The Oxford Trust Annual Review 2025

About The Oxford Trust

The Oxford Trust is an independent charitable trust, founded in 1985 by entrepreneurs the late Sir Martin and Lady Audrey Wood, co-founders of Oxford Instruments. Our mission is simple: to encourage the pursuit of science.

Our innovation programme supports economic growth in our region by encouraging enterprise. We do this by offering early-stage science and tech companies flexible and cost-effective office space, technical workspace, R&D labs, co-working space, virtual offices and support in our innovation centres, just when they need it most.

We are proud that the income from our innovation centres is mainly invested into our Science Oxford STEM education and engagement programmes, which aim to foster curiosity, cultivate a positive attitude towards science, lay the foundations for science learning and build science capital.

The strength of our charitable business model is that it is self-sustaining and supports both ends of the science spectrum from inspiring young people about science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) to supporting science and tech start-ups to grow.

The Trust’s Headington site embodies our mission with the Linden and Aspen (opening Summer 2026) buildings at the Wood Centre for Innovation offering science and tech start-ups space and business support and the adjoining Science Oxford Centre open to primary schools in the week and families with young children on Saturdays.

We want to inspire children about the wonders of science and help science and tech start-ups to develop and grow.

Sir Martin and Lady Audrey Wood, patrons and founders of The Oxford Trust

Aerial view of the Wood Centre for Innovation, Aspen Building and adjoining Science Oxford Centre, Headington.

A word from our CEO

Welcome to The Oxford Trust’s Annual Review for 2025. Every year seems to see another milestone for the Trust and our 40th anniversary year was no exception!

In April, we formally broke ground on the Aspen Building, a £9 million project to relocate the main car park, install infrastructure and construct a 17,000 square foot standalone innovation wing to our existing Wood Centre for Innovation complex. Our goal was to open within 15 months and, at the time of writing, we remain on track for early July 2026.

Named after Martin Wood’s favourite tree, the Aspen Building will become a grow-on home for three to four technology companies that require more space than we can offer in the Linden Building but are not yet ready to make the leap into large commercial premises. Once complete, our innovation capacity will total over 30,000 sq ft and bolster the wider Headington Science Cluster’s ability to start and grow high value companies. Together with our Oxford Centre for Innovation, the capacity deployed by the Trust rises to 40,000 sq ft within the city.

Aspen will also be home to the Trust’s main office and its Science Oxford STEM outreach team that, for the first time, will have a dedicated facility to store and prepare resources for schools and community groups across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire, inspiring the next generation of scientists. Being close to the renowned Science Oxford Centre, where schools and public visit, also maximises the interplay between these two important arms of our Education and Engagement activities.

In addition to the Aspen Building, the Trust has looked at improvements across the wider Headington site over the year. The on-site café was expanded and reopened in January 2026 and we have commissioned an extension to the main foyer with a safari-tent style addition on the outdoor deck (opening in April 2026). But it didn’t stop there. Thanks to the generous support of The Aspen Trust (Sir Martin and Lady Audrey Wood’s charitable trust), we were able to design and get planning permission for a new access way from the Quarry Road entrance through the woods.

Breaking ground on the Aspen Building

On opening in June 2026, this raised walkway will provide a safer pedestrian route for schools, clients and visitors, and being in the tree canopy, creates a beautiful and educational way to enter the Wood Centre for Innovation site.

Our Oxford Centre for Innovation in central Oxford was full on opening in April 2025, providing a home to many early-stage tech companies, and supporting organisations, as well as a superb co-working and meeting venue.

The impact of our innovation centres is measured by the success of the companies we support and equally by the funds these activities generate that are directly invested into STEM education provision, operated under Science Oxford, ensuring the charity meets its mission in the way our founders and patrons intended 40 years ago.

