Festive family fun at the University of Teesside

Where can you make your own funky festive fridge magnet? Watch a Scientific pantomime? Test your pop knowledge against a computer? Or design and make your own Christmas cards with the help of a local artist?

These and many more activities will be on offer to local school pupils and their families, from across the Tees Valley, at the University of Teesside on Sunday 7 December from 1pm to 4pm. The invited pupils and families will be enjoying the Meteor Festive Family Fun Day, which offers a festive slice of University life. Nearly 1,000 local school pupils aged 10-14 and their families will attend the day, which also includes sports, a film show and ends with a disco in the Students’ Union. Guests will be welcomed by pupils from Middlesbrough’s Abingdon Primary School, along with their Head Teacher Bob Eastwood. The pupils will be playing in a steel band in the University’s Clarendon Link Building from 12-45 pm to 2-45pm.

Wendy Bell, Manager of the Meteor Primary Programme, said: “The Festive Family Fun Day provides a wide range of both fun and educational activities. It’s an ideal opportunity for the Meteor children and their families to start their festive season.”

The University of Teesside launched the Meteor programme in 1999 in collaboration with Middlesbrough Borough Council (funded by the Single Regeneration Budget) initially involving six primary schools in central Middlesbrough. It now involves 15 primary schools and nine secondary schools from across the Tees Valley. The programme now includes four schools from East Cleveland who are funded through the Rural Development Programme. Meteor aims to raise the aspirations of pupils, aged 10 and above, by inviting them into the University for a series of short taster activities. Student mentors then work in schools with the pupils throughout the year, prior to a Summer School that involves a wider range of activities. The Summer School ends in two special mini-graduations for all the children at Middlesbrough Town Hall.

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