Booking will open at 8am Monday 19th May for events
3rd JulThursday
4th JulFriday
5th JulSaturday
6th JulSunday
Interactive / Creative Event
Melanie Hughes
News Flash – the ideas are flowing to clean up our River Dee.
The aim is to create a “news flash” that will be the creative result of working together in teams to discuss answers to these 4 questions at the workshop:
- How do you think our rivers get polluted, and who is responsible?
- What are the consequences to wildlife and humans?
- What can be done to prevent this?
- How do we capture people’s attention to get action?
These “news flash” recordings can be used to engage the wider community to spark further projects across Chester.
Staffed Table / Event / Exhibit
Katherine Wilson
Shaping the Future: Public Consultation on the Grosvenor Museum Objects Resource Database
Join us for a drop-in public consultation event to share your thoughts on the ‘Grosvenor Museum Objects Public and Educational Resource Database’ project. This initiative aims to create an accessible, comprehensive digital resource showcasing the Grosvenor’s museum objects for educational use and public enjoyment. Your feedback is crucial in shaping the project and database’s development to ensure it meets the needs of both educators, the public and community groups.
Sharon Varey
What’s in a name? Understanding place-names and their link with the local landscape
Names are everywhere but do we ever stop to question their meaning and think about how somewhere got its name? This talk will make you more aware of place-names and demonstrate the rich variety within our local Cheshire and Borderland landscape. Place-names are fascinating. Come along and find out more!
Louise Parker
Innovate and Inspire: University Students’ Research Exhibition
Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore cutting-edge research from students across various fields! Our poster exhibition features innovative projects, showcasing research findings. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, social studies, or the arts, you’ll gain valuable insights and be inspired by the fresh ideas shaping our future. Don’t miss the chance to see what research is currently being conducted at the University of Chester.
Lymm High School
Dreams of a Generation
A thrilling verbatim drama, dance and singing performance from Lymm High School Performing Arts students incorporating the students’ voices exploring their dreams about the future: dreams which encapsulate the young people’s hope for their personal futures, but also their dreams for the future of society, and the environment. This uplifting and dynamic performance showcases the positivity of this generation of high school students – with the voices of students from year 7 to year 13.
Drop In Event, Performance
Mill View Primary School
Voice of the Children – who should we remember from the past?
An insight in to the contribution of children to the industrial heritage of the North West and Chester. The children of Mill View primary school have been learning about the lives of children in the Victorian North West, including life in the workhouse of Chester and as an apprentice at Styal Mill. They have thought deeply about questions like, “who from history should be remembered?” The children are passionate about bringing the lives of everyday people to life.
The children will take on the role as people who were held at the Chester Workhouse, explaining what their life was like. They will take on the role of other Victorian children and give an insight in to their work and life – statues who come to life as you pass them!
This is a drop-in event.
Chester Zoo
A Wild Wander for Wellbeing
Discover how Chester Zoo has joined technology with the natural world through the Wild Wander App. Explore one of the app’s trails as you are guided on a mindful walk.
Meet at Abbey Square, Chester Cathedral.
Interactive / Creative Event
Alex Fenton
Illuminating Cultures: A VR Lantern Festival Experience.
Step into a world of light and culture at our Lantern Festival Experience! Drop in anytime to explore stunning lantern festivals in VR, craft your own lanterns, and share your hopes on our Wishing Wall. Enjoy authentic Chinese teas and foods while networking with researchers and guests. Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in creativity, culture, and conversation! Join us and share your experience using #VRLanterns.
Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Food for Thought: Artistic Imaginings of Cheshire’s Historic Recipe Collection
Discover Cheshire Archives’ historic recipe collection through the lens of local artists.
Using some of the archives’ more unusual recipes as inspiration, community arts groups across the county present their interpretations of flummery islands, transmogrifying meat dishes, and fitting the solar system into jelly!
Charlotte Gleeson, Lee Border, University of Chester
Sanctuary Seeking: interactive community art exhibition
Join us at the Seaborne Library for an inspiring exhibition showcasing artwork on the theme of sanctuary seeking and the refugee experience. Explore and understand the experience of those seeking sanctuary within our communities. The exhibition runs Thursday – Saturday, with an official launch on Thursday 3 July. All students, families, and the public are welcome to visit, explore and engage with the exhibits during library hours.
Steven Jones
The Suicide and Self Harm Pandemic: Working in Low- to Middle-Income Countries
Suicide and self-harm are major global public health concerns, the burden of which is highest in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Sadly, numbers are increasing globally and the cost of suicide on the family unit is devastating, irrespective of culture.
Dr Harry Parkin
The Story of Surnames: Past, Present and Future.
This talk will present the fascinating story behind the origin and development of English surnames. It will show how an understanding of our surname history can provide insight into England’s history and diversity. By also looking at current trends in surname development and possible reasons for the decline of certain names, we will consider what might happen to surnames in the future and what implications this might have for our sense of national and individual identity.
Simon Gwyn Roberts
Around the world in 800 languages
A non linguist’s view of minority languages, the talk will discuss minority languages in an informal way, weaving views and anecdote. The talk revolves around travels in some of the world’s most linguistically diverse regions.
Graeme J White
Magna Carta: Take Two
Come along to hear a talk about two documents arising from King John’s Magna Carta of 1215: the ‘Cheshire Magna Carta’, granted by the Earl of Chester to his local barons, and King Henry III’s Magna Carta of 1225, which became the definitive version and the 800th anniversary of which we celebrate this year.
Tony Barton
Celebrating the 50th Anniversary of European Architectural Heritage Year in Chester.
Chester has played a central and internationally recognised role in the conservation of our shared built heritage, so what can we do to build on that legacy for the next 50 years?
