In light of our recent scholarship launch, we understand that finding the motivation to apply can be challenging. However, let these stories of these talented professionals serve as inspiration for you to embark into the world of STEM and push yourself to achieve new heights.

Annie Easley – The Human Computer

At the time, Easley was looking for a job after relocating when she discovered an article about two sisters who were “human computers” at the Aircraft Engine Research Laboratory in Cleveland, Ohio. Two weeks later, after the reading the article, Easley began her career that spanned across 34 years, contributing to numerous programs as a computer scientist.

Easley’s career involved analysing problems and solving complexed mathematical calculations by hand, awarding her with the title of human computer. Easley would go on to break barriers for women and people of colour, inspiring them to pursue STEM opportunities.

Gitanjali Rao – American’s Top Youngest Scientist 2017

Inspired by the Flint Michigan water crisis, Rao invented a life-changing device that can detect lead in water at the age of 11. Rao’s dedication to her work earned her a place in the 2019 Forbes 30 under 30. In recent years, Rao has been taking part in the research of cell biology at the University of Colorado, using the latest genetic engineering to find a solution to prescription opioid addiction epidemic.

Rao is an active STEM ambassador, inspiring young people by promoting STEM-based activities in schools and the community. Rao continues to affect students globally by sharing her knowledge, tools, and encouragement.

Morris Mbetsa – Africa’s First Flying Taxi

Morris, a self-taught engineer, created an innovative solution to Africa’s traffic and poor road infrastructure issues. At the age of 28, Morris manufactured Africa’s first flying taxi. This drone transports passengers for around 25 minutes, and at speeds of up to 120km an hour. The young entrepreneur uses his talents to generate easy-to-use, inexpensive technological solutions that are accessible to his community.

At the young age of 6, Morris discovered his passion for technology, as he has stated on The Kenyan network K24, “Technology is my life. I never watched football while growing up. My room was full of electronics and wires.”

Ronjon Nag – Smartphone Pioneer

Shortly after becoming a newly graduate, Nag invented breakthrough technology for smart devices such as handwriting recognition, predictive text, application of speech recognition and touch screens for mobile devices. He later went on to become the founder of R42 institute, a US and UK-based company that invents and invests in AI and Biotech.

Nag has gone to work with big names such as Apple, BlackBerry, and Motorola after becoming a technological pioneer. As well as becoming a ground-breaking entrepreneur, Nag was also a professor in Genetics at the Stanford School of Medicine, committed to providing inclusive and accessible education.

Jocelyn Bell Burnell – Beyond the Stars

Whilst studying at the University of Glasgow, Burnell discovered pulsars, the cosmic sources of peculiar radio pulses. After graduating, she frequently worked in gamma ray, X-ray, infrared and millimetre wavelength astronomy. In 2015, Burnell was awarded a Royal Medal by the Royal Society and became the first female President of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.

After winning a breakthrough prize, Burnell donated all the proceedings to the institute of Physics to set up scholarships for graduates and those in under-represented communities to have access to study physics.

Are you Interested in a Career in STEM?

We hope these stories have truly inspired you and encourage you to achieve greatness. If you have any questions about our Scholarship scheme, you can contact our friendly Trust team.

Millennium Point has continued to champion staff wellbeing by completing the Thrive at Work: Workplace Wellbeing Silver Award.

The accreditation recognises the organisation’s commitment to promoting the health and mental wellbeing of its team and follows last year’s Bronze Award.

What is Thrive at Work?

Thrive at Work is the West Midlands Combined Authority’s workplace wellbeing award programme. It helps workplaces around the Midlands to focus on health and wellbeing at work. Employers that gain accreditation to Thrive at Work are recognised as being committed to excellence in this field.

Putting Employees First

Following the award, Millennium Point will continue to champion the wellbeing of its team with initiatives throughout the year and is already working towards the Thrive at Work: Workplace Wellbeing Gold Award.

Vanessa Currie, Head of People, Learning, and Development said “We are proud to have completed the Silver Level of the Thrive at Work programme and to have received this recognition for our work. This award highlights the ongoing work of both our dedicated Thrive Team, and the wider team, who continue to make Millennium Point a fantastic place to work. It is very rewarding to see team members supporting the wellbeing of their colleagues.”