At the end of 2025, the Science Oxford brand was refreshed to make it clearer that it is part of the Trust, and the team underwent a reorganisation to ensure that we focussed efforts on our operational ‘pillars’ as explained in the pages that follow. The Trust remains by far the largest provider of informal STEM learning in our region, delivering proven impact for the young people, teachers and families we interact with and widening science learning for everyone.

The achievements over the last 40 years would not have been possible without the dedication of all those who help turn our mission into action. In September 2025, we were delighted to celebrate this milestone with our staff, partners, funders, donors and trustees at a wonderful event in Rhodes House, welcoming friends from across four decades.

Looking ahead, 2026 will see the delivery of all aspects of our current strategic plan. It is therefore with a great deal of pride, but also bittersweet, that I announced my retirement from the organisation that I have had the honour and pleasure of leading for the past 13 years (in September 2026). When you read the 2026 annual review, it will have a different voice but the same ethos of ‘encouraging the pursuit of science’ just the way Sir Martin and Audrey (Lady) Wood intended it to be.

My thanks to everyone who has helped me in this part of the Trust’s journey – it has been challenging, exciting, stimulating and a lot of fun!

Steve Burgess, CEO, The Oxford Trust

Celebrating 40 years of The Oxford Trust

In 2025, The Oxford Trust marked a major milestone: our 40th anniversary. This landmark year provided an opportunity to reflect on four decades of supporting science-based innovation, enterprise, education and engagement across Oxfordshire but also to celebrate the people, partnerships and ideas that have shaped the Trust’s journey.

Throughout the year we produced a film, an animated timeline and photo montage to celebrate the Trust’s past but also to look to the future.

40th anniversary film

Our specially commissioned film captures the story of The Oxford Trust, capturing the breadth of our work to support innovation and to inspire the next generation through our STEM education and engagement programmes, delivered under Science Oxford.

Animated timeline

The story of The Oxford Trust really starts in 1960 with Martin Wood and a superconducting magnet, leading to the foundation of University of Oxford spinout company Oxford Instruments. Following the success of the company, Martin and Audrey Wood established The Oxford Trust to ‘encourage the pursuit of science’, opening Oxford’s first innovation centre in Osney Mead in 1986. This animated timeline highlights key moments and milestones from The Oxford Trust’s forty-year history.

Photo montage

For the Trust’s 40th anniversary year, we appointed a Photographer in Residence to document a year in the life of The Oxford Trust. This photo montage captures the people, places and moments that define our work and impact.

Portrait of Lady Audrey Wood in her 98th year taken to celebrate the Trust’s 40th anniversary.

Our 40th anniversary event was held at Rhodes House in September and brought together partners, supporters and beneficiaries. These are a selection of photographs and quotes from the celebration.

I am very proud to continue the legacy of supporting fabulous innovative technology companies.

I am proud to have been associated with such an impressive organisation.

Thank you for inspiring so many future generations.

Thank you for all the lives you touch.

A wonderful legacy for the Wood family.

I was moved by the mission – more STEM education and inspiration, more investment in the future, and more Wood’s culture, vision and strategy.

Thank you for supporting us to inspire future scientists.

Your role in the ecosystem is invaluable.

Innovation

January–December 2025

Our innovation programme

The Oxford Trust’s innovation programme supports science and tech start-ups and spinouts primarily through its two innovation centres: the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington and the Oxford Centre for Innovation in the heart of Oxford.

We do this by providing affordable, flexible office space, technical workspace, R&D laboratories, co-working, virtual offices, meeting facilities and tailored business support for companies at the earliest stages of growth.

Our innovation centres are designed to foster innovation, collaboration and drive business growth, acting as hubs for cutting-edge research and development. They also play a vital role in the local economy by supporting local businesses, creating high-value jobs and generating significant GVA.

Bioarchitech team in their laboratory at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

PicturaBio’s laboratory at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Update on our innovation programme

The Trust’s properties

Our 40th anniversary year marked some major milestones for the Trust’s innovation programme. Following the freehold sale and of Macclesfield House in May 2024, we opened the new Oxford Centre for Innovation at Blue Boar Court in March 2025, ensuring the continued provision of high-quality space for science and tech start-ups in central Oxford.

