H2 HO HO HO IN STORE AT SCIENCE WITH SANTA WORKSHOPS Elves and Santa to host special sessions at Aberdeen Science Centre Santa and his cheeky elves will be spreading festive cheer and a little H2 Ho Ho Ho at Aberdeen Science Centre this Christmas. Booking is open now for the centre’s new Science with Santa workshops, sponsored by commercial cleaning company Tidy Clean Green. The fun sessions will run at weekends from December 9. Children will have the chance to visit the festive laboratory, where they will meet Santa’s cheeky elves and learn how to make gingerbread slime to take home. Santa himself will visit the lab for photo opportunities with each family – and he’s sure to have a special gift in his sack for each child to put under their tree. Visitors can then explore the exhibition floor and have fun getting hands on with the centre’s 60 interactive science exhibits. Science with Santa will run on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 9, 10 and 11 and again on Saturday and Sunday, December 17 and 18. Science with Santa is suitable for children aged four and over, and special sessions particularly suitable for under-5s will run on the morning of Friday, December 9, when wee ones will learn how to build and melt a snowman. Families can choose their slot when booking online. Admission to each workshop is £5 per child, including a gift, as well as the standard admission fee. Children must be accompanied by an adult. As spaces are limited, early booking is advised to avoid disappointment. Steph McCann, fundraising manager at Aberdeen Science Centre, said, “We know Santa is very busy in the run up to Christmas, so we are honoured he is able to join us with his elves for these special festive workshops. “As well as learning important STEM skills, we hope everyone will leave with great memories and a few photos with Santa before he heads back to the North Pole. “We are also very grateful to our headline sponsor, Tidy Clean Green, whose support has enabled us to provide the Science with Santa workshops and offer a visit to Santa with a bit of a difference. As spaces are limited, we would encourage booking now to secure your slot for festive fun at Aberdeen Science Centre.” Andrew Alleway, Founder and Managing Director of Tidy Green Clean, said, “When we realised Santa and his elves were going to be helping children learn about science at the Aberdeen Science Centre, a venue where we have the privilege of working with year round, we knew we had to be involved. After all, Santa needs healthy, hygienic environments to work in, that won’t damage the North Pole – and we all know how messy elves can be! “This Christmas science workshop is an excellent and festive opportunity go local children to have fun, learn something new, and enjoy the brilliant experience Aberdeen Science Centre provides. Tidy Green Clean is a family-owned, environmentally friendly, commercial cleaning company offering a range of commercial cleaning and facilities management services across Scotland. The company’s teams in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Forth Valley, Tayside, the Highlands and Moray have numerous clients across all sectors including offices, education, retail, healthcare and manufacturing as well as specialised one-off work. Recently awarded 5-star status by VisitScotland, Aberdeen Science Centre reopened to the public in 2020 after a major project to create an aspirational science centre which reflects the STEM priorities for both industry and education. The centre’s exhibits are aimed at all ages and are themed into six zones: Energy; Space; Life Sciences; Make It, Test It; and the dedicated area for the under-6s, as well as the Shell Learning Zone, where science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are brought to life Aberdeen Science Centre’s £4.7million redevelopment was made possible by generous support and funding from the Inspiring Science Fund – a partnership between the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and Wellcome – with additional funding provided by Opportunity North East (ONE) and Aberdeen City Council. The project secured a further £1.5million from funders and sponsors including OPITO, Shell, Equinor, bp, The Robertson Trust, TAQA and CNOOC International to deliver quality exhibits and programmes to enhance the overall visitor experience at the venue, as well through outreach work. To book your slot for Science with Santa, visit Aberdeen Science Centre website at https://aberdeensciencecentre.org/ Admission is £5 per child plus standard admission fee.