Keep up to date with Millennium Point

At our multi-award-winning landmark building, there is always something going on! Keep up to date with our latest news in our blog section here

Find more interesting content from Millennium Point over at our news section, or follow us for daily updates on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn with @MillenniumPoint. Millennium Point is a landmark public building and multi-award-winning events venue in the Eastside of Birmingham City centre. Profits from our commercial activity are invested by the Millennium Point Charitable Trust into projects, events and initiatives which support the growth of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and education in the West Midlands. 

Remote Witness follows Steve, a socially outcast withdrawn hacker. He spends his evenings eating takeout food while at his computer spying on people. One night, his morals are tested when the woman he is snooping on is in danger.

Directed by Richard Broomfield, we caught up with him, he told us more about the day filming in Express at Millennium Point.

What was the inspiration behind the story?

‘I have always been interested in stories which explore moral dilemmas, I wanted to create a film which showed how different characters would react in these situations. Whilst also looking at the dangers of toxic masculinity, something which is becoming much more of a  prevalent issue.’

Sounds intense! Any favourite moments while filming?

‘A real highlight for me was a particular scene that was incredibly challenging scene to film. The actors did an amazing job working with such a difficult subject. We also had a fantastic cast and crew, each brought great humour and positive energy to the set’.

A fantastic team can make all the difference, but were there any challenges?

‘Remote witness was a completely self-funded project finding money to make the film was a big challenge. As with most independent projects, it can be difficult to create something without the resources of a studio or production company’.

Why did you choose Millennium Point to film in?

‘We were struggling to find an office location which would be affordable and willing to accommodate a small indie production. We contacted Film Birmingham who gave us the details for the events team at Millennium Point. The team were really helpful and accommodating when we came to view the space, we had a tight budget and they helped us keep to that. The Express room was large enough to fit in all the equipment/ crew and props needed; we managed to get some great shots’.

What advice would you give to young budding directors or film makers?

’Immerse yourself in as much content as you can, TV, film, books, and games they’re all important in understanding how stories and characters work. Get out and network as much as possible, there are lots of events and festivals where you can meet, discuss and collaborate with other creatives. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people for advice or help most filmmakers are happy to help’.

Where can people watch Remote Witness?

‘Remote Witness will be entered into the 2024-2025 film festival circuit; we are hoping to have a small premiere for the film this winter/ I am incredibly excited to see people’s reaction to the film!’.

You can keep up with Richard Broomfield’s work on his Instagram for latest updates here.

Another one of his Films ‘Conversion’ will be screening here on 20th November as part of Birmingham Film Festival.

Need a filming location? Millennium Point can help with that

We may be known as home to Birmingham Film Festival and a great destination to have a film showing. But did you know our building can also be used as the backdrop to your next film?

From zombie hoards to fighting crime, we have had a fair few cinematic moments happen in our building. Get in touch with our friendly team today to discuss options for your filming needs.

If you’re looking for a place to host an event, look no further than Millennium Point. We offer a diverse selection of spaces perfect for almost any type of gathering. That’s why we’ve put together a few tips to help you host an unforgettable event.

Choose the right space

One of the most important aspects of hosting a phenomenal event is to find the right space. When doing this you need to consider your necessities and nice to haves. For example your necessities could include:

Nice to haves could include:

Here at Millennium Point, our facilities can accommodate a variety of occasions, such as expeditions, parties and performances making it a versatile venue that’s ideal for creating your dream event.

Customise your guests experiences 

Adding customisations to your event, no matter how small, can make guests feel valued and excited about attending. For example, personalising invitations and table places can make attendees feel as though a lot of thought has been put into the planning of the event. 

At Millennium Point, we’re here to help you through every part of your journey ensuring all your queries are addressed to guarantee a seamless experience. 

Consider the location

Location can make or break an event. If you hold it in a place that’s difficult to get to you may see a drop in the number of guests attending. For example, if you’re hosting a social gathering for employees and clients that involves alcoholic beverages, you’ll want to consider somewhere with a variety of great transport links. This will give guests the opportunity to take alternative transport so that they can join everyone else in the celebrations.