The new centre offers circa 13,000 sq ft over four floors of modern, well designed private offices spaces, meeting rooms and a co-working area alongside administrative and business support. It has been designed to create a collaborative working environment that nurtures creativity and promotes business growth.

In September 2025, after completing a new car park on site, we appointed Beard Construction as our construction partner and commenced work on the £7 million Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation, located in the heart of the globally significant Headington Science Cluster. Named after our patron Sir Martin Wood’s favourite tree, the Aspen Building will sit alongside the existing Linden Building and the Science Oxford Centre.

Co-working space at the Oxford Centre for Innovation

Opening of the new Oxford Centre for Innovation at Blue Boar Court.

The new 17,000 sq ft (1,600 sq m) two-storey Aspen Building will provide high quality CL II level laboratory and office space for growing science and tech companies as well as a dedicated STEM resources room.

This new facility represents a significant investment by The Oxford Trust and reinforces our ongoing commitment to the Headington Science Cluster. With planned investment exceeding £20m, the Trust will become the largest, non-academic, third sector investor in the city of Oxford over the past decade. The Aspen Building will support further scientific research, create new local jobs, and strengthen Oxfordshire’s innovation ecosystem. It will also enable the Trust to expand the reach and impact of the Science Oxford Education and Engagement programmes, inspiring even more young people and deepening community involvement in STEM.

CGI of the new Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Showing construction of the Aspen Building in January 2026.

Beard appointed as our construction partners.

Kevin Maskell, CEO of Bioarchitech in the laboratory at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Businesses in our centres

Lumai’s technical workspace at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Despite significant changes, over the last year, our innovation centres operated at over 90% capacity, supporting 27 companies and 350 entrepreneurs.

The Linden Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation is home to a dynamic cluster of eight biotech and deeptech companies. These include Bioarchitech, focussed on developing immunotherapy treatments for common cancers; Lumai, developing 3D optical computing to enable AI deployment at scale; Helio, advancing low power, high brightness perovskite displays; PicturaBio, building a one-minute affordable pathogen detection platform; Spintex, creating high performance silk fibres (end of June); Jack Fertility, supporting men’s reproductive health; DJS Antibodies, now part of AbbVie Inc, creating the next generation of antibody therapeutics for inflammatory diseases; biotech start-up Samsara who are working on autophagy activation therapeutics; and the Hospital Charity. In December 2025, Exogene developing TCR-based therapies for cancer treatment, moved into the Linden Building and we said farewell to Samsara Therapeutics with their move back to the USA.

Seven companies moved into the Oxford Centre for Innovation at Blue Boar Court. These included Oxford Drug Design, focussing on novel disease targets; Optellum, specialising in AI solutions for detecting lung disease; quantum technology company Q-Control; and Aether, experts in air quality control. They were joined by three specialist service providers including Visual Meaning, a specialist consultancy; Mathys and Squire, an intellectual IP law firm; and Oxford Innovation Space, managers of innovation centres and providers of expert business and financial support.

This year has seen some great successes for companies in our centres. To pick a few highlights: AI accelerator start-up Lumai secured nearly £8 million in investment in spring 2025, enabling the development of breakthrough technology that will dramatically reduce the cost of AI data centres. Several companies received awards including Bioarchitech, winners of the Startup Spotlight 2025 at ChinaBio and PicturaBio was recognised by the Biotechnogy and Biological Sciences Research Council.

Through our partnership with Barclays Eagle Labs, we hosted 12 start-ups and 30 entrepreneurs in the co-working space at the Wood Centre for Innovation. By working with Barclays, we aim to create a growth pathway that enables start-up companies to transition into our centres while continuing to benefit from ongoing business support.

