Covert approaches to countering adult chemophobia

There is a growing need for more proactive outreach by universities to the wider public to counter the negative publicity surrounding chemistry. At present, most programmes aimed at widening participation focus on potential recruitment of juniors rather than seeking an inclusive approach. The direct participation of adults within university sponsored open events is significantly under-represented. As such, a pilot study aimed at developing a strategy through which this elusive audience can be engaged was implemented and the results have been critically evaluated. A generic programme is detailed that should allow easy transfer and uptake between institutions irrespective of size and community profile.