That’s why Millennium Point is the perfect place to host your next unforgettable event! We’re in the centre of Birmingham, putting you close to bus, train and motorway links, amazing restaurants and bars and affordable hotels, helping you hold the best event possible.

Invest in quality catering

Depending on the duration of your event, you may want to consider choosing a catered option. Providing high quality food and drink can be a talking point, for a lot of attendees, helping you boost word of mouth conversations about your business and your brand reputation. While food and drink isn’t the main thing you want your guests to be discussing (unless you’re hosting an event relating to the hospitality industry), it is a great opportunity to encourage conversations.  

At Millennium Point we offer sustainable catering options that can take your event to the next level. Whether you want to keep it simple by providing teas, coffees and biscuits in your meetings or you want to step it up with a fine dining experience we’ve got you covered. 

Utilise lighting

Lighting is a great way to set the tone of your event. For example, you’ll want to use bright lighting if you’re holding a formal corporate event or meeting, as this promotes focus and enhances communication. 

But if you’re wanting to hold a more intimate and less formal event, designed to break down corporate barriers and encourage more personal relationships to be built, you’ll want to use warmer and dimmer lighting.  

Millennium Point’s event spaces  

So if you’re looking to host an exceptional event, take a look at our array of spaces:

Atrium

Atrium is a large open-planned space on the ground floor of Millennium Point that’s perfect for exhibitions and banquets. It also benefits from high speed Wi-Fi and catering options and has even been utilised as a film set for major TV programmes.

Auditorium 

The Auditorium was previously known as the very first IMAX in Birmingham. The space features a 30m² stage underneath a giant 14m x 8m screen and has everything a business needs to entertain an audience. 

The space also features:

Concourse 

Concourse is placed between the entrance of Birmingham City University and Thinktank giving you more footfall, helping you attract more people. This is great if you’re hosting an event that’s open to everyone, such as an exhibition, performance or reception.

The space also benefits from:

Connect 1-3

Our rooms Connect 1,2 and 3 allow you to create an ideal space for you with their retractable walls. Whether you want to use one large boardroom or 3 small meeting rooms, Connect gives you the opportunity to really tailor your event space.  

The room also has:

Ingress

Ingress is a small outdoor space that’s great for intimate gatherings such as product launches, exhibits, parties and food festivals.

The space also boasts:

Intercity

This has excellent presentation facilities and high-speed Wi-Fi that’s perfect for holding board meetings, training and workshops. Intercity also has:

Platform 

Platform is located on the first level of Millennium Point and is an open plan, semi-private space. The area also benefits from:

Promenade  

Promenade is an outside space great for small and intimate functions. This could include things like product launches, brand activation or even a dramatic entrance to your event!

The space provides a:

So if you’re looking to host an incredible event, get in touch with Millennium Point to see how we can help you.

Looking for a memorable and enchanting experience for your children this Christmas season? Then look no further! Millennium Point is hosting a special screening of the beloved festive film, The Polar Express!

Families will be able to enjoy hot chocolate, gifts, and a special visit from the man himself, Santa. Christmas jumpers and hats are encouraged for this wonderful festive event!

Tickets cost £20 for children, £10 for adults (plus fees) and takes place on Sunday 3rd December, this event is sure to be popular, so grab your train tickets and jump aboard the Polar Express here.

‘Why, to the North Pole, of course! This is the Polar Express!’

This magical movie follows a young boy’s adventure of a lifetime when a mysterious train appears outside his home on Christmas eve. As he hurdles towards the North Pole and a meeting with Santa, he discovers what Christmas is all about.

Shown on Birmingham’s biggest screen, families will get much more than just a screening

Millennium Point has everything you need to create an enchanting and unforgettable experience for your family. Join us for a magical afternoon with a screening of The Polar Express, a visit from Santa Claus, delicious hot chocolate, and even presents for your little ones. And the fun doesn’t end there – we’ll keep the excitement going with a festive disco after the film. Believe in magic again and give your family a Christmas to remember this year.