Exit Right

To support companies working in our innovation centres, we offer 1:1 business support and run sector- specific events. In the autumn, we continued our Exit Right series with two masterclasses. The first on Developing a Winning Share Capital Strategy with Laura Hankey from Richardsons Chartered Accounts to talk through the essential building blocks of developing a share capital strategy from getting your equity structure right from day one to a successful exit. The second on Navigating a Successful Property Move with advice from local experts, Savills, Bidwells and CBRE and from two companies that had recently relocated. This masterclass looked at the critical steps to successfully transition a business to the next stage of growth. We now host a library of 13 Exit Right videos, sharing expert insight and personal stories on how to successfully grow and exit a business. See here.

EXIT RIGHT 2025

HOW TO DRIVE YOUR BUSINESS

FROM START-UP TO EXIT

Barclays Eagle Lab co-working space at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Escalator Support Programme

Each year the Trust works with companies who are ‘bootstrapping’ ideas and have not yet secured substantial investment funding. Businesses like Spintex have benefited from reduced occupancy fees and Jack Fertility has been provided with lab space and administrative support at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Headington Science Cluster

Headington is home to leading centres of research, including the University of Oxford’s Jenner Institute, the Big Data Institute at Old Road Campus and major research-intensive hospitals as well as Oxford Brookes University. This makes it one of the most innovative square miles in the world.

Connected to these centres of research, several organisations and centres in Headington are dedicated to supporting innovation in digital health and life sciences. These organisations have joined together to form the Headington Science Cluster. The Oxford Trust is proud to be a partner alongside the University of Oxford’s BioEascalator, Oxford Brookes University’s Bioinnovation Hub, Barclays Eagle Labs and the and Oxford University NHS Trust’s TheHill.

Jack Fertility, part of the Escalator Support Programme.

View from above the Wood Centre for Innovation looking towards the Headington Science Cluster.

Partnerships

The Trust remains committed to fostering and strengthening the Oxfordshire Innovation Ecosystem through programmes, funding and partnerships with organisations such as Advanced Oxford and TheHill.

Following Advanced Oxford’s 2024 Green Paper on investment, MD Sarah Haywood is leading on the University of Oxford’s Oxfordshire Strategic Innovation Taskforce, and is working with partners to deliver an Oxfordshire Female Investment network conference and developing plans for investment hubs. Advanced Oxford is also producing policy papers on local government reorganisation and migration and establishment of policy groups on skills and infrastructure. Sarah has also been appointed to the Government’s Growth Commission for Oxford.

TheHill received funding from the Trust that supported their NHS Market Access Accelerator programme which supports innovative technology companies that can improve patient care and reduce the pressure of frontline staff to grow and scale. TheHill’s programme gives companies the knowledge and connections they need to develop and implement their solutions in the NHS. The 2025 cohort included CEFREF (monitoring migraine frequency and severity to improve management); eAltra (a digital health platform to improve communication between cancer patients and their clinical team) and Hatopy (wearable technology to manage eczema).

As part of our support for the innovation ecosystem, The Oxford Trust sponsored the Emerging Tech Business Award this year to recognise a new technology start-up with strong potential to scale, pairing a solid product with a well-researched go-to-market strategy. 2025 winners were TerraChange Solar for their ground-breaking work in organic photovoltaics, pushing the boundaries of clean energy innovation. By developing next generation solar materials for use in greenhouses, glass buildings and facades, they are helping make solar cleaner, more affordable, and accessible. They received their award at the Oxfordshire Business Awards ceremony in June.

Since our foundation in 1985 by Martin and Audrey Wood, our innovation centres have fostered innovation, collaboration and growth, acting as hubs for cutting-edge research and development. Over the last 40 years, The Oxford Trust has helped dozens of companies to flourish and grow during their time in our innovation centres.

Following our 40th anniversary year, we look ahead to the opening of the new Aspen Building and a new pedestrian access walkway to the Wood Centre for Innovation in Summer 2026.

Nicki Campling, Director of Innovation & Operations.

Our impact: innovation

January–December 2025

In 2025, The Oxford Trust supported 28 businesses and 350 employees (from April 2025) in the science and technology sector to grow, raise finance, internationalise and out-compete peers.

