A SUFFOLK animal health centre has unveiled a £400,000 project designed to help buck the trend of declining participation in veterinary disciplines and science as a whole among school children.

A SUFFOLK animal health centre has unveiled a £400,000 project designed to help buck the trend of declining participation in veterinary disciplines and science as a whole among school children.

The Animal Health Trust in Kentford, near Newmarket, has plans to transform its visitor centre into a state-of-the-art, all purpose learning facility and has already raised £175,000 towards the cost of the scheme.

It is hoped the new centre will enable scientists and clinicians to introduce and inspire pupils of all ages to study science as part of their vocational diploma, A-levels or courses of further education.

Peter Webbon, chief executive of the trust said: “We are totally committed to this project. Education has always been a major part of our remit as a charity and we have long been a centre of excellence where post-graduate veterinary and scientific education is concerned.

“The new learning centre will enable us to extend this part of our work to include students of all ages and to enhance the teaching of science in local schools.”

Along with the new centre, the charity has already acted upon suggestions from local authority curriculum advisors and is running a pilot scheme this autumn with St Benedicts Upper School in Bury St Edmunds.

If successful, the centre anticipates hosting groups from all types of local school, sixth form colleges, and community education centres, such as West Suffolk College, in Bury, running up to three half-day events each week during term time.

First opened in 1942, the Animal Health Trust currently employs over 200 scientists, vets and support workers and can boast the Queen as its patron and the Princess Royal as its president.