Dr Lucy Andrew, Deborah Wynne
Cads and Criminality: Jane Austen and the Birth of Detective Fiction.
In 2025, Jane Austen turns 250 and is still celebrated for her wit, feisty heroines and brooding heroes. But mystery and crime are there in Austen’s novels. Join Dr Lucy Andrew as she delves into the darker side of Austen, examining the influence of her work on the development of detective fiction. Lucy will reflect on writing her own Austen-inspired crime narrative in her forthcoming cosy-crime novel, A Very Vexing Murder (2026), which reworks Austen’s Emma with Harriet Smith as the detective.
https://www.lucyandrew.com/
Interactive / Creative Event
Chester Zoo
Wildlife Champions: Microtraining
Come and learn what it takes to be a Wildlife Champion with Chester Zoo. In this interactive workshop you will learn how to provide food and shelter for nature as well as record wildlife on your doorstep.
Meet at Abbey Square behind Chester Cathedral.
Una Meehan
Wild Rumpus: Rewilding the Imagination In conversation with Rowan Cannon
How can the arts help us reconnect with the natural world in a time of ecological crisis and growing disconnection from nature?
Join Uná Meehan in conversation with Rowan Cannon, co-founder of Wild Rumpus, and Liz Pickering (Creative Director), as they discuss how the arts can reconnect us with the natural world. Discover how creativity, storytelling, and outdoor cultural experiences can foster belonging, wonder, and environmental care—at a time when access to nature is more vital, and more unequal, than ever.
Book through the event website link below
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-wild-rumpus-rewilding-the-imagination-in-conversation-with-rowan-cannon/Interactive / Creative Event
Ted Comer
Discover Heritage Skills: Careers in Craftsmanship and Conservation at Chester Cathedral.
Explore exciting career opportunities in heritage and craftsmanship at Chester Cathedral. This half-day event, designed for pre-university students, features short talks, a panel discussion, and a Q&A session with professionals in the field. Afterwards, you’ll have the chance to visit interactive stalls where recently qualified craftspeople and experts will share their skills and insights. It’s a great chance to discover the world of heritage and craftsmanship in a fun and engaging way!
Anthony Annakin Smith
Unforgotten Children: the Moving Story of the Foundling Hospital at Chester
A moving talk on a forgotten aspect of Chester’s past when hundreds of young children from London’s Foundling Hospital – many illegitimate – were taken into care in Chester and nearby during the 1760s. Includes why and how the local hospital was established, and discussion of the children’s care, education and employment.
Michelle Ravenscroft
Places in Literature: Exploring Isabella Banks’s Chester
Manchester-born Isabella Banks is best known for her popular novel, The Manchester Man (1876). However, her first work of fiction, God’s Providence House (1865), was influenced by family links to Chester. This talk will take a literary walk through the city and surrounding area, to explore the places that inspired her.
Interactive / Creative Event
Lindsay Murray and Janine Carroll
People and Pets: Rewarding relationships and carbon pawprints
People love their pets and the relationships we have with animals are some of the most meaningful, even surpassing those we have with humans. We will discuss the wide range of benefits they bring, especially to our wellbeing, but we will also raise some questions to consider; for example, are these relationships always mutually beneficial? We will introduce our research with the RSPCA and consider how we can work together to help people and animals coexist in an increasingly uncertain world.
Lisa Oakley
The psychology of ‘The Traitors’.
Are you missing the traitors TV show? Would you like to revisit it? Want to think about why the faithfuls often failed to spot the traitors or why people can be so bad at lying? We have recorded two seasons of ‘The psychology of the traitors’ podcast and would like to share some of what we have learned over this time. Why not join us as we explore the psychology behind the traitors.
Book through the event website link below:
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-the-psychology-of-the-traitors/Anne Williams
Diversify your children’s library: twilight session for teachers, students and other interested adults
Explore new children’s books that reflect the diverse world we live in! This session will introduce recent publications that support inclusive reading. Join us for informal book talk and recommendations. It would be great if you would like to share your favourites too. Finding the right book for the child helps foster the desire to read for pleasure. This event welcomes teachers, students and book lovers to share insights and discover new literature for their classroom and homes.
Paul Dowsell
Cheshire Prize for Literature Awards Evening
The Cheshire Prize for Literature showcases the literary talents of writers with a connection to the Cheshire area. Now in its 21st year, the awards evening will announce the winners in the primary, secondary and adult categories for poetry, short stories, children’s literature and scriptwriting.
We are delighted to welcome guest speaker Paul Dowsell who will provide an insight into his writing career. Paul is a prize-winning author. His best-known work is Auslander, described by the Financial Times as ranking ‘among the very best of wartime historical fiction.’ Eight of Paul’s other novels have won or been short-listed for The Historical Association book awards. He has been a visiting professor at Manchester Metropolitan University and is a frequent visitor to schools across the UK. His most recent book is the non-fiction Aliens – The Chequered History of Britain’s Wartime Refugees.
Booking required for this event through the weblink.
Charlotte Gleeson, Lee Border, University of Chester
Sanctuary Seeking: interactive community art exhibition
Join us at the Seaborne Library for an inspiring exhibition showcasing artwork on the theme of sanctuary seeking and the refugee experience. Explore and understand the experience of those seeking sanctuary within our communities. The exhibition runs Thursday – Saturday, with an official launch on Thursday 3 July. All students, families, and the public are welcome to visit, explore and engage with the exhibits during library hours.