These figures are from April 2025.

Generates significant Gross Value Added

Businesses working in the Trust’s innovation centres contribute significantly to the Oxfordshire economy.

Economic impact: £22.75m GVA to Oxfordshire economy.

Education and Engagement

September 2024 – August 2025

Our STEM education and engagement programmes

STEM workshop in school, part of our primary school outreach programme

The Oxford Trust’s STEM education and engagement programmes are delivered through the brand Science Oxford. Our STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) based programmes aim to inspire young people aged 3 to 18 about science.

We want to foster curiosity, cultivate a positive attitude towards science, lay the foundations for science learning and build science capital. We want to increase the enjoyment of science and empower young people to pursue science careers.

To do this, we provide inclusive and interactive STEM activities and experiences for primary pupils and secondary students, as well as families with young children. Our programmes are designed to increase knowledge, skills and aspirations. We deliver these activities across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire and at our Science Oxford Centre in Headington. We work with multiple audiences – school pupils and teachers, families, community groups and the wider public. Our aim is to inspire the next generation of scientists, innovators and problem-solvers, ensuring STEM is open to all young people, regardless of background.

This annual review highlights The Oxford Trust’s work in STEM education for primary schools and our engagement programme for families and young children, delivered through Science Oxford over the last academic year (September 2024 to the end of August 2025). In the 2024-5 academic year, our programmes have reached over 32,000 people.

For the new academic year, the education and engagement programme was organised into operational pillars: pillar 1 is the primary outreach programme; pillar 2 primary school visits to the Science Oxford Centre; pillar 3 our engagement or public events programme; pillar 4 STEM Careers (not reported on for 2024-5 due to programme redevelopment); and pillar 5 is teacher CPD. Each of these ‘pillars’ are reported on below.

Our goal remains the same: to encourage the pursuit of science.

Update on our education programme

STEM workshop for schools visiting the Science Oxford Centre

Our education programme is delivered by our expert Science Oxford team and aims to inspire young people about STEM. We have an extensive primary school programme as well as a CPD programme for primary school teachers.

Our primary school programme is curriculum linked and designed to foster curiosity as well as promote higher order thinking, oracy skills and purposeful practical science as part of enhancing STEM education.

We offer school visits to the Science Oxford Centre in Headington, an outreach programme in schools and a range of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities for primary school teachers to build confidence, skills and networks. Over the 2024–25 academic year, we engaged over 20,000 young people in our region.

It is the aspiration that primary schools will engage multiple times throughout the year with different aspects of the Science Oxford Education Programme. In 2024-25, 44 schools engaged more than once, whether through STEM outreach, a Science Oxford Centre visit, STEM kit loan, taking part in the Big Science Event, or attending teacher continuing professional development events. Windmill Primary School, our super users, engaged 16 times!

Widening participation

The Oxford Trust is committed to actively supporting those under-represented in the STEM sector and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds. A special Equity, Diversity, Inclusion (EDI) Fund is provided by the Trust, to heavily subsidise sessions for priority audiences, including those from schools with above average Free School Meal (FSM) percentage.

Primary School Outreach

Our outreach programme, or operational pillar 1, offers STEM-focused shows and workshops, and science kit loans for schools across our region.

This academic year, our outreach team engaged over 11,000 pupils from 100 schools in STEM workshops and shows, of which 24% were from priority schools. 64% of schools were from Oxfordshire, and 29% from Buckinghamshire with 7% from out of area.

The planetarium was the most popular show with over 200 (40%) bookings over the year. Additionally, 19 schools borrowed a total of 28 STEM kits from our loan service which includes K’nex Construction kits, electrical experiments and marble mazes. In total, we worked with 91 (90%) state- funded schools and 10 (10%) independents. A further 1500 pupils joined online for our Winter Livestream show on the Science of Invisibility.

