Hello! My name is Claire Ham.
I have a B.Sc.(Hons) in Chemical and Pharmaceutical Science and a Post-grad certificate in Integrated Pollution Control, with many years of experience of working in science-based industries and as a Secondary School science technician.
For 7 years I presented science events and workshops for Primary aged children, at birthday parties, weddings, fetes, libraries and schools and most recently I ran STEM clubs in Primary schools.
I loved these last two jobs, but got tired of working at weekends, and the STEM clubs only lasted 5-6 weeks and always left the children wanting more!
This gave me the idea for a club where children could come each week, all year round, much as they would a sports or drama club for example. Upon investigation I was unable to find any other year round, weekly science clubs, for this age group, except possibly a couple attached to schools in London. Inspired by this I decided to set up “Professor Ham’s Science Club”, in May 2019. I made bunting, jewellery and bags from recycled plastic bags and sold these to raise money to add to my small savings, and began the task of trying to see if there was anyone out there with children who would like to join a club like this.
In September 2019 I opened the 1st club for children aged 7- 11, at Moulton Community Centre. Then with numbers already growing in January 2020 I started a 2nd club at The Pastures Community Centre. I began running evening clubs for adults, and also to take bookings for workshops at events and holiday clubs.
Then COVID19 struck, and everything was put on hold. As I am in the shielding group, this lasted longer than I’d hoped, and in the meantime I made a couple of videos, to encourage the children to have a go at some experiments at home, using stuff I thought they’d find easy to come by.
Then in July 2020 I issued packs to those club members who where interested, and we stepped in to the virtual lab!
These online sessions worked so well that all the clubs went live via zoom, with packs delivered to the children for each term.
I also ran on-line birthday parties and one-off sessions for groups such as Cubs, workshops for primary school teachers through Science Outside the Classroom (https://scienceoutsidetheclassroom.weebly.com/).
Health issues forced me to continue with the on-line clubs for longer than anticipated, but the kids didn’t seem to mind and for some parents it proved a better alternative to being a kids taxi service!
I resumed face-to-face clubs in September 2022, and have continued to expand the number of clubs I offer, including after-school clubs in schools and at my home. and daytime clubs for Home educated kids at my home and elsewhere.
I have also continued to provide birthday parties, workshops at holiday clubs and festivals and events, and have even run some at a local care home for the elderly
If you know someone who would like to join me on this adventure, please get in touch.
Thanks, Claire
Professor Ham's Science Club 