Interactive / Creative Event
Grosvenor Park Academy
Design and Sustainability Workshop
Do you always forget your shopping bag? Fed-up of plastic bags ripping? Can’t fit a massive bag-for-life neatly in your pocket? Worry no more…The children of Grosvenor Park Academy will be hosting a workshop where you can express your creativity whilst also helping the planet. We will incorporate design and sustainability at our canvas bag decorating workshop. Come along to decorate a practical and stylish canvas bag that you will want to use again and again and again!
Reserve your free ticket here – we will share your email address with Storyhouse so they can send you a ticket and keep you up to date with the event.
Clare Dudman
The Making of ‘Three Ravens’ :a film made for the 2024 Chester Heritage Festival
In 1656, John Bradshawe, regicide and Chief Justice of the County Palatine of Chester and North Wales, was involved in two witch trials in Chester and Flint. In this talk I will describe how I used these trials as a basis for my film. Contains court transcripts and bloopers. Watch the Three Ravens film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwPBjv8RDAs
Caroline Pudney, University of Chester
The Immersive Chester Amphitheatre
Take a step back in time and experience Chester’s virtual reality Roman amphitheatre! This small event is designed for attendees to experience a new, immersive digital reconstruction of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre currently under development by a team at the University of Chester and in partnership with local companyTake27 and West Cheshire Museums. Stand in the footprints of gladiators and help us bring the past back to life through cutting edge technology.
Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Food for Thought: Artistic Imaginings of Cheshire’s Historic Recipe Collection
Discover Cheshire Archives’ historic recipe collection through the lens of local artists.
Using some of the archives’ more unusual recipes as inspiration, community arts groups across the county present their interpretations of flummery islands, transmogrifying meat dishes, and fitting the solar system into jelly!
Claire Chatterton
Tales from Chester Asylum
The County Lunatic Asylum for Cheshire opened in Chester in 1829 and was later to be known by a variety of names including Upton Mental Hospital, the Deva Hospital and West Cheshire Hospital. This talk will consider some of the staff and patients who lived and worked within its walls in its first hundred years.
Louise Parker
Innovate and Inspire: University Students’ Research Exhibition
Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore cutting-edge research from students across various fields! Our poster exhibition features innovative projects, showcasing research findings. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, social studies, or the arts, you’ll gain valuable insights and be inspired by the fresh ideas shaping our future. Don’t miss the chance to see what research is currently being conducted at the University of Chester.
Interactive / Creative Event
Mary-Anne McCarthy, Una Meehan
Future Tense: Imagining Tomorrow, Acting Today – Decade of Action: What Will Our Legacy Be?
The UN calls the 2020s the Decade of Action—but are we doing enough? Join senior lecturers Mary-Anne McCarthy and Una Meehan for an interactive, creative hour exploring life in the future. Using a playful, hands-on approach, we’ll reflect on the world future generations will inherit—and what we can do to shape it for the better.
Reserve your free ticket here – we will share your email address with Storyhouse so they can send you a ticket and keep you up to date with the event.
Book through the event website link below:
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-future-tense-imagining-tomorrow-acting-today/Drop In Event, Staffed Table / Event / Exhibit
Riverside Museum
Handling Objects from the University of Chester Riverside Museum
Discover curiosities from the worlds of medicine, nursing, midwifery and social work from the collection of the Riverside Museum. Meet the volunteers who will share their extensive knowledge about the objects with visitors of all ages.
Dr Suzanne Stewart
Debunking the Lone Genius Myth: How Big Teams Have Shaped Modern Science
Who really makes scientific discoveries? We often picture a lone, Einstein-like figure secluded in a lab, but science is rarely a solo endeavour. From historic partnerships to today’s massive research collaborations—Big Teams and Citizen Science—this talk explores the power of teamwork in shaping what we know about the world. Discover how dozens or even hundreds of researchers and everyday people working together have pushed the boundaries of knowledge.
Interactive / Creative Event
Katharine Welsh
Game on! Learning through play.
Join us for an interactive session where we will explore the exciting world of game-based learning to investigate how educators are making use of this dynamic and engaging approach to learning within their teaching sessions. Experts from the University of Chester will present a selection of their innovative games (e.g. Legion to Legacy and Know Your Community) and provide an opportunity to participate in these games firsthand to experience how learning can be both fun and impactful.
Elizabeth Mason-Whitehead
The Making of Chester’s Smallpox Physician: An Exploration of Dr John Haygarth’s Early Life in the Yorkshire Dales
John Haygarth (1740-1827) founded Chester Smallpox Society in 1788 to prevent and control the disease. Regarded as an outstanding and visionary physician who significantly contributed to the foundations of public health, his early life in a remote Yorkshire Dales village is equally fascinating and not as well known to the public.
Caroline Pudney, University of Chester
The Immersive Chester Amphitheatre
Take a step back in time and experience Chester’s virtual reality Roman amphitheatre! This small event is designed for attendees to experience a new, immersive digital reconstruction of Chester’s Roman amphitheatre currently under development by a team at the University of Chester and in partnership with local companyTake27 and West Cheshire Museums. Stand in the footprints of gladiators and help us bring the past back to life through cutting edge technology.
Dr Simon Grennan, University of Chester
Vivid Victorians: Marie Duval’s Mountaineering Bustle
Climbing mountains is a tricky business. You need the kit – the ropes and crampons. What if you also had to wear a dress, a corset, bustle and button boots? In the 1870s, cartoonist Marie Duval drew comic strips about the English abroad, on mountaineering holidays and mountain tours. Join Simon Grennan for a rollercoaster introduction to the vicissitudes of Victorian bustles and mountain climbing, corsets, crampons and filthy foreign money, as seen by cartoonist Marie Duval. http://www.simongrennan.com https://www.marieduval.org
Peter Carrington
Roman Chester: Looking beneath the surface
Walking tour of Roman sites in Chester (especially the defences), looking at details that escape the interpretation panels.