Science Oxford has always been a godsend to our school in terms of increasing the children’s science capital.

Teacher, Hillview School

Big Science Event

The annual Big Science Event is designed to support and celebrate pupil-led enquiry, giving children the opportunity to develop their scientific and oracy skills. Investigations can be part of school science week, clubs, lessons, or even a homework project. This year, 100 schools from Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire took part, with 13 schools (57 pupils) attending the Big Science Event in collaboration with the national Great Science Share for Schools at our Science Oxford Centre in June 2025.

Diamond is proud to engage with students at all stages of education to inspire and cultivate a sense of belonging in STEM.

We would like to extend our thanks to Diamond Light Source and Abbott for their support for the event.

Primary School Visits to the Science Oxford Centre

Our programme in Headington, or operational pillar 2, offers primary schools across the region the opportunity to visit our Science Oxford Centre. Each visit includes a session in the Exploration Zone plus a show or workshop – some of which include outdoor activities in our 15 acres of woodland.

In the last academic year, 7,760 pupils visited the Science Oxford Centre from 124 schools, 21% of which were from priority schools. The highest levels of engagement came from local schools within easy walking distance, Wood Farm Primary School and Windmill Primary School, who had multiple visits. Of the 122 schools that visited the Centre, 101 (83%) were from the state sector and 21 (17%) were from the independent sector. There were also two visits from Home Educator groups. 56% of schools were from Oxfordshire, 31% from Buckinghamshire and 13% from out of area. The most popular activities were the Light Fantastic show and the Woodland Walk.

During this academic year, thanks to the generous support of the Aspen Trust, we enhanced our physical provision for school groups visiting the centre. Our previously semi-open education space was converted to a fully enclosed ‘Hub’, to provide a year-round purpose-built location for school groups to eat lunch with protection from the elements. In addition, a new meadow area was created as a breakout space to enable pupils to enjoy the outside area during their lunch break.

The whole day is amazing, the organisation and knowledge of the staff, the content and way it’s delivered ensures full engagement of all pupils throughout their visit.

Teacher, March 2025

Forest Schools

With 15 acres of woodland, grassland and ponds surrounding the Science Oxford Centre, we were pleased to welcome 30 children from primary schools within easy walking distance for their own school-led Forest Schools activities.

Continuing Professional Development for Primary Teachers

Our CPD programme is the fifth operational pillar. Our expert team offers teachers a wealth of opportunities to learn about best practice, as well as acquire ideas and strategies to implement impactful techniques for teaching science in the classroom.

Through our specialist Teacher CPD courses, we delivered 4 sessions, training 40 teachers in a total of 29 primary schools.

Underpinning all the work at Science Oxford is the best practice pedagogy, Thinking, Doing, Talking Science, co-created by Science Oxford and Oxford Brookes University. The associated training programme equips primary teachers with the skills to create engaging, practical and thought-provoking science lessons that encourage pupils to develop higher-order thinking skills. The goal is to make primary science lessons more practical, creative and challenging.

Thinking, Doing, Talking Science is now operated nationally by our partner the Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT). In 2025, Science Oxford ran a four-day Thinking Doing Talking Science course with PSTT at the Science Oxford Centre as well as a range of other CPD courses to continue supporting teaching and learning in schools across our region.

CPD training course

Teacher, 2025

Great course. It was pitched fantastically.

Update on the engagement programme

Our engagement programme is the third operational pillar. The Science Oxford team runs a vibrant programme of public events, including Family Days and STEM Clubs at the Science Oxford Centre, as well as events in partnership with communities across Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire. Over the last year, our engagement programme reached over 13,319 people.

Family Days

Our Saturday Family Days at the Science Oxford Centre remain highly popular and were over 90% booked over the last year with over 9,000 visitors. Each quarter, we also ran Sensory-friendly Family Days, with smaller groups, to better support young people with autism or additional needs and their families. These days were fully booked and consistently well received by attendees.