Take a photo by Millennium Point’s spectacular 39ft Christmas Tree

The tree, put together by Christmas experts The Christmas Decorators, takes a team of 5 installers and a team of 7 decorators to prepare the branches and baubles. The Christmas tree takes around 10 hours to complete. With good reason too as there is over 23,000 lights and 1,500 baubles to set up.

Where do you even get a 39ft tree from you ask? We’ll let you in on a secret, it’s not actually a real tree! The Christmas tree is made up of a metal frame with each individual branch attached separately each with their own power source.

As far as we know we have the biggest indoor tree in Birmingham at 12 metres tall. The tree is accompanied by two nutcrackers, giving visitors plenty of opportunities to snap a festive selfie.

At Millennium Point, there’s always something going on!

This festive season, Millennium Point has created a jam-packed event programme that will delight even the Grinch himself, but let’s not hope he doesn’t try to steal the tree!

Guests can enjoy four delicious cocktails and a special screening of Elf the big screen on 10th December. Expect in-jokes, cheeky banter and movie trivia all hosted by Tony and his team of elves at The Wine and Events Company.

Or if dancing is more your thing, why not join us on the dancefloor at our Festive Silent Disco! Back by popular demand, our Silent Disco night will be a night to remember! Millennium Point have teamed up with Silent Noize so you can experience three DJs battle it out to give you the best music throughout the night! Plus, there will be all your favourite Christmas songs too.

Hosting a business event is a great way to build relationships with your staff and clients. It’s the perfect opportunity for networking, building relationships and discussing important topics and projects. 

Here at Millennium Point, we’ve had a lot of experience in hosting various types of events, which is why we’ve put together a list of dos and don’ts to help you host the most effective business event. 

Do

Consider the location of event spaces

One of the most important things to do when planning a business event is to consider where it’s situated. For example, the ideal venue would be near multiple transport links and have adequate parking. If you choose to hold an event in a poor location it can discourage people from attending.   

With the increase in hybrid working, it’s essential that you hold your business event at an easy place for guests to get to. While London is often the first place people think of to hold a corporate event, it can be quite expensive when it comes to both booking the venue and travel costs for those attending. 

So if you’re looking for a more affordable event space, with excellent surroundings that give you the opportunity to interact with guests after the event has finished, Birmingham is the place to go. 

At Millennium Point we’re in a prime location in the centre of Birmingham. We’re close to motorway and bus routes as well as three main train stations, making it easy for you and your attendees to make it to the event.

We’re also close to lots of hotels that are perfect for varying budgets, making it simple for those travelling further to enjoy the event and make their experience as great as possible. 

Create a list of goals you want the event to achieve

It’s essential that you make note of what you want to achieve from this event. This can help you create an agenda or event plan that aligns well with the goals you want to meet. 

These could include things like:

This will also make it easier for you to decide who needs to attend, the dress code and the type of venue you need.

Create a checklist

Creating a checklist can help you keep on top of everything you need to complete before, during and after the event to make it run as smoothly as possible. For example, your checklist could include things like:

It’s also a good idea to make note of any emergency contacts or details required if you have any technical issues like poor audio or the presenting facilities failing. 

Don’t

Skip viewing the venue 

Viewing the venue before making your final decision can help you really understand if it’s the right fit for your event. For example, it can help you see if the venue is big enough to hold your desired amount of attendees and if it has the right facilities, such as presenting and audio abilities. 

This also allows you to ask any questions in person making it easy for you to understand how the venue works and what they can offer you. This gives you the opportunity to make any necessary negotiations with the events space. 

Invite attendees at too late notice

You want to avoid inviting your attendees too late as this will prevent you from getting a good turnout. You may think that sending out invitations months early is too far ahead of time but it allows guests to plan around both their work and home plans, making it more likely for people to be able to attend. 

It’s also a good idea to send out reminders on the run up to the event, such as ‘2 weeks to go!’ or ‘1 week to go!’ with information on transport links, parking and hotels to make it really easy for people to attend the event. 