The walk will start at canal bridge on Upper Northgate Street, following walls, Roman Gardens and streets to Minerva shrine in Handbridge; return to Town Hall Square.
Hannah Cockroft
Hannah Cockroft: In Conversation
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Hannah Cockroft, one of Great Britain’s most successful Paralympians, holder of nine gold medals. Known for her incredible achievements on the track, including multiple gold medals in the 100m, 200m, and 400m, Hannah’s journey is one of resilience, determination, and breaking barriers.
In this exclusive event, she will speak to Kirstie Simpson, Dean of Chester Business School, sharing insights into her career, the barriers she has overcome, and her thoughts on ways to maintain success. Don’t miss this opportunity to hear from a champion who continues to inspire with her commitment to excellence.
Now Dean of Chester’s award-winning Business School, Kirstie’s background is in sport management education, working with a variety of National Olympic Committees as well as European and national sports federations to enhance the work they do with federated clubs to professionalise practice. She is committed to inspiring inclusive leadership at all levels of the organisations with which she works and was selected as one of the North West Business Leadership Team’s ‘Rising Stars’ – a network of female business leaders.
Book through the event website link below
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-hannah-cockroft-in-conversation/Richard Millington
Murder in East Germany: Cold War Crime Stories
In 1981, a horrific murder case required police in East Germany to go door-to-door collecting thousands of handwriting samples to track down the killer. There was no public outrage, however, because they were not told about the crime. In this talk, Dr Richard Millington discusses this case and more in an account of his research into crime and criminality behind the Berlin Wall.
Ricardo Tejeiro
The Creation of ‘A Really Short, Entertaining, Fully Graphic and as Accurate as Possible History of Chester’
Find out the background to this new light-hearted look at Chester’s history from its author, O. B. Appledore, in this illustrated talk. Gain an insight into how this innovative book has evolved, including the selection of topics, the drawing of Chester illustrations and maps and the accompanying cartoon characters.
Morwenna Lewis
What Is The Screentime Epidemic Doing To Our Brilliant And Sensitive Brains?
Morwenna Lewis, UKCP Psychotherapist and Parenting Coach asks ‘how is the screen time epidemic changing our brilliant and sensitive brains?’ and explores what these changes mean for the future of the human species. She will delve into these questions from social, psychological and evolutionary perspectives, and for the gamblers amongst you she will ask ‘would you put your money on team homo sapiens?’. This talk received high accolades at TEDx Aberystwyth 2025. https://www.morwennalewis.com/ https://www.youtube.com/live/IFdC5d__bzk
Hannah Maule-ffinch
Of People and Place – a discussion with Hannah Maule-ffinch, multi award-winning photographer
In association with the regional branch of the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), we present an opportunity to hear from a multi award-winning portrait, documentary and commercial photographer who has worked on international assignments documenting and highlighting global humanitarian and environmental issues, as well as shooting impactful campaigns for large brands and editorial clients. Hannah will provide insight into the human impact of some of these global issues in a changing world. The event panel will include Owen Kelly (Cheshire Chair, RGS with IBG) and Dr Rebecca Collins (University of Chester).
https://www.rgs.org/Grosvenor Museum
1000 years of pots – changes in the use and supply of pottery in Chester from the 10th to 19th century.
This talk will look at what pottery from excavations in and around Chester tell us about how pottery was used, if at all at certain times, its role in households and where and how was it was sourced. Using examples from selected excavated assemblages this talk will look at the changes that took place from the early medieval period to early 18th century, from times when very little pottery appears in use to the great abundance of the post-medieval period.
Tim Grady, University of Chester
War and Remembrance: What should happen to the enemy dead?
There are always at least two sides to any conflict. Yet, when it comes to commemorating those killed in war, societies generally only remember their own losses. Taking examples from the two world wars, this interactive talk asks the audience to consider: what should happen to the enemy dead? Tim Grady is the author of the recent book: ‘Burying the Enemy: The Story of Those who Cared for the Dead in Two World Wars’. Link to book:
https://yalebooks.co.uk/book/9780300273977/burying-the-enemy/Interactive / Creative Event
Matt Bowen
Mindfulness to enhance resilience – the evidence and a practical workshop
Mindfulness has its roots in Buddhist meditation practices dating back thousands of years, but its modern practice was developed in the USA in the 1960s. A well-known definition of mindfulness is “paying attention on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally” (Kabat-Zinn, 2003). Join Dr Matt Bowen exploring the key factors that enable mindfulness to enhance resilience – the one hour session will include a 20 minute mindfulness-meditation exercise.
Book through the event website link below
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-mindfulness-to-enhance-resilience-the-evidence-and-a-practical-workshop/Interactive / Creative Event
Edi Bennett
Zine workshop
Zines are a small, normally homemade pamphlet which can be photocopied and shared with ease. At this workshop you will learn all about what a zine is how to make, create and leave with your own zine. Whether it be about your university experience, the city of Chester or the history of Storyhouse theatre. It could be a collage, series of drawings or just words – whatever suits you. Materials provided!
https://linktr.ee/theladybugzineTao Chang and Asad Chaudhry
The Dying Art: A Film and Conversation on Cultural Heritage
Discover the centuries years old fading tradition of handmade shawls across Indus Civilization deeply rooted in cultural heritage. The film delves into the intricate 40-day process of crafting Ajrak using natural materials, highlighting the environmental and artistic values upheld by traditional artisans. In contrast, it explores the modern shift towards chemical-based mass production and its impact on authenticity, sustainability, and craftsmanship. The screening will be followed by an engaging discussion with the producer of the film.
