FANTASTIC news from Winchester Science Centre and Planetarium.

We report on the front page that the educational charity has launched a £3.4m scheme to revamp its facilities at Morn Hill. The vision is a far cry from when the centre was based in Nissen-type huts at Kings’ School in Winchester. But the ambition was and remains the same. Then as now the aim was to fire youngsters’ interest in the STEM subjects. The proposed investment is set to do just that.

It is vital for the country’s long-term economy that this is done. As a nation we cannot rely on the service sector, whether it be the City of London, or coffee shops. It is imperative that we maintain a strong industrial section that actually creates things of value and not just shuffles money around. In leafy Winchester, with its arts and commerce-based focus, it is easy to overlook that.

For too long Britain has been a country that has treated its engineers with snooty near-disdain even though historically our wealth was built on the genius of people such as Stephenson, Brunel, Issigonis and Dyson. Other countries such as Germany, France, the USA and China accord engineers and scientists the prestige they deserve.

Places such as Winchester Science Centre are an important part of altering that. By bringing science and engineering to life for schoolchildren we are far more likely to have sufficient engineers for the future.