is equally important that we were able to provide an important message which children can take with them throughout their lives.”
Inspired Family Day formally opened Birmingham City University’s annual Inspired Festival, which showcases end-of-year projects created by students graduating from the University.
The Festival, which is open to the public until June 16, features work produced by students in the University’s Faculty of Arts, Design and Media showcased at its Parkside Building in Birmingham’s Eastside.
Further shows will be held at its School of Jewellery in Vittoria Street and School of Art at Margaret Street.
For more information visit www.bcu.ac.uk/inspired.