Natalie Haynes
Natalie Haynes – Divine Might: Goddesses in Greek Myth
Bestselling author Natalie Haynes returns to the world of Greek myth she so wittily explored in Pandora’s Jar and this time examines the role of the goddesses. These goddesses are as mighty, revered and destructive as their male counterparts. Isn’t it time we looked beyond the columns of a ruined temple to the awesome power within?
Charlotte Gleeson, Lee Border, University of Chester
Sanctuary Seeking: interactive community art exhibition
Join us at the Seaborne Library for an inspiring exhibition showcasing artwork on the theme of sanctuary seeking and the refugee experience. Explore and understand the experience of those seeking sanctuary within our communities. The exhibition runs Thursday – Saturday, with an official launch on Thursday 3 July. All students, families, and the public are welcome to visit, explore and engage with the exhibits during library hours.
Interactive / Creative Event
Alex Foster
Digital on Tour at the Festival of Ideas
Hop on board the Digital on Tour van to experience a number of fun and exciting technologies used across many subject areas. From walking around a virtual Grosvenor Park to visit our student archaeologist’s excavation, to standing atop a Norwegian Fjord; From live 3D scanning and printing to static displays of remote sensing equipment and drones. After your visit to the van you can head to our Exton Park campus for an introduction to game development!
Drop In Event, Interactive / Creative Event
Mike Ingram
Family Fun Day: Create your own ID Badge
This interactive session invites children to design their own ID badges, allowing them to explore their creative skills and express their individuality. They’ll have the chance to design their company or personal logo as an event pass or personal ID with customisable options. This being either their Name, picture of their or persons face, company or establishment name. Families can join in and create their own badges too! This is designed to be a fun, hands-on activity perfect for all ages.
Drop In Event, Staffed Table / Event / Exhibit
Madeleine Rogerson and Fiona Warburton
Family Fun Day: Fake news expert or fake news phoney
Join the News Desk to discover whether you are a fake news expert or fake news phoney.
Drop In Event, Interactive / Creative Event
Morven McEachern, Candice Owen
Fancy a Bushtucker Trial? Insects as sustainable food (Entomophagy) – why not?
Over 8 million viewers watched celebrities consume various insect products in the I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here Bushtucker Trials. As a potential option for more sustainable and healthy food, this interactive exhibit gives visitors information on entomophagy – the fancy term for eating insects. Why not join us for a chat and challenge your views on what you are willing to eat? We’ll have live insects and processed insect products on display, information boards and even recipe cards for you to take home!
Drop In Event, Interactive / Creative Event
Lisa Owen
Family Fun Day: Bee Friendly with the Grounds and Gardens Team!
Join the University of Chester Garden Team for some bee-themed activities! Learn about the best plants to attract bees, paint some mini plant pots and take home some freebies!
Drop In Event, Interactive / Creative Event
Michelle Aldwell
Family Fun Day: Board games and Scavenger Hunt: Fun, Learning and Family Bonding!
Join the Seaborne Library Team for a fun-filled experience featuring a selection of board games and an exciting scavenger hunt! This event encourages critical thinking and helps participants learn how to identify key information while promoting family bonding and community engagement. You’ll also have the chance to chat with staff about university life. Perfect for all ages to enjoy!
Drop In Event, Interactive / Creative Event
Incredible Oceans
Incredible Oceans
Join Incredible Oceans in a drop-in, hands on, family friendly event to be transported into underwater realms, bringing the ocean to you in their pop-up Ocean Dome! Experience the magic of marine life, engage with interactive exhibits, and immerse yourself in the vibrant world beneath the waves. Discover our travelling ocean museum of teeth, bones, shells, jaws and even an orca skull! Louise Parker
Innovate and Inspire: University Students’ Research Exhibition
Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore cutting-edge research from students across various fields! Our poster exhibition features innovative projects, showcasing research findings. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, social studies, or the arts, you’ll gain valuable insights and be inspired by the fresh ideas shaping our future. Don’t miss the chance to see what research is currently being conducted at the University of Chester.
Molly Davidson
The Songs That Stay With Us: A Living Archive of Music and Memory
Music is a time capsule, holding emotions and memories in ways words cannot. “The Songs That Stay With Us” invites visitors to explore the deep connection between music and memory. Listen to real stories of songs tied to life’s moments, from childhood melodies to defining soundtracks. Scan the QR code or write in the notebook to add your own song and story, contributing to a growing archive that celebrates the power of music to shape who we are.
Anne Williams
Family Fun Day: Family Storytime (Primary School Children)
A lively, interactive literacy session for children and their caregivers, promoting shared reading and family learning. The event will run every 30 minutes from 11am – 3:30pm. You can drop into the session, there is no need to book. An adult must remain with the child at all times during the session.
Chester Zoo
A Wild Wander for Wellbeing
Discover how Chester Zoo has joined technology with the natural world through the Wild Wander App. Explore one of the app’s trails as you are guided on a mindful walk.
Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Food for Thought: Artistic Imaginings of Cheshire’s Historic Recipe Collection
Discover Cheshire Archives’ historic recipe collection through the lens of local artists.
Using some of the archives’ more unusual recipes as inspiration, community arts groups across the county present their interpretations of flummery islands, transmogrifying meat dishes, and fitting the solar system into jelly!
Jamie Highton
The science of endurance sports: what does it take to break a world record?
Have you ever wondered what it takes to be an elite athlete? Or, even better, break a sporting world record? In this demonstration, Professor Jamie Highton will explore the remarkable physiology of athletes who have been able to complete almost superhuman feats of endurance. Interested in how your performance compares to that of an elite athlete? You may also be interested in an interactive session later in the Festival: ‘Have you got what it takes to be an elite athlete?’.