Over the winter months, when the outdoor Water Lab is closed, we hosted a series of Live Labs in the Exploration Zone. Families had the opportunity to meet a scientist, student, researcher or a member of our expert team and participate in mini experiments inspired by real-world technology and scientific research. Activities included investigating bacteria, exploring kitchen science with cabbages and extracting strawberry DNA, along with fun ideas to try at home.

Family Day Visitor, August 2025

Everything was fantastic! Our whole family enjoyed it all from the 6 to the 65 year-old! The staff in the Exploration Zone were highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic. Everything was accessible to everyone.

Pond dipping at a Family Day

STEM Clubs

In 2024-25, the Science Oxford team ran monthly Nature, Science and Creative Computing Clubs at the Science Oxford Centre, along with repeat sessions of the Science Clubs at Abingdon School. Our STEM Clubs are designed to provide on-going engagement with families, as research shows that this is essential for building children’s science capital. Over the year, we ran 49 clubs for ages 5 to 14, with 1,500 children attending.

This year, we also ran a pilot Robot Club for older children aged 11-14. Led by our Technology Projects Officer, this six-week series of robotics workshops were designed to develop coding, designing and building skills.

During term-time, we ran Arti-Techs, an after-school club supported by the Trust’s EDI fund. The club was designed to provide repeat engagements for 12 to 15 young people, aged 11–14, often under-represented in STEM fields.

In August, 2025, we ran two weeks of Summer Club for two groups of 30 children, including 20 funded places for children from local schools who would otherwise have been unable to attend.

We loved it. It was very well designed, and well facilitated, and the resources were great. It felt very inclusive too.

Parent, Science Club

IF Oxford Science & Ideas Festival

In October 2024, we were thrilled to be part of IF Oxford Science & Ideas Festival (supported by The Oxford Trust) with Super Science Sunday at the Science Oxford Centre. As always, it was a great success with over 200 tickets sold. Visitors enjoyed a special day engaging with researchers, presenters and publishers. They controlled mini robots in races and tested materials used to generate star power with UK Atomic Energy Authority. Audiences delighted at the Amazing Air show in our theatre, a multi-sensory experience with Dr Sarah Bearchell, with fun experiments proving air really is there. Attendees also marvelled at Brighton Science Festival founder, Richard Robinson’s ’66 Impossible Things’ with science tricks and demos that made them think! Entry to the Exploration Zone, outdoor Water Lab and woodland were all included in the event.

Robot Club at the Science Oxford Centre

Update on our engagement programme

Community programme

During the 2024-25 academic year, we worked with community groups including the Parasol Project, Oxford Community Action, Berkshire Vision, Barton Community Association and Be Free Young Carers. We ran 16 community events reaching over 900 people in total.

In summer 2025, Science Oxford’s team went outdoors and inspired families and young people about the natural world in libraries, parks and wild spaces, thanks to empowering community partnerships.

We teamed up with Oxfordshire Libraries in July to take young explorers on a journey of curiosity and creativity across the county. As part of the Summer Reading Challenge and this year’s The Story Garden theme, we visited libraries and their wild spaces in Bicester, Blackbird Leys, Carterton, Headington, Littlemore, Wallingford and Woodstock. In eight hands-on workshops, we invited families with children age 7-11 to become ‘observologists’— inspired by Giselle Clarkson’s fantastic book, Observologists: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions. Over four days, we engaged with almost 200 ‘Observologists’, equipping them with the tools and the mindset to explore their local environments with fresh eyes.

Our team took bubbles and outdoor activities along to Headington Festival and, braved summer downpours in the park at Blackbird Leys Play Day, hosted by the Oxfordshire Play Association. There, families zoomed in on the fascinating world of seeds – examining their shapes, wondering how they travel, and using biomimicry to design their own flying seed creations. It was a joyful celebration of science, nature, and play!

Everything was well thought through. Quality of all staff is very high. What a great place. The kids will be more open to projects involving science now.