Be afraid of making your event a little less formal

We all know that some corporate business events can be extremely formal, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But it’s also okay to make your event friendly. This gives people the opportunity to make real connections without the pressure of needing to maintain an overly professional persona. 

It can also help employees and clients see a more personal side to you, which is becoming more and more impactful when it comes to winning and retaining new business.

How Millennium Point can help you host your next corporate event

Here at Millennium Point, we have an array of venues perfect for your next corporate event.

Our spaces benefit from:

To learn more about how our event spaces could be perfect for your next corporate business event, get in touch with Millennium Point today. 

Millennium Point is on a roll! After a tremendously successful award season, we are now celebrating being shortlisted for not just one, but three Famtastic awards! The national awards celebrate excellence in the Hospitality industry, showcasing the best agents, hotels, and venues.

The Awards include:

– Conference Centre of the Year

– Independent Hotel or Venue of the Year

– Unique Venue of the Year

The award ceremony will be held at the Mercure Manchester Piccadilly Hotel on 27th October. The nominations alone are a great achievement and continues our achievements already for 2023 including Millennium Point’s first national win at the Conference & Events Awards.

Famtastic is a central resource for the latest industry diary dates and unmissable fabulous networking events that take place across the country.

Taking pride in everything we do

Over the past couple of years, we have reinvested into our building to expand our venue spaces that align with our client demands. Including the recent investment into our Auditorium and hybrid and live streaming technologies. We invested over £400,000 into upgrading equipment and refurbishing the space. Having this means our clients can reach their clients globally.

Our fantastic team of 16 have over 150 years combined experience within the industry. We treat each event with the same level of passion, enthusiasm, and customer service regardless of whether it is a small meeting or a 5-day convention. We provide advice guidance, and support to ensure the best result.

Along with all of this, at Millennium Point we also do our own events. Including a 7m diameter giant Earth exhibition, Gaia which welcomed over 80,000 visitors into our building. Throughout the year guests can also enjoy our fun and interactive movie and drink events from Dirty Dancing to Elf!

Versatile, spacious, and styled with the latest event technology

As we eagerly await the results of these Famtastic Awards, we remain committed to providing exceptional experiences for all who visit Millennium Point.

With over 19 event spaces available, from our showstopping 354-seater Auditorium to our tucked away training Curzon Spaces on Level 4. There is a space for everyone at Millennium Point. Get in contact with our friendly team to find out more!

If you’re looking for exciting events to fill your autumn and winter months, then look no further as here at Millennium Point we’ve got some amazing events waiting just for you. Ranging from Mean Girls bottomless brunch to the Birmingham technology and engineering career fair, we’re sure we’ve got something perfect for everyone!

Mean Girls prosecco bottomless brunch

Date and time: Saturday 23rd September 2023, 1PM

Price: £35pp plus fees

Are you ready for 90 minutes of bottomless prosecco paired with a special screening of American teen comedy Mean Girls?

Well if so, this could be the perfect way for you to kick start your weekend! Visit our website to learn more about the event and book tickets today! 

National Rabbit Festival 

Date and time: Saturday 7th October 2023, 10AM

Price: £0 – £15.87

Are you ready to hop into the weekend? Well the National Rabbit Festival could be perfect for you and your little ones if you love our furry friends. 

The event is all about celebrating all things rabbit with pet owners, charities, retailers and speaker experts. The festival will have lots of activities for everyone, including crafts and educational talks for the children, as well as being able to browse vendor booths for rabbit supplies and merchandise. 

To find out more about this event and book tickets, visit Eventbrite. 

Birmingham engineering and technology careers fair

Date and Time: Wednesday 18th October 2023, 12PM

Price: Free

Are you or your children considering a career in engineering or technology? Well the Birmingham technology and engineering careers fair provides a great opportunity to talk to industry employers.

This event can accommodate those attending on their own, families and even group registrations from schools, colleges and academies.

At the event, Equal Engineers exhibitors will be there to tell you what it’s like working in the industry and will have training providers and educational establishments to talk about how they can support you alongside employers.

Equal Engineers focus on connecting inclusive employers with diverse talent in the industry. 

