June 18-27

This year’s theme is “The Way We Live”. Events nationwide, co-ordinated by the Royal Institute of British Architects and Arts Council England, among others, will investigate the sort of homes we want, how we navigate our towns and cities and how the built environment affects us. Free online resources include: an investigation of the classroom, focusing on surfaces, shape and colour; a classroom collage activity which explores a timeline of architectural styles; a playground or classroom activity looking at the elements that make up a street; and a geodesic construction activity making reference to the Eden Project and the British Museum.

* Tel: 020 7973 5246

www.architectureweek.org.uk

Bring Your Bear party

June 21-25

Action Medical Research is encouraging children in schools, Guide groups, Brownies and Cub packs to bring their bears to school, help celebrate Paddington Bear’s birthday and join in activities to raise more than pound;125,000 to help sick children. An information pack contains ideas for “bearilliant” fundraising activities and there are bears and badges to be won.

* Tel: 01403 327444

www.action.org.ukbyb

Creative Writing conference

July 24-25

“Writers, creative writing and the modern world” is the theme of this annual conference for everyone from novice scribblers to established writers. It will be held at the Portland Building, University of Portsmouth, which from this autumn will be one of only 20 places in the UK to offer a PhD in creative writing. The main speaker is Professor Jeri Kroll, president of the Australian Association of Writing Programmes. Contact Pippa Lamberti for more information.

* Tel: 023 9284 6132 Email:pippa.lamberti@port.ac.uk

Design competition

The British Council is inviting schoolchildren in the UK in age categories five to 11, 11 to 16, and 16 to 18 to design a logo for the Global Gateway, a new international education website which links UK schools with their counterparts throughout the world. The closing date is August 9. A Canon Sure Shot 115u camera will go to the winner in each age category and a Canon MV700i digital camcorder to their school. The overall winner, to be selected by newsreader Sir Trevor McDonald, will have their design adopted as the official logo and their school will receive a Canon LV-52 multimedia projector.

* www.globalgateway.org.uk