Today’s the day that some of the BGTB team head to London for the prestigious Times Education Supplement awards as we’ve been shortlisted in the Community Initiative category. The event doesn’t include thank you speeches, (particularly if we don’t win!) so here is what we’d like to say to everyone who is part of our success.

BGTB success comes from a hard working team, dozens of volunteers, hundreds of scientists, thousands of visitors and a group of sponsors who have trusted us to deliver the event. Rathbones Investment Management have been with us from the first event and Christopher Godfrey-Faucett has come to every event and lifted our spirits with his infectious enthusiasm and the legendary Rathbones mints and pens.

We were also supported in the first year by the Institute of Physics in Scotland and the Society for Applied Microbiology. Along with Christopher, Alison McLure at IOP and Clare Taylor of SfAM showed huge faith in us and supported us without any evidence that we could pull off a science festival in a day. Thank you both and everyone at IOP Scotland and SfAM for that initial investment and their on-going support in the form of goodies for our famous bags.

Since the second year we’ve developed a partnership with Heriot-Watt University who became our second major sponsor and have stuck with us since. A particular thank you goes to Steve Chapman, former Principal of HWU who responded to a tentative request to cover the expenses of his researchers with a big smile and a promise of sponsorship which enabled us to instantly expand the ambition and impact of the event. Steve has now moved onto pastures new, but we’re really grateful to the new Principal at Heriot-Watt for his on-going support.

We’re so proud of what has been achieved since 2011 because of the hard work of the organising committee current and past; the volunteers who help us to run the day; St Mary’s School Melrose who host the event and whose staff give up huge amounts of free time to make the day a success and of course all the scientists who come along to a Saturday in September each year and inspire and educate.

As the only Scottish school/event on the shortlist wish us luck – whatever happens it’s going to be a great night celebrating what’s possible when a community forms around an idea, pulls together and shows that just because something hasn’t happened before, doesn’t mean it can’t with style and huge success!