Parent and Baby Awards 2020

www.lux-review.com Page 37 Page 36 www.lux-review.com LUX 2020 Parent & Baby Awards LUX 2020 Parent & Baby Awards As Masters students in STEM degrees, Amara Lalemi-Jacobs and Jessica Opoku- Afriyie were faced with many challenges throughout their studies, such as being the first members of their families to go to university as well as being the only ethnic minority, and sometimes the only females, in their classes. Upon graduating, Amara and Jessica believed that the disinterest in science amongst certain demographics was beginning at a young age and upon further research, their suspicions were confirmed. According to a report from CFE Research for Wellcome, on average, only one hour and twenty-four minutes is spent teaching science in primary schools, an insufficient amount of time to inspire children into following educational careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths (STEM). Amara and Jessica decided it was time to change this. Beginning with school visits and interactive assemblies, and now operating as a specialised children’s club, the pair have been providing children with the inspiration and resources to get engaged with science, all while working full time jobs. Sci4Us is designed to not feel like an extension of school, but a fun and vibrant environment that encourages children to be engaged and to want to learn. Created The idea for Baa Baby was born in 2006, the founders received a very sweet pair of sheepskin booties from New Zealand. The search then began sourcing a full range of sheepskin products, including hats, mittens, toys and booties and selling them on Saturdays at local fairs and markets. The popularity of the product took off, as it soon became obvious that sheepskin was not only cute and cosy, but with natural thermostatic properties it made a wonderful choice for parents all year round. In 2008, Baa Baby was officially launched, with additional products such as pram and cot liners, footmuffs for prams, and responding to the demands of parents who sought eco- friendly and natural high-quality products for their babies and toddlers. Since then, the company has experienced exponential growth, with the owner Helen Clayton researching products around the world and working with suppliers who share Baa Baby’s same passion for quality and nature. While the sheepskin pram liners are all cut by hand from single fleeces in Lincolnshire, the company also works with premium brands all over the world, such as Kaiser in Germany and Felhof in Austria to provide a range of lambskin footmuffs. Meanwhile, Baa Baby’s lambskin booties still continue to be handmade in New Zealand just as they were in 2006, from the softest nappa leather. Using only the highest standards of sustainable and natural materials, Baa Baby is able to guarantee long lasting products and prides themselves at doing this at affordable pricing Research by ASPIRES in December 2013 reported that only 42% of Year 9 students had any interest in continuing studying science, and that while a number of young people aged 10-14 held aspirations for professional, managerial and technical careers, only 15% of them aspired to careers in science. Sci4Us began in October 2018, when Amara Lalemi-Jacobs and Jessica Opoku-Afriyie recognised that science was not being prioritised in primary education, leading to a disinterest in science from an early age that contributed to the shortage of STEM graduates. In a time when scientists and their research are more vital than ever, this voluntary project is performing outstanding and lifechanging work. Baa Baby products, created using sheepskin, lambskin and other natural and organic materials, take pride in not only being cute and cosy, but also beneficial for babies as a result of their thermostatic properties, natural moisturisers and ability to help baby sleep. Inspired by some adorable sheepskin booties from New Zealand that had been received as a gift in 2006, Baa Baby is now a global enterprise offering everything from footmuffs to teddy bears. Aug20525 Aug20177 Sci4Us Best Educational Service Provider 2020 - London Baa Baby Ltd Best Natural Baby Sheepskin & Wool Products Brand – UK for children aged 6-16 for all different backgrounds and races, Sci4Us covers a range of topics across the three sciences in weekly two-hour sessions that align with the National Curriculum. The sessions provide opportunities for children to have a hands-on approach to learning about science, taking part in experiments, going on trips, listening to guest speakers and learning about all the possible career paths within STEM. With an internal culture based on creativity, communication, impact, passion and honesty, the team at Sci4Us are always thinking of innovative ways to keep children interested in science. Working closely and communicating with parents has been a vital part of this, as parents are becoming more invested in services such as Sci4US to aid their children’s education. The results have been overwhelming and heart-warming to witness, as children who lacked confidence a year ago are today able to explain topics, using their knowledge in different experiment set ups. Sci4Us was created to improve the quality of children’s education and, by extension, their lives, and the visible results are a testament to the devotion and hard work of Amara and Jessica. In recent months, Sci4Us has been charged with tackling more than just the STEM crisis. Technology is playing a greater role in education, but not without detrimental repercussions such as shortened attention spans and less physical activity among children. While Sci4Us are incorporating technology into their sessions, their priority is keeping science as hands-on as possible. This has, however, become more difficult in light of the Covid-19 pandemic, which put a halt to the Saturday clubs. However, Sci4Us was not to be deterred and quickly adjusted the way in which they reach their community. This has had an immensely positive result, as the Live Zoom Sessions and YouTube videos have allowed the Sci4Us community to expand nationwide and beyond. In their continued efforts to keep science accessible, Sci4Us distributed packages with all the necessary elements of each experiment so that children could continue engaging in science from home. As a result, the future looks very bright for Sci4Us, as the shift to virtual sessions has expanded the club’s reach across the UK and worldwide, a hugely exciting concept for this club run by two remarkable volunteers. As the team continues to tap into technology and recruit more people to help spread their love of science, Sci4Us are confident that they can continue changing how science is viewed by young people for the better. We look forward to watching this outstanding company as they develop their lifechanging idea. Contact: Amara Lalemi-Jacobs Company: Sci4Us Web Address: www.sci4us.co.uk Fundamental to Baa Baby’s success has been its collaboration with parents. Customer feedback has been essential and working together Baa Baby has been able to produce pram liners and source footmuffs that will work with almost every cot and pram. With creativity, tenacity and motivation as crucial attributes of every member of the Baa Baby team, customers are guaranteed first class service, from the affordable prices to the premium quality, the friendly service to the little touches like handwritten notes. Gifting has become a significant element of Baa Baby’s business activity, principally as a result of the pandemic that has prevented grandparents and friends visiting new-born babies, and sending special gifts instead. Baa Baby has adapted its offering to facilitate this demand, now selling baby shower gift boxes that are eco-friendly, beautifully presented and complete with personal, handwritten notes. With the added pressure in an already overwhelming period for new parents, Baa Baby is making it easier for customers to be there for their loved ones. As business returns to a semblance of normality, Baa Baby is now looking to grow, with ambitions to have their products available on the high street in the near future. Their already extensive range is also growing this autumn, with new colours available in the range of pram liners, including latte long hair, grey long hair and milk shorn hair. While the brand continues to grow, their central ethos remains the same, providing natural and sustainable products for babies and toddlers that are not only beneficial, but also incredibly cute and cosy! We can’t wait to see what lies ahead for Baa Baby. Contact: Helen Clayton Company: Baa Baby Ltd Web Address: www.baababy.co.uk