About Us

Aims

The aims of the SAW Trust are to bring science into everyday lives and develop new ways of stimulating creativity, exploration and learning

Where it all began

The Science, Art and Writing (SAW) Trust is a science education charity founded by Professor Anne Osbourn from the John Innes Centre (Norwich, UK) in 2005, who was inspired to use science as a creative stimulus for writing poetry as part of her NESTA (National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) Dreamtime Fellowship.

The first schools to participate in a SAW activity were Rockland St Mary Primary and Framingham Earl High School in Norfolk. Scientists, artists, writers and teachers worked together to deliver a three-day event on a range of science topics. The methodology continued to be developed and refined into a flexible model that takes stories out of labs and into classrooms, exploring current research themes through practical science, poetry and visual arts.

Today the SAW Trust is an international organisation with partners in Boston, USA and Shanghai, China.

Photo showing The SAW Trust running a workshop at a school

Board of Trustees

Professor Anne Osbourn

Chair

Professor Anne Osbourn OBE FRS

John Innes Centre, Norwich, UK

SAW founder Professor Anne Osbourn is a practising scientist – currently a group leader and Deputy Director of the John Innes Centre, with an international reputation for her work on plant natural products.

She is an ardent advocate of scientists engaging more fully with society. Her passion is inspiring children about science, and she is fascinated by the processes of creativity and exploration that underpin both scientific and artistic endeavour.

Secretary

Sarah Passingham

With a degree and early career in Graphic Design, thirty years as a published writer and a life-long interest in science, SAW's multi-disciplinary focus brings together many of Sarah's interests.

Combined with experience as a school governor and a personal understanding of disability and Special Education Needs, Sarah is eager to see the spirit of SAW enrich the lives of all in education.

Trustee

Philip Norton

Phil specialises in charity law and is a member of the Charity Law Association. He is a Trustee of and solicitor for a number of charities, many with a medical interest and some being large private foundations.

Phil's advice to charities ranges from establishment and administration, governance and trading issues for large national concerns, through to trustee liability, risk management and incorporation.

Alison Randall

Trustee

Alison Randall

An experienced Local Government senior manager, responsible for promoting strong leadership and sound financial management practices across Norfolk schools.

Alison is also an experienced Trustee and school governor, with an interest in how SAW can contribute to an improved educational experience for all our children.

The SAW Team

Jenni Rant

Dr Jenni Rant

Programme Manager

Jenni began volunteering for SAW in 2006 while studying at the John Innes Centre and after being awarded a PhD in Plant Pathology, went on to become its full-time programme manager in 2012.

Fond of creative arts at school, Jenni enjoys using a multi-disciplinary approach for making science more accessible to people with diverse interests. She oversees all aspects of SAW, from project design and development, fundraising, social media and engagement.

Chris Hann

Lead Artist

Chris is a professional painter with around 100 exhibitions behind him and has lectured in fine art for 34 years, mainly in further and higher education, before retiring in 2011.

A former principle examiner for Cambridge International Exams, Chris's paintings are on display in many public and private collections.

Mike O'Driscoll

Lead Writer

Mike has worked as a writer with SAW for over a decade, encouraging people of all ages and abilities to write poetry in response to science.

He has also been a creative writing tutor for Norfolk Adult Education Service and coordinated the Norwich-based writers’ network, Cafe Writers. In a former life Mike was a senior journalist, bureau chief and project manager with Reuters Television. He studied English Literature at Cambridge University.

Sami Stebbings

Communications Specialist

With a bachelors degree in ecology, Sami joined the SAW team in 2017 driven by her passion for science communication.

Having studied professional digital marketing Sami now designs marketing strategies and promotional materials to increase SAW's reach and impact.

Our Supporters & Collaborators

The SAW Trust works with a number of partners and relies on sources of external funding to support its activities. We are very grateful to our supporters and collaborators who include:

Get in touch

    01603 450465