Spotlight On: Donna Speed, CEO of We The Curious

Occasionally, we like to highlight our members, and in this case, we’re shining a spotlight on Donna Speed, the CEO of We The Curious. We had the pleasure of sitting down with Donna to discuss the iconic Bristol science education destination and their collaborative relationship with the Bristol Initiative.

Tell us about your role – what do you have responsibility for? What does a typical day look like?

As CEO of We The Curious, I’m responsible for our strategic direction, ensuring that we fulfil our charitable vision: where everyone is included, curious and inspired by science to build a better world together. 

No two days are the same. I work across all teams but especially closely with our Leadership Team and board of trustees. Much of my time is dedicated to shaping our strategy and plans to support and drive progress of our key manifesto pledges. My role involves a lot of meetings, speaking events and networking with partners in the city, science centre and cultural sectors. Beyond strategy, I also focus on managing risks while exploring and embracing opportunities that’ll enable us to continue to grow as a charity.  

I love spending time in our venue with our staff, volunteers and visitors and try to do that as much as I can; my background is in visitor attractions, I started my career as a host at Alton Towers, so any excuse to get out and meet people is a joy.

In addition to my role at We The Curious, I’m also Deputy Chair of the Association of Science and Discovery Centres (ASDC) and sit on boards for a number of organisations including Bath Preservation Trust, Bristol City Council, The Guild of Guardians and The National Trust. 
 
What does your organisation do? Why do you like working for them?

We’re an educational charity and a leading UK science centre.  We produce experiences that bring people together to play, get creative with science and explore different ideas; we’re home to over 200 interactive exhibits, and the UK’s first 3D Planetarium. 

Our team of about 120 people support a 24/7 organisation which covers We The Curious, our venue hire spaces in the building, the external spaces of Anchor and Millennium Square, as well as Millennium Square car park.  

Being an inclusive organisation is at the heart of what we do – we want everyone to feel represented and welcome. Striving for a sustainable future is also a major focus for us; I’m very proud that our site is powered without fossil fuels as part of our decarbonisation commitment. 

There’s so much that I love about my role, it’s genuinely the best job ever! I get to work with an incredible team who have shown such resilience and dedication, especially through the challenges of recent years – from covid closures to a devastating fire that kept us closed for over two years. The team worked so hard together to ensure we continued to be there for our community and that we came back stronger than ever.

On a personal note, I never thought science was for me when I was at school. Experiencing At-Bristol (as it was then called) for the first time was truly inspirational and changed my life. It made me realise that science is for everyone, including me — being part of an organisation that champions that means a lot

Why have you joined the Bristol Initiative?

Collaboration is at the core of what we do. Working with community groups and key partners across the region is a vital part of our strategy, shaping our plans and activities to ensure we’re creating space that truly reflects the diversity of our city.  

Being part of the Bristol Initiative is a natural extension of this work, allowing us to engage with a wider network of organisations. We can achieve more when we work together – especially in a city like Bristol, where there are so many fantastic opportunities for collaboration. 

What are the key agendas that you’re looking forward to getting involved with? (Any offers/asks to members?)

We’re thrilled to be celebrating 25-year anniversary this year and are planning to mark the occasion in a meaningful way.  Our focus is to thank those who have supported us over the years and be the inclusive, curious and inspirational organisation that Bristol deserves.  

As part of this we’re launching an ambitious initiative to give 25,000 children a transformational experience over the next five years. With your support, we can break down barriers to access by providing free transportation, free entry, a science show, a planetarium experience for schools with over 40% free school meals in Bristol.

We’d love to collaborate with others who share our vision of including everyone in science to build a better world together.    

Where is your favourite place to visit in Bristol?

Of course I’d say We the Curious! But genuinely, I’m so proud of everything we’ve accomplished, and I love to visit with family and friends. 

Beyond that, here are so many amazing places – from visitor attractions to theatres - we're truly spoilt for choice.

I’m also lucky to live just off Gloucester Road, and love having a ‘mooch’ around the independent shops and cafes. The community spirit is fantastic, and I love how there’s always something new to discover.

If you'd like to follow Donna on social media you can do so on Linkedin, and you can follow We The Curious on Linkedin as well. Also if you are a member of The Bristol Initiative and would like to be featured in a blog just like this one then please do get in touch with me.