Interactive / Creative Event
Lee Beever
Family Fun Day: Learn to design and build your own video game!
Discover the basics of game design and development in this hands-on session! Learn fundamental concepts and create your own simple game. Join one of two sessions tailored for different age groups: Session 1 (11:00-12:15) is aimed at primary school aged children and families. Session 2 (13:00-14:15) is aimed at secondary school aged participants. Whether you’re a beginner or a budding developer, these sessions offer a fun and interactive introduction to game creation.
Paul Bissell
Making Progress on Health Inequalities: Reflections on Wicked Problems
In this talk, I will reflect on the difficulties that some of the counties in the Global north have faced in making progress in reducing inequalities. I will draw on two countries, the UK and the US, two of the more ‘neoliberal’ countries, to make the case that if we want to make progress in reducing health inequalities, we need to prioritise reducing social inequalities – broadly conceived – as a political goal, rather than pay lip service to it.
Interactive / Creative Event
Jenny Stewart
Family Fun Day: Practical Basic Life Support Skills for Everyone
Free basic life support session for children, young people and adults. The session will be hands-on and informative; no pressure but you will go away with new/revised skills, learned from University of Chester medical and nursing students and University staff.
Jessie Petheram/Poppy Garrett
Behind the Scenes at the Grosvenor Museum
Join the curators at the Grosvenor Museum to hear what goes on behind the scenes to preserve, research and display the collections of West Cheshire Museums. Learn about conservation, documentation, exhibition development and the day-to-day work of being a museum curator. There will also be an opportunity to see some objects up close.
Drop In Event, Performance
Cheshire Archives
Cheshire Cheese, Please, Storytime with Cheshire Archives
Join Cheshire Archives and Chesney Mouse on their hunt for Cheshire cheese! This original story, written and designed by Cheshire Archives, follows Chesney Mouse, and the friends he meets along the way, in his search for the county’s famous cheese. Will Chesney find his beloved cheese, and what might he learn about the cheese making process along the way? Come with us on Chesney’s adventure to find out! Free drop-in, no booking required, suitable for ages 5 and under.
Dale Tromans
Weathering the Storm: How Climate Change affects us all
From Storm Darragh and extreme rainfall in Valencia, to droughts in Ethiopia and wildfires in Los Angeles, weather and climate affects us all. In this talk, I will cover some of the extreme weather events that have affected us and explore how climate change is increasing the frequency and severity of these. I’ll also provide an overview of the current state of climate and how we are adapting ourselves to a rapidly changing world. Join me on an adventure to weather the storm.
Interactive / Creative Event
Tara Morris
Family Fun Day: Practical Basic Life Support Skills for Everyone
Free basic life support session for children, young people and adults. The session will be hands-on and informative; no pressure but you will go away with new/revised skills, learned from University of Chester medical and nursing students and University staff.
Interactive / Creative Event
Natalie Papworth
Umbrellas and Birds Eco Art Workshop
This workshop explores the theme of environmentally supportive Art. Using the forms of both birds and umbrellas choosing from a selection of templates you will make and decorate a small hand sized art piece that becomes three dimensional this is made from sustainable and recycled materials. This could collectively evolve into a temporary sculptural intervention. The workshop is open to all and is family friendly and is suitable for all levels of ability.
Staffed Table / Event / Exhibit
Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo: Connecting Communities
Drop in with Chester Zoo as they provide fun wildlife related activities. Learn about their work with local communities and get to know the people connecting with nature and each other.
Dr Amir Khan
The Natural Health Service: Reclaiming Wellness in a Modern World
Discover how the pressures of modern living—from chronic stress to poor sleep and unhealthy diets—can take a toll on our health. Dr. Amir Khan explores how reconnecting with nature and understanding our body’s evolutionary needs can help us regain control over our well-being.
From the healing power of outdoor spaces to actionable tips on improving sleep, nutrition, and mindfulness, this talk provides practical insights into creating a healthier, more balanced life.
Interactive / Creative Event
Ed Gray
Family Fun Day: Have you got what it takes to be an elite athlete?
Discover if you have what it takes to be an elite athlete! In this hands-on session you will have the opportunity to test your athletic ability. Suitable for all ages and abilities, this session delves into the science behind athletic excellence. But it’s not just about performance – these measures provide insights into overall health and longevity. If interested, you may also like a session earlier in the festival: ‘The science of endurance sports: what does it take to break a world record?’.
Dawn Llewellyn
Biblical Women Ageing Disgracefully: Artist Sarah Lightman (‘In Conversation’ with Dr Dawn Llewellyn)
Join award winning artist Sarah Lightman as she discusses her witty series ‘Biblical Women Ageing Disgracefully’. Sarah playfully takes familiar figures, once painted by ‘masters’ of western art, and traps them in scenes from her life: Bathsheba is tired of the dishes; Eve’s lost in the pile; Mary bleeds on holiday. In this session, Sarah shares her inspiration and her use of religion, humour, and satire to spotlight women’s lives, struggles, and aging bodies.
Book through the event website link below:
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-biblical-women-ageing-disgracefully/Interactive / Creative Event
Lee Beever
Family Fun Day: Learn to design and build your own video game!
Discover the basics of game design and development in this hands-on session! Learn fundamental concepts and create your own simple game. Join one of two sessions tailored for different age groups: Session 1 (11:00-12:15) is aimed at primary school aged children and families. Session 2 (13:00-14:15) is aimed at secondary school aged participants. Whether you’re a beginner or a budding developer, these sessions offer a fun and interactive introduction to game creation.
