Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1032158
17 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 26 SEPTEMBER 2018 COMMERCIAL WITH Science in the City fast approaching— it opens this Fri- day at 6pm in Valletta — we hear so much about science, the arts and creativity. But why do chil- dren need to be exposed to the marriage of science and arts? At the festival, children of all ages will be able to enjoy a num- ber of activities that spark the imagination and foster creative thinking. Kids Dig Science at Spazju Kreattiv, a combination of interactive theatre and hands on science experiments and games, allows kids to tap into their desire to explore and dis- cover. It teaches them to prob- lem solve in the most creative of ways. Orkidea, NGO Greenhouse Malta interactive shadow puppet and theatre show at City Lights, will give young children the op- portunity to explore Malta's gar- rigue and understand the plight of our orchids. They will be able to come up with solutions on how to work to protect them. Esplora will be running another shadow puppet show where kids between the ages of 5 and 12 will embark on a storytelling jour- ney, traveling back along Malta's historical timeline. Shadows of Malta's Times at La Valette Band Club highlights the links between science and culture and the influences these had on each other. This first show starts at 6.45pm. And of course, a Science in the City favourite among children of all ages is STEAM², where Student Organisations from the University of Malta will liter- ally inundate St George's Square with experiments, games, quiz- zes and interactive art installa- tions. The Science Fair at City Gate will host an amazing 15 organi- sations with an incredible line up of activities, interactive ex- hibitions, earthquakes, creepy crawlies, underwater rovers, a self-driving wheelchair, cars and so much more. This area caters for the young and young at heart. Here the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technol- ogy, will perform demos and experiments, as well as display their state-of-the-art science tools and applications. The Uni- versity of Malta's Junior Col- lege will for the first time join the festival in a spectacular way, their live orchestra will make water dance! Plenty to explore for little researchers FOLLOWING the publi- cation of his debut novel 'The Sheriff's Catch' in the UK earlier this year, Syd- ney-based James Vella- Bardon will be in Malta in September to attend two book signing events host- ed by Agenda Bookshop and Merlin Library. 'The Sheriff's Catch' is a red-blooded historical thriller which should ap- peal to fans of reads like Outlander, Poldark, The Pillars Of The Earth and A Game Of Thrones. It is the first instalment in a five- part series called 'The Sas- sana Stone Pentalogy' and tells the story of a Spanish Armada castaway in Ire- land, the enigmatic and dangerous Abel de San- tiago. A Spanish soldier who was born and raised in Malta, Santiago must survive countless perils in Tudor Ireland with the help of an Irish poet-bard and skilled tracker, the ollave Muireann Mac An Bhaird. James will also say a few words at the book signing events about his road to publication and his learn- ings over the last decade, where he hopes to exchange insights with published and aspiring authors and all other bookworms. Following its success on the Unbound publishing platform, leading digital book club The Pigeonhole and the 19th Golden Trail- er Awards, 'The Sheriff's Catch' has also had a bright start in Malta. It recently claimed third spot on the Agenda Bookshop best- seller list and also received a prestigious local accolade when it was named the Sep- tember book of the month by the University of Malta Library. The Sheriff's Catch is available for sale at Agenda Bookshop and Merlin Li- brary. FRANK Salt Real Estate (FSRE) has announced the launch of a major new initiative and sub-brand 'Let's Go Environmental – Frank Salt'. At FSRE the environment is inte- gral to the company's operations. Key directors, managers and sever- al staff members have been organis- ing various activities and initiatives for many years with the company, awarding staff for their participa- tion in safeguarding the environ- ment and other social or charity work. As the Frank Salt group grows in size and stature within the Maltese economy, the need has been felt to articulate and create a solid iden- tity for its numerous initiatives with regards to the environment. The Frank Salt group is a serious organi- sation that prides itself on its strong reputation for ethics and integrity and which feels it has a responsi- bility towards raising awareness on environmental issues. FSRE aspires to take the lead on the safeguarding of our environ- ment. Following in the footsteps of Frank Salt, the company founder who has done a great deal of un- publicised private, philanthropic work throughout his career, the company directors believe that the existing Frank Salt Real Estate Group legacy is the strongest possi- ble foundation on which to launch and build this important sub brand, 'Let's Go Environmental – Frank Salt'. An internal committee set up to ensure the successful establish- ment, preservation and growth of 'Let's Go Environmental – Frank Salt' is made up of directors, man- agers and staff with expertise and experience in environmental activi- ties. A detailed environment policy has been drawn up to conduct all environmental activities and initia- tives in a structured, effective and well measured manner through the establishment of an Environmental Management System (EMS). The first project in 2018 will be a proposed major installation of solar panels in a leading charitable foun- dation in Malta. However, among other initiatives, 'Let's Go Envi- ronmental' will take over activities in the areas of afforestation, clean- ing of valleys, reducing plastic in the environment, sponsoring and maintenance of public parks, and an educational campaign targeted towards our staff to introduce and sustain a reduce-reuse-recycle cul- ture across all the FSRE branches and offices. FSRE, together with the 'Let's Go Environmental – Frank Salt' committee, specifically com- mits to the prevention of pollution, to drive environmental improve- ments through the day-to-day operations of its branches, reduce waste and energy and water con- sumption and work with suppliers who share the same environmen- tally friendly goals, including en- vironmental considerations in its business strategies, and mitigate its carbon footprint by contributing to renewable energy. Frank Salt launches sub-brand in environmental push Author James Vella-Bardon to promote his debut historical thriller in Malta Children's activities during last year's Science in the City • Photo by David Grima