The Bright Young Things competition invited 13-19-year-olds to produce pieces of dance, film, writing, photography and art around the theme of Gold.

Intention performing their dance piece at Bright Young Things

That one word inspired a whole host of creations, each with its own interpretation: colour, light, money, treasures, tastes, feelings, memories, nature, golden moments…

Their work included, amongst others, a poignant poem on buttercups, a sculpture of a hand representing the Midas touch, a photo of autumnal leaves, and a film on the idea of success.

Alice Couch's photographic entry of golden leaves

In the art section Ryan Nichol’s drawings of gold miners’ worn hands stood out, which used a variety of shading techniques to get across the interesting texture.

‘Sting of Summer’, amongst the photography, was Kiah Seifert-Craggs’ exploration of the rich, golden process of honey-making, created during a visit to the local beekeeper.

For Iris Boulton, the picture she entered in to the competition was more of a happy coincidence. As she was about to press the shutter on a sunset scene, her little brother cycled in front of the camera, creating a dynamic silhouette.

Crowds looking at the art section

The afternoon saw the Eden site filled with the sound of music, as seven acts took to the stage in the Mediterranean Biome – with a free reign to play anything they liked.

Nineteen-year-old Olle Jinks, who has been performing for just 18 months, treated the crowd to covers as well as his own songs, including ‘Sphagetti Alphabet’, which he says was based on an episode of EastEnders. When we spoke to him behind the scenes, however, he admitted he gets his inspiration from ‘girls, mostly’!

Eva B performing in the Mediterranean Biome

Others had a more serious message, like Eva B’s ‘Digging for Diamonds’ and ‘Climb these mountains’ – all about the need to stop exploiting the planet for its minerals. A great song to ring out across our old clay mine, which was well and truly bursting with life and talent at the weekend, from all these Bright Young Things.

With special thanks to Annabelle Penhaligon, Olivia Byass Smithies, Demelza Monk, Anna Covey and Mary Davis from the Writing Squad, a group of passionate young writers who helped produce this piece.

1. The Maya people of ancient Mexico used cocoa beans as money: 10 for a rabbit, 100 for a slave.
2. The botanical name of cocoa is Theobroma cacao, meaning ‘food of the gods’!
3. When the Spanish conquistador Hernan Cortez arrived in Mexico in 1519, he and his men were hailed as gods and given all the things the Aztecs loved – including chocolate.
4. In 1579, after taking a Spanish ship loaded with cocoa beans, English buccaneers set it on fire thinking the beans were sheep dung.
5. In 1587, when the British captured a Spanish vessel loaded with cocoa beans, the cargo was destroyed as useless.
6. Cocoa is really called ‘cacao’, but the Victorians couldn’t pronounce it so they renamed it!
7. Chocolate was regarded as a drink until the 19th century. The first advert for eating chocolate appeared in Butler’s ‘medicine chest dictionary’ in 1826. Fry’s chocolate lozenges were described as ‘a pleasant and nutritious substitute for food in travelling or when unusual fasting is caused by irregular periods of eating’.
8. Many of the people who grow cocoa have never tasted chocolate.
9. Individuals in the UK, on average, consume around 10kg of chocolate every year.
10. Cocoa butter is a useful ingredient in moisturisers and face creams because it melts at skin temperature.

More facts about chocolate

Find out more by flicking through our potted, illustrated history of chocolate.

The Queen visiting the Eden Project in 2006

Since Eden Project kick-started the annual Big Lunch initiative in 2009, millions of people have held events, ranging from street parties and fetes to community picnics with neighbours. This year, people in all 54 Commonwealth countries are being encouraged to hold their own Big Jubilee Lunch events as part of the celebrations.

A copy of The Queen’s message will be included in every Big Jubilee Lunch starter pack, along with invitation templates, posters, a wall planner, recipes, stickers and seeds.

The full text reads:

I am delighted that the organisers of The Big Lunch are helping people from across the United Kingdom and further afield to hold Big Jubilee Lunches as part of the celebrations to mark my Diamond Jubilee in 2012.

I send my very best wishes to you and all of those who will be present for what I hope will be a most memorable and enjoyable event.

Andrew Hesford, who is planning a Big Jubilee Lunch in Liverpool, said: ‘It is fantastic to have this special message of support from The Queen. Her words are an enormous boost for every community taking part in a Big Lunch this year – including mine.’

Eden’s Peter Stewart commented: ‘We are enormously grateful to The Queen for her message of support. I’m sure everyone who is taking part in The Big Jubilee Lunch will want to join me in thanking her for her best wishes for a memorable and enjoyable event.

Some 10 million people came out in 1977 to celebrate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee so we hope a large number of people will take part in The Big Lunch for the first time in 2012 – joining the millions of us that have been doing it for the last three years.’

To find out how to join in the Queen Diamond’s Jubilee celebrations by throwing a Big Lunch on Sunday 3 June, take a look at Eden’s Big Lunch website. You can order your free Jubilee Big Lunch pack there too.

Nick, who is the director of Aardman Animations, met visitors as they tried out the farmyard-style sports day themed around Shaun the Sheep. He also helped create some clay models with children for the Sheep Shape activity and watched as families took part in Shirley sheep space hopper races, cabbage football keepy-uppy, a farmyard assault course and a naughty pigs sack race.

He said: “This is my first time at Eden and it’s brilliant to be here. Championsheeps is great fun and it has been a perfect match working with the Eden Project. Lots of imagination and inventiveness have gone into creating this Shaun the Sheep-based Olympics!”