To find out more about the careers fair and how you can book tickets, visit our website today.

Rocky horror picture show with cocktails

Date and time: Saturday 21st October 2023, 7PM

Price: £39.95

Join movie geek Tony Elvin for an evening of fun with our special showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show paired with unique cocktails.

The showing will take place on Birmingham’s biggest screen, along with a state of the art sound system. Our cocktails are also themed throughout the film giving you an unforgettable experience unlike anything you’ve had before.

To discover more about the event and how you can book tickets, visit our website.

Halloween silent disco

Date and time: Saturday 28th October 2023, 7:30PM – 12:30AM

Price: £12

By popular demand our silent disco is back! So if you’re ready to dance the night away while 3 DJs battle it out to the monster mash this event is just right for you! The night won’t just be filled with your favourite Halloween hits, but will play songs from genres like:

Visit our website to book your tickets today!

Shared Christmas party night

Date and time: Saturday 9th December 2023, 7PM

Price: £44.95 (plus VAT & Booking Fees)

Our shared Christmas party is perfect for smaller businesses wanting to celebrate without breaking the bank! 

The night will feature a three course meal, complete with tasteful centrepieces, as well as luxury crackers and novelties. After an evening of indulgence, you and your team can dance the night away to our DJs festive hits on our platform dancefloor. 

While this is available for groups over 8 and your table is exclusive to you and your company this is a shared experience, allowing you to mingle with other businesses. 

Elf with cocktails

Date and price: Sunday 10th December 2023, 3PM

Price: £43.66

You know Christmas is around the corner when Elf is back on the big screen!

Throughout the screening, four delicious cocktails will be served and the film will be paused at appropriate times to share and highlight how the cocktails can be made at home.

So if you’re looking to get in the Christmas spirit, book tickets to Elf with cocktails today!

Festive silent disco

Date and time: Friday 22nd December 2023, 7:30PM

Price: £12

Christmas can be a really busy period, with shopping for presents usually being the way people get in that Christmas feeling. 

Well how about this year you start the Christmas weekend with a silent festive disco, guaranteed to get you in that festive mood? 

We’ll be playing genres like:

Book tickets today!

If you’re looking to host your own event at Millennium Point, take a look at our Events Space Matcherator to see which of our venues is perfect for your next event!

Here at Millennium Point, we’re Eastside’s largest events hub. We have a diverse selection of spaces available and are here to assist you in hosting exceptional gatherings. 

We understand that no matter what you’re hosting, the space you choose is critical to holding an incredible event.

So why choose to host an event at Millennium Point.

The benefits of hiring an events space at Millennium Point

Here at Millennium Point, our events spaces have an array of benefits, such as:

Fully flexible spaces 

We have multiple spaces available that are suitable for almost any event. Some spaces boast meeting spaces, auditorium stages and a giant screen.

Outstanding services and add-ons 

Alongside your functions, we offer bespoke catering and hybrid and virtual packages all delivered with excellent quality service.  

Right in the centre of Birmingham 

Due to us being located in the centre of Birmingham, you’ll be close to transport links like train and bus routes, and with HS2 currently being built it’ll be quicker and easier for people to attend. 

We’re also close to local restaurants, bars and hotels, giving you the opportunity to socialise afterwards, giving attendees the opportunity to stay overnight if they need to.

Our event spaces 

Atrium

Located on the ground floor, the Atrium is a large, open plan public space ideal for exhibitions, banquets, expos, performances and more. 

The space benefits from:

Our space also boasts exhibition stands, standing and banquet areas and has even been used as a film set for major TV programmes. 

Auditorium 

Previously the Auditorium was the very first IMAX in Birmingham and is now equipped with everything a business needs to engage its audience. The space features a 30m² stage beneath a giant 14m x 8m screen. Other advantages include:

Concourse

Located on level 2, this area has high footfall due to it being placed between Birmingham City’s entrance and ThinkTank, helping you attract more people. 

Concourse is perfect for exhibitions, displaying products, performances and receptions and has stunning views of Eastside Park and the development of the new HS2 Curzon Street Station. 

