You need to think of ways of publicising the club, not only initially, but on an annual and continuing basis to ensure that you get a regular infusion of ‘new blood’.

Here are some tried and tested marketing strategies:

• l advertise the club's existence on all available noticeboards and demonstrate typical activities in your classes
   
  
• use a school assembly (this could centre around a recent science news item and incorporate a demonstration) as a platform for introducing the club
   
  
• organise a ‘taster day’ featuring a circus of fun activities
   
  
• tell prospective pupils about the club when they make their introductory visit
   
  
• invite a speaker to your school to give a chemistry talk or take a group out for a visit and follow this up with information about the club
   
  
• set a challenge (e.g. ‘egg race’ or crystal growing competition) and offer a prize as an insight into the type of activities on offer (Section 2 includes many examples of starter experiments).

‘When I was ten I went to a Parents’ National Educational Union run by Miss Mason of Ambleside, to improve the education given by governesses. I began growing crystals of copper sulphate and alum. I found this fascinating and started growing these at home.’