Drop In Event, Performance
Cheshire Archives
Playing with Food: Salt Art Workshop with Iain Davidson and Cheshire Archives
Multi-disciplinary artist, Iain Davidson is joining Cheshire Archives to host two free, drop-in workshops for children to create art using Cheshire’s most famous natural resource, salt. No booking required but please attend at the start of either session, which begin at 1pm and 2pm.
Interactive / Creative Event
Chester Zoo
Wildlife Champions: Microtraining
Come and learn what it takes to be a Wildlife Champion with Chester Zoo. In this interactive workshop you will learn how to provide food and shelter for nature as well as record wildlife on your doorstep.
Drop In Event, Performance
Cheshire Archives
Playing with Food: Salt Art Workshop with Iain Davidson and Cheshire Archives
Multi-disciplinary artist, Iain Davidson is joining Cheshire Archives to host two free, drop-in workshops for children to create art using Cheshire’s most famous natural resource, salt. No booking required but please attend at the start of either session, which begin at 1pm and 2pm.
Interactive / Creative Event
Professor Moira Lafferty & Professor Lisa Oakley
The Art of Living Well in Retirement: An exhibition of activities and a discussion of the psychological benefits.
In partnership with Chester University of the Third Age (Chester u3a) we will present an exhibition of photographs of the creative activities undertaken by members of local learning groups that showcase diversity, creativity and the art of living well in retirement. Using psychological theory, we will discuss how engaging in such activities brings numerous benefits to individuals, concluding with an opportunity for participants to reflect on our conversation and ask questions.
Summer Ainscough
My personal journey: Turning hardship to success
This talk will share the inspiring journey of a student, Summer who faced immense challenges, from experiencing homelessness to enduring ongoing health struggles. Through resilience and determination, she overcame the barriers that life placed in her path, managing to get herself into college and later onto university. After gaining a deeper understanding of her own potential she began volunteering, ultimately becoming a student union officer, advocating for others and driving positive change.
Please note that abuse and mental health will be discussed in this talk.
Peter Carrington
Galleries Which They Call The Rows’ Part 1: Building in the Shadow of Rome?
A fresh look at the origins of Chester’s unique Rows. Their political and economic background in Chester’s importance as a base for English campaigns in Wales is well established, but current views on their design give too much weight to the influence of the Roman fortress. A fresh look at long-available information gives greater credit to the ambitions of the medieval builders and suggests that the Rows were an imaginative adaptation of a common response to a hilly urban site.
Staffed Table / Event / Exhibit
Chester Zoo
Chester Zoo: Connecting Communities
Drop in with Chester Zoo as they provide fun wildlife related activities. Learn about their work with local communities and get to know the people connecting with nature and each other.
Drop In Event, Interactive / Creative Event
Incredible Oceans
Incredible Oceans
Join Incredible Oceans in a drop-in, hands on, family friendly event to be transported into underwater realms, bringing the ocean to you in their pop-up Ocean Dome! Experience the magic of marine life, engage with interactive exhibits, and immerse yourself in the vibrant world beneath the waves. Discover our travelling ocean museum of teeth, bones, shells, jaws and even an orca skull! Louise Parker
Innovate and Inspire: University Students’ Research Exhibition
Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore cutting-edge research from students across various fields! Our poster exhibition features innovative projects, showcasing research findings. Whether you’re interested in science, technology, social studies, or the arts, you’ll gain valuable insights and be inspired by the fresh ideas shaping our future. Don’t miss the chance to see what research is currently being conducted at the University of Chester.
Staffed Table / Event / Exhibit
Liz Montgomery, Senior Curator and Julie Edwards, Archaeological Officer, West Cheshire Museums
Beneath our Feet: Archaeological finds from the Heart of Chester
Join curators from West Cheshire Museums to take a look at fascinating multi-period archaeological finds from the very heart of the city in Chester Market. Get up close to artefacts from the Old Market Hall, Hamilton Place and the most recent Northgate excavations. No need to book-just drop in!
Jane Lasonder
Jane Lasonder: Hidden in Plain Sight: Unmasking Trafficking and Slavery in Our Communities
Human trafficking and modern day slavery are horrific crimes happening in our own towns and cities. This talk will expose the hidden reality of exploitation, revealing how victims are often concealed in plain sight.
Through storytelling, Jane will:
- Expose the hidden signs of trafficking and exploitation, enabling the audience to recognise potential victims.
- Challenge common misconceptions about who is affected and where these crimes occur.
- Share her powerful personal experiences as a survivor of child sexual exploitation and trafficking in the UK. She will recount years of being trafficked, her experiences in and out of the hospital, feeling invisible despite being in plain sight, not being identified at school, living as a runaway child on the streets, and her later work rescuing trafficked women forced into prostitution in Amsterdam’s red-light district and on UK streets. Jane will also discuss her journey to becoming an international author, a speaker at the UN, a voice for the voiceless, an advisor to governments and policymakers, a media commentator, and a recipient of a parliamentary award. Showing that no matter your circumstances there is always hope and if you are determined to succeed you can!
- Empower audience members with knowledge and resources to take action and make a difference in their communities.
This talk is a call to awareness, urging us to open our eyes to the suffering around us and become a force for change in the fight against human trafficking and slavery. Through her storytelling, we can unlock the power to make the invisible visible.
Book through the event website link below:
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-jane-lasonder-hidden-in-plain-sight/Cheshire Archives and Local Studies
Food for Thought: Artistic Imaginings of Cheshire’s Historic Recipe Collection
Discover Cheshire Archives’ historic recipe collection through the lens of local artists.
This event will have a quiet and sensory friendly hour from 11-12noon today on 6th July.
