Community
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As a laboratory and clinically focused company many of our employees are highly educated in the fields of life, chemical and biomedical sciences. We are working with our local communities to share this expertise and help educate and support young scientists of the future.
Supporting the Science Department at Test Valley School
In November 2023, members of the Marketing department visited Test Valley School in Stockbridge in our eVan, to deliver some much need supplies and equipment to their Science department.
This donation included textbooks, microscopes, and an incubator, as well as an autoclave which will allow the students to carry out required practical experiments for GCSE for the first time, something they'd only been able to watch on video before.
All the students were thrilled with the new equipment, and couldn't wait to get started on new experiments.
Barton Peveril Sixth Form Students Supported by Alpha Laboratories
Barton Peverill Sixth Form College is an Ofsted “outstanding” education community focused on traditional A level curriculums. With over 3400 full-time students from across south central Hampshire it is the largest provider of A levels in the Solent LEP area.
The college is located less than 2 miles from Alpha Laboratories base in Eastleigh and we have developed a partnership with the Science department to support a number of catchup initiatives for the students. Initially these will help current students who have spent so much time home schooling and did not take GCSEs.
A £60,000 grant will provide the College and its students with new, state-of-the-art equipment for its Science Centre, classroom resources and materials, plus extra tuition for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Alongside this the Alpha Aspire Programme has been established to promote science and develop understanding and insight into the commercial application and employability of Science degrees. The programme offers a range of experiences to benefit students' future planning and career awarenesss.enabling them to visit Alpha Laboratories and attend a series of presentations and workshops from professionals in the scientific field. The sessions include:
Introduction to Diagnostics and Using Laboratory Products
Background to Faecal Immunochemical Testing
COVID-19 – Journey and Sample Transportation
Veterinary Medicine
Mini-Pipetting Academy (involving the hands-on use of laboratory equipment).
Barton Peveril’s Director of Science, Nathan Cheung, has also had the opportunity to create a bank of employability resources for the College’s students as part of the donation called The Employability Talking Heads Programme. Nathan Cheung interviewed professionals from across Alpha Laboratories, giving students an insight into the broad range of career possibilities available once they complete their studies at Barton Peveril.
‘The financial generosity of Alpha Laboratories Ltd has already supported our students immensely. They have also kindly given up their time to participate in our Employability Talking Heads programme, providing valuable insight and discussion about employability for our students. Alpha Laboratories have also organized an amazing opportunity for our science students in the October half term, where they will investigate various medical diagnostics. We certainly look forward to strengthening our links with this local company so that our students can benefit from their events going forwards.’
Nathan Cheung, Barton Peveril’s Director of Science
‘In what has been a particularly challenging time for young people, Alpha Laboratories is delighted to be able to help support the students at Barton. The pandemic has highlighted how important the unsung science heroes working in research, with vaccines, and in the NHS (to name but a few) are. The team welcomes the opportunity to help shape the next generation and nurture UK scientific talent.’
Michelle Holland, Sales & Marketing Director at Alpha Laboratories
Alpha Laboratories is also supporting a number of local infant and junior schools with other smaller projects
such as a sensory garden, play equipment and Christmas gifts.
Shakespeare Infant School
Shakespeare Infant School in Eastleigh is the closest primary school to Alpha Laboratories. As part of an initiative to provide outdoor learning space for the children we have helped fund the development of a sensory garden.
This was officially opened in October 2021 by celebrity gardener Charlie Dimmock.
The garden is designed to improve the wellbeing of students and staff, giving them the chance to experience and enjoy the outdoor space. It includes an outdoor shelter, a sensory footpath, a raised herb bed, a willow arch entrance, mirrors and a bug hotel. There is also a pond which has a pump powered using solar panels and a wind turbine.
(Photographic credit to Harvey Mills)
In addition to supporting the sensory garden Alpha Laboratories is also working on a number of other initiatives with the school to improve learning through nature, such as a tree planting scheme.
Learning outside of the classroom provides an environment and activities that foster positive relationships, which are central to a young person’s health and well-being. Participation in outdoor activities can also help improve their happiness.
Typical outside learning sessions involve bug hunting for worms, millipedes and earwigs etc. around the sensory area and pond. We have purchased 6 microscopes for the children to use to study their finds, which are all then carefully returned to their habitats.
Supplying the STEM Ambassador Programme
STEM Ambassadors are volunteers from a wide range of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) related jobs across the UK who volunteer their time, enthusiasm and experiences to encourage and inspire young people to progress further in STEM subjects.
Hayley Pincott is an Associate Practitioner in Oral Pathology and Microbiology at the University Dental Hospital in Cardiff. She is an enthusiastic STEM Ambassador and co-founder of @ShowMeTheSci.
Very active in her role, Hayley regularly visits schools to promote science and pathology. This often involves setting up fun practical sessions for the students to engage them and reinforce their learning.
Since 2018 Alpha Laboratories has been regularly supporting this work with the supply of a range of laboratory consumables for use in such STEM projects.
