Strathnaver Museum revives schools competition held in memory of inspirational Sutherland biology teacher Alan Joyce
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Strathnaver Museum has announced it is reviving the Alan Joyce Young Environmentalist Competition this year following a funding boost.
The competition was first run in 2012 by the museum along with Caithness and Sutherland countryside rangers, but has not been held since 2019.
It was established in memory of former biology teacher, the late Alan Joyce who taught at Golspie and Farr high schools between 1961 and 1988.
He was behind the winning team of pupils from Golspie High School who made it to the finals of the BBC Young Scientist of the Year competition in 1969.
Strathnaver Museum is running the 2023 contest under the umbrella of the Wild Escape - a UK wide project that aims to bring museums, schools and families together to engage with the environment, drawing inspiration from the art and objects in museums.
Museum Galleries Scotland has granted Strathnaver museum £3000 as part of Wild Escape.
Pupils from north-west sutherland schools will be asked to use objects from the museum to explore environmental history and climate challenges.
Museum project manager Fiona Mackenzie said: "As well as telling us about important events from the past, our collection can help reveal important issues about the future.
"Our objects show how our ancestors made use of scarce resources, how land management has impacted our landscape today and how coastal erosion is revealing long hidden archaeological sites.
"The pupils will work with an artist to create an artistic response to the museum's collection and show their vision for the future."
The children’s artwork will be displayed on an exhibition website and shown in the recently built Museum Annex at Bettyhill. A family fun day and exhibition launch will be held on on April 22 as part of Earth Day.
Museum Galleries Scotland chief executive Ludy Casot said:“The Wild Escape offers children across Scotland a fantastic opportunity to explore and engage with the natural world. We’re very pleased to award funding to Strathnaver Museum for its creative programme of events and activities.”
