June 4th 2007. Chairman of TBBplc, Trevor Baylis OBE took part in the launch of the UK Intellectual Property Office's 'Cracking Ideas' campaign in Bristol, South-West England.
Britain's 'go-it-alone' inventors are following in the footsteps of some famous names. Frank Hornby, invented Meccano as a way of keeping his sons entertained, Owen Maclaren came up with the collapsible pushchair when his daughter and grandson struggled to get around, and Trevor Baylis invented the wind-up radio in his home workshop.
The UK's Science and Innovation Minister, Malcolm Wicks, said it was important that innovation was in the public eye. He said: “Britain remains a nation of inventors, taking their ingenuity from the garden shed to commercial success. Entrepreneurs and the passion of those who appear on shows like Dragon's Den can really inspire innovation,” he said.
Cracking Ideas is the biggest innovation project ever introduced to the UK's Primary Schools. From today special lesson plans, activities, a competition and dedicated website will encourage the children of today to become the inventors of tomorrow. Wallace & Gromit are fronting the campaign.
Cracking Ideas fits in with the National Curriculum and is aimed at 9 to 11 year olds. The aim of the lesson, activities and competition, which every primary school in the country will have a chance to enter, is to encourage children to be innovative and show them how they can profit from, and protect their ideas.
The project, which is led by the UK-IPO, is based around a dedicated website - www.crackingideas.com - which is also where schools can enter an invention for a nationwide competition. Speaking at the launch in Bristol, Malcolm Wicks said: "Some of the big inventions we will see later this century may be in the minds and imaginations of young children today. Cracking Ideas is an effective way of engaging children in innovation, tied into the National Curriculum."
"Teachers will have the resources and plans through the website to help them get involved. We are moving towards an innovation economy and this is an excellent opportunity to get children interested at an early stage."
Source: UK IPO Official Press Release.
For more information about the Intellectual Property Office, visit the website here: www.ipo.gov.uk.