Nick was also at Eden to promote a new book he has illustrated, Green Poems for a Blue Planet, by Martin Kiszko. The duo read extracts from the anthology and signed copies of the book.

Eden is hosting the world premiere of Championsheeps Live! produced by SGA Productions Ltd in association with Aardman Animations, the film and TV animation company behind the Shaun the Sheep and Wallace and Gromit series.

Find out more about Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps Live

A giant Shirley: part of the Flock ‘n’ Roll game. You’ll work in teams to roll a giant Shirley like this around the obstacle course. The first team to push their Shirley in the bath wins!

In the Farmyard Fling game the Farmer is keeping an eye on everyone with his ‘farmer scarecrows’ (shown above). Try knocking their vegetable  heads off by throwing wellie boots.

In the Free Range game you’ll need to lift the chickens (pictured) and see what you find: if it’s a chick, take it back to the safety of the henhouse; if it’s an egg, balance it on your wooden spoon and take it to the basket.

Find out about all the games on the Shaun the Sheep: Championsheeps Live page.

And…here’s a funny video of Eden staff in training for the Championsheeps, bouncing around the Eden Project on Shirley Sheephoppers!

The award-winning performers, NoFit State Circus, have been described by reviewers as “Cirque du Soleil without the Disney and the disinfectant” and as “one of the most shake-your-head-in-disbelief beautiful things I have ever seen”.

They’ll be performing the ‘Labyrinth’ show right across the Eden site, moving in and out of the audience, doing daring displays above our heads, and then taking it to an incredible finale inside Eden’s very own ‘big top’.

Find out more and get your early-bird tickets

Check out the video below of NoFit State to see the amazing stuff they’ve done.

Young people across the South West are preparing to perform and exhibit their creative work at Eden’s Bright Young Things showcase on Saturday (29 January).

The event, now in its third year, is a platform for 13-21 year olds who live, work or study in Devon or Cornwall to show off their creative talents. This year we’ve invited entries on the theme of ‘Home’ in the fields of music, dance, film, art, photography and writing.

There will be more than 50 young people showing their work on Saturday, and we’re encouraging the general public to come along and join in the celebration. As part of Eden’s community programme, under-18s will be admitted free for the whole weekend. For everyone else, entry to all the Bright Young Things events is included in standard Eden admission.

The show will take place across the Eden site. The Core will host the Marketplace of Ideas, where young people will be able to find out about creative opportunities in the South West. The show will culminate in four hours of live music in the Mediterranean Biome from 2pm.

Here’s a sneaky peek at some of the live music that will be on offer:

• Penzance indie four-piece Gary and the Minefield, whose bright, punchy guitar lines and brash vocals are reminiscent of early Arctic Monkeys. Hear them on their Myspace page.
• Shade of Red, a ska-tinged indie-pop band from St Ives. Hear them on their Myspace page.
• Abee Hague, a guitarist and singer-songwriter from Lostwithiel. Hear her on her Myspace page.

Still need a bit of persuading? Here’s 5 reasons to do it:

1. It’s a beautiful course, taking in dramatic hills, Eden’s Biomes and views of both Cornwall’s coastlines.
2. There’s a real festival atmosphere: 2010 featured music from local bands and a runners’ village on site.
3. We’ve prizes for everyone! In 2010 all finishers got a themed medal, t-shirt, pasty and goodie bag.
4. You can run it for charity. Eden has some charity places available, or you can pick your own cause.
5. Your family and friends get free entry on the day to come and cheer you on.

Pre-register your interest to take part

Check out the photos from 2010 for a taste of what to expect

Why not take some time over the holiday break to look upward and marvel at the wonders of the night sky?

Come along to our astronomy event at Eden on Tuesday 4 January, which is part of the BBC Stargazing Live season. Between 5pm and 10pm you’ll be able to look through high-powered telescopes, loaned to us by the local Roseland Observatory.

In the meantime, here are five tips on stargazing for budding astronomers from Brian Sheen, director of the Roseland Observatory and member of the Royal Astronomical Society’s Education Committee:

1. A clear Moon-less night is best for looking at the stars. Check the weather forecast for your area online; for example, on the BBC weather website.
2. Plan ahead by checking the Space Weather website for anything special that night. For satellites and star maps for the night see the Heavens Above website. Phillips publish a Dark Skies Map of Britain and Ireland. You can also download a free ‘real time’ planetarium experience from the Stellarium website.
3. Go with friends to a remote, dark site. Remember that it takes at least 15 minutes for your eyes to become fully accustomed to the dark.
4. Use a pair of binoculars or telescope; you will be able to see much more, even with basic equipment.
5. The planets and the Moon (especially when it is less than full) are always very interesting, but never look at the Sun.

Roseland Observatory

Observatory Site, Court Farm, St Stephen’s, Cornwall PL26 7LE
Website: www.roselandobservatory.com
Email: brians@roselandobservatory.com

The most regularly used words at the Observatory are ‘wow’ and ‘wonderful’!

Luckily the paper and willow creations, stored at Eden, had survived the flooding and kids were able to see their handiwork in full glory.

And, thanks to epic all-night sewing sessions by Eden’s textile artist Sue Bamford, we were able to recreate the fantastic costumes for the carnival queens and her attendants, after they’d been completely destroyed by water.

The traditional celebration included giant figures, local bands and a procession through the town.