Who I am and What I do

Welcome to my website. My name is Richard Ellam.

I write and present science and engineering shows. I'm based near Bath in the West of England.

I prefer to work locally, covering Avon, Bath, Bristol, Wiltshire, Somerset, Devon, Dorset, Cornwall and Gloucestershire but I do travel all over England and Wales. I perform shows in schools, museums, science festivals, historic houses and anywhere else there's an audience (aged 7 to 107) for educational entertainment with a scientific twist.

My background is in physical science, engineering, and the history of science. My shows are all about topics in these areas.

I have shows suitable for primary school audiences (Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2) and secondary school audiences (Key Stage 3 and Key Stage 4). My shows are also suitable for family events such as science festivals. The content of my shows reflects the needs of the UK's national curriculum, but is never constrained by it. I believe in telling a good tale, and my shows follow ideas to where they naturally lead, usually to highlight important real-world applications of the science I’m presenting. You’ll find more details about the shows I have available at the moment in the SHOWS part of this site.

My fees for presenting shows are based on a daily rate of £350 plus VAT (£400 for bookings inside the M25), and this is all you'll pay - there are no hidden extras, like mileage charges or hotel bills to find on top. I offer lower prices for local schools, within about 1 hrs driving time of my base, and half-day engagements for schools in the BA and BS postcode areas.

In a day I reckon to present at least three 45 minute shows, and I like to bring more than one show with me if I can to keep myself fresh.

I also design and make PROPS for science shows, including my famous Fire Tornado (bottom right above). I have a well equipped engineering workshop where I can manufacture more or less any specialised demonstration equipment you might want. If you need a demonstration that's out of the ordinary, contact me for a quote - it may be less than you think!

And finally I make REPLICA scientific instruments as show props, handling specimens, or just a nice thing to have.