Using some of the archives’ more unusual recipes as inspiration, community arts groups across the county present their interpretations of flummery islands, transmogrifying meat dishes, and fitting the solar system into jelly!
Sam Chadwick
Battles and Barricades: A walls walk of Chester’s Civil War Siege
This walking talk takes you along Chester’s ancient city walls, where the echoes of past conflicts still resonate. You’ll be taken through the significant events and strategies that shaped Chester’s fate in this turbulent period. This talk will bring to life the personal stories of soldiers and civilians alike. Please be aware that this walk will be around the city walls and be engaging with mature material.
Hannah Hargrave
So Muse, tell me about a Woman: bringing women, real and mythical, from ancient history to the foreground
Dr Emily Hauser, the award-winning ancient historian and author, and world-leading voice in rediscovering the women of Greek myth, pieces together evidence from the original texts, historical records, maps, recent astonishing archaeological finds and the latest DNA studies to reveal who the women of Greek myth – queens, mothers, warriors, slaves daughters, wives, seducers – were, how they lived, and how history has (or has not – until now) remembered them.
Jim Mason
Charity Christmas Club Hit Music Single – The Next Steps
Ali Reece x Uosee – “I Won’t Let Christmas Make Me Cry” is a charity single release and club package, for Women’s Aid, created by dozens of students, staff and alumni of the University of Chester, which broke records to reach the Top 5 in the Music Week Commercial Pop club chart, one of the UK’s leading club charts over the Christmas and New Year period of 2024-25. This session is an opportunity to learn about and engage with the next steps of this exciting and record-breaking project.
Interactive / Creative Event
Nahim Khan
Play Smart: Beat Superbugs with the Antibiotic Resistance Board Game!
Join us for a fun and interactive board game to learn smart antibiotic use! Learn why these medicines sometimes don’t work, how to take them correctly, and what we can all do to fight antibiotic resistance! Perfect for curious minds — no prior knowledge needed. Let’s play, learn, and protect our health together!
Julian Baum
Reconstructing the Roman River Dee
A talk, illustrated with reconstructions and animations, discussing what we know about the River Dee in the earliest days of Deva. Sea and river transport was key to Roman trade and supply, and the River Dee and its estuary were pivotal to the success of Deva. But what do we actually know about it? This talk will reveal the latest thinking and present a glimpse into the river landscape of early Chester, a landscape which remains to our own time.
Interactive / Creative Event
Melanie Hughes
Community Bioblitz at City Forest Garden
We want your help to find out what wildlife is living in the City Forest Garden! Documenting nature is crucially important for us to understand and protect it, and our urban wildlife is no exception. Join Forest City Projects CIC and RECORD Local Environmental Records centre as we search for the animals and plants that call the garden home. We’ll be bug hunting, bird spotting and identifying wild plants to try and document as many species as we can during this family friendly bioblitz.
Interactive / Creative Event
Thomas Pickles
Exploring Chester’s History: An Interactive Map Workshop for Educators
Join us for an engaging educational workshop event designed for teachers, to explore the newly launched Historic Towns Trust Map of Chester. In this event you will get to explore the fascinating history of Chester 400-1900 as well as other teaching resources from the Historic Towns Trust, and we want to hear from you how the Chester map might help to incorporate local, national and global histories into your classroom and curriculum and create further teaching resources.
Interactive / Creative Event
Andrew Kendall
Chester Intersections
A high-energy visual tour through aspects of Chester that are less well-known. Local writer Andrew Kendall will share 100 facts about Chester that you won’t find in the history guides. Based on the popular blog Chester Intersections, prepare to be surprised and inspired by stories of people linked to Chester, and their connections with wider UK and global history.
www.chesterintersections.com.
Interactive / Creative Event
Neuza Claro Morais
Nourish to Flourish
A fun, hands-on workshop for children aged 4–9 and their families. Create colourful artwork using fruit, vegetables, herbs, and seeds while exploring food, health, and creativity.
Nourish to Flourish, is currently delivering workshops in 5 primary schools in Chester with the collaboration of the University of Chester researchers.
We will also hold a small display of children’s work from the school sessions. All materials will be provided, no experience needed.
Kate Adie
Kate Adie: In Conversation
Join us for an exclusive afternoon in conversation event with Kate Adie, one of the most respected and pioneering figures in broadcast journalism. With decades of experience reporting from the frontlines of history, from the Iranian Embassy Siege to the Gulf War, Kate will share her remarkable journey into the world of journalism, the challenges of reporting in war zones, and the evolving role of women in the media. This event offers a rare opportunity to hear first-hand from Kate some of the stories that defined her career, the power of journalism in times of crisis, and the lessons learned from decades of reporting under extreme pressure.
Kate will be in conversation with Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Chester.
Book through the event website link below
https://www.storyhouse.com/whats-on/festival-of-ideas-kate-adie-in-conversation/Maud Duthie-van der Venne
Are Twinning Links still relevant?
In an era of geopolitical uncertainty, twinning fosters people-to-people diplomacy, helping communities build trust and cooperation despite national political tensions. Come and hear about how Chester International Links Association has maintained links with the cities of Sens (France), Senigallia (Italy) and Loerrach (Germany) to facilitate economic, cultural, and educational collaboration.
Stuart Cunningham
You’re Fired! Is artificial intelligence threatening your livelihood?
There has been a huge amount of interest in artificial intelligence over recent years. This has related to things like ChatGPT, deepfakes, jobs being replaced by software, producing the final Beatles song, government regulation, and helping to detect, and cure, diseases. This talk is for anyone curious about what AI really is; how it might affect your livelihood, personal lives, and society; and to have some of the jargon and buzz words demystified.
