1st Ilkley Science Festival

Ilkley has just had it's first ever science fair and Westwood Lodge guests were among the first audiences. A group of leading scientists from Leeds University gave various lectures at Ilkley Grammar School in a bid to help boost funds for a student trip to Ecuador. Headteacher Gillian James officially opened the talks, which were held over two days. They covered a wide range of science topics such as Marion Hetherinton’s talk on chocolate addiction. Prof Hetherington described how we learn to like bitter foods including vegetables. She encouraged parents to keep giving their children vegetables because they need to eat them at least ten times before they develop a taste for them! Another speaker, Catriona Morrison, a world expert in memory, made the audience recall their earliest memory and suggested that our earliest memories date from when we first have the words to describe an event. All in all - a great weekend and we hope the event will become an annual one.