The space also benefits from:

Connect 1-3

Our rooms Connect 1,2 and 3 have retractable walls allowing you to create the ideal space for you, whether that’s one large boardroom or 3 small meeting rooms. 

The room also boasts:

Ingress

Ingress is a small outdoor space perfect for intimate gatherings like product launches, exhibits, parties and food festivals.

It benefits from:

Intercity

Intercity can hold board meetings, training and workshops and has access to fantastic presentation facilities and high-speed Wi-Fi. It also provides:

Platform 

Platform is an open plan, semi-private space on level 1 of Millennium Point. It benefits from:

Promenade  

This outside space is great for small and intimate outdoor functions like product launches, brand activation or even a dramatic entrance to your event!

Promenade provides a:

So if you’re looking to hold an exceptional event, get in touch with us today to see how we can help. 

At Millennium Point, giving back to the community is massively important to us, which is why we have our Millennium Point Charitable Trust where we invest funding to help further STEM education in the West Midlands. 

This blog will explore how we’ve helped people and schools around the West Midlands gain better STEM opportunities. 

Millennium Point’s charitable mission

Our mission is to advance education for public benefit. We have a special emphasis on, but not limited to, the industrial and technological processes that have not only shaped the modern world but will also play a pivotal role in shaping the future.

Flagship initiatives 

We have three exciting flagship initiatives built for improving educational opportunities. These include:

Grant funding 

This provides funding for not-for-profit organisations, schools and colleges across the West Midlands Combined Authority area. Applicants can apply for up to £20,000 to fund a STEM-related project, as long as it meets eligibility requirements. Their idea will also need to showcase the measurable impact it will have on STEM education and/or a STEM career choice. 

We have awarded over £2,100,706 to charities, not-for-profit (NFPO’s) organisations, community groups and schools over the last 5 years. 

To learn more about how our grant funding works, take a look at our page.  

The scholarship programme

We’ve partnered with Birmingham City University to provide a fully funded undergraduate degree at their Faculty of Computing, Engineering and The Built Environment.

Applications are currently closed for 2023, but you can keep an eye out for next year’s applications opening here.

The STEM Roundtable 

The STEM Roundtable brings together leaders from STEM industries, primary and secondary schools, further education, higher education and NFPO’s in STEM sectors. 

The Roundtable aims to:

Key objectives 

We have a few key objectives we’re aiming to meet, as we support others in their STEM journey. These goals include:

Case studies 

Over the years we’ve supported many schools and organisations in the West Midlands, as well as those looking to pursue a career in STEM. So here are a few examples of people and organisations we’ve helped.

St Edmund’s Campion RC School

We’ve worked with St Edmund’s Campion RC School to create a STEM club that provides chances for children to explore topics that aren’t in the curriculum and work on large-scale projects.

This has been introduced, due to the school having a high level of disadvantaged students and many of them feeling as though an academic future and/or STEM career is out of their reach.

The school received the grant as it was important that their afterschool program delivered excellent quality lessons and gave children the opportunity to learn about STEM subjects just like other children do. 

You can learn more about how we helped the school on our website.

Aston Villa Foundation – STEM Stars

The Aston Villa Foundation’s mission is to work together to enrich lives, which is why they deliver Aston Villa Football Club’s community and social responsibility work. 

STEM Stars developed a new STEM programme for six schools within a three-mile radius of Villa Park. The grant funding will purchase a Sphero robot package (this includes robots and a small pitch) which will use football to get children engaged in coding. 

Due to the area around Villa Park being highly deprived in terms of income and education, it was important that the grant went to something helping to give children better opportunities within the STEM industry, in this case focusing on coding. 

You can learn more about STEM Stars here.

Safa Bibi secures scholarship glory  

Last year our winner, Safa Bibi, used the scholarship to undertake a degree in computer science at Birmingham City University. 

Safa is the ninth winner of the scholarship, meaning we’ve already funded eight fantastic winners in their STEM career.  

If you’re interested in learning more about how the scholarship works and how you can apply, take a look at our scholarship page. 

We’ve been giving back to the community for the past 20 years and would love for you to get involved. If you’re interested, get in touch with us today!