Community Leader

Science Oxford’s summer tour of Oxfordshire libraries

A successful partnership with Barton Community Association, created a lasting impact for children through our Science After School Club. The club provided a safe and inspiring space where children could explore topics ranging from human biology and engineering and environmental science.

As part of National Astronomy Week (1-9th Feb) we hosted our third starry night event. Families were able to explore the scale of the solar system with planetarium shows, creating their own constellation pictures. Thanks to the funding from The Association for Science and Discovery Centres we were able to offer free tickets to families from local schools.

Science Oxford is uniquely placed at the heart of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire innovation ecosystem to inspire the next generation about the wonders of science and raise STEM careers aspirations. Our expert team are actively working with young people, families and educators in the region to enthuse and equip them to enjoy and pursue science. Finding pioneering solutions to pressing global challenges will come from the scientists and engineers of tomorrow and we are deeply committed to showing the relevance of science in everyday life and to creating future diverse STEM talent.

Francesca MacLennan Director of Science Education & Engagement.

Starry night community event.

Our impact: education

Academic year: September 2024–August 2025

Our impact: engagement

Academic year: September 2024–August 2025

Highlights of the year

New Oxford Centre for Innovation opens

March 2025

The Trust celebrates the opening of the new Oxford Centre for Innovation at Blue Boar Court.

Celebrating 40 years

March 2025

The Oxford Trust staff and trustees celebrate the setting up of The Oxford Trust 40 years ago.

Chief Scientific Advisor visits

March 2025

Government Chief Scientific Advisor Professor Dame Angela McLean visits the Science Oxford Centre.

Oxford Literary Festival

April 2025

Francesca MacLennan, Director of Science Education & Engagement at The Oxford Trust introduces talk by Dr Matt Bothwell at the Oxford Literary Festival.

The Oxford Trust staff and trustees

Professor Dame Angela McLean, Government Chief Scientific Adviser

New trustees join

May 2025

The Oxford Trust welcomes three new trustees to the Board: David Carr; Tatiana Grudskya; and Dr David Llewellyn.

Emerging Tech Business Award

June 2025

The winner of the Oxford Trust’s Emerging Tech Business Award is TerraChange Solar for their ground-breaking work in organic photovoltaics.

Big Science Event

June 2025

Young scientists shine at the Big Science Event, run in conjunction with the Great Science Share for Schools, at the Science Oxford Centre.

Summer Programme

August 2025

The Science Oxford team went outdoors and inspired families and young people about the natural world in libraries, parks and wild spaces over the summer.

Big Science Event

Super Science Saturday

October 2025

Super Science Saturday at the Science Oxford Centre inspires families with IF Oxford.

Young Stargazers event

December 2025

Young stargazers discover the wonders of space at the Science Oxford Centre.

Exogene joins

October 2025

Exogene takes R&D lab space at the Wood Centre for Innovation.

Celebrating 40 years

September 2025

The Oxford Trust marks 40 years of championing science with a special celebration at Rhodes House.

Breaking Ground

September 2025

Construction begins on the Trust’s new Aspen Building at the Wood Centre for Innovation in Headington.

Celebrating 40 years at Rhodes House.

Trustees and contact details

Trustees

• Dr John Boyle (Chair)
• Jude Bennett
• David Carr
• Dr Sarah Dry
• Professor Alistair Fitt
• Jonathan Flint CBE
• Tatiana Grudskaya
• Imam Monawar Hussain MBE
• Dr David Llewellyn
• Nicola McConville
• Megan Morys-Carter
• Professor Alison Noble
• Lynne Pebworth

Oxford Centre for Innovation

Blue Boar Court
9 Alfred Street
Oxford OX1 4EH

Science Oxford Centre

Wood Centre for Innovation
Quarry Road
Oxford OX3 8SB

01865 810 000
[email protected]
scienceoxford.com

Wood Centre for Innovation

Quarry Road
Oxford OX3 8SB

01865 810 000
[email protected]
theoxfordtrust.co.uk

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