Cameron's Cottage is a non-profit venture in memory of Cameron to make nature more accessible to young people. 

We were delighted to partner with RSPB to renovate a derelict cottage deep in the middle of RSPB’s Franchises Lodge reserve in the New Forest, Wiltshire, to create this unique residential educational facility. Cameron’s Cottage will provide a base from which small groups of young people will be able to have exceptional, immersive experiences in nature with wildlife activities being provided by the RSPB.

Now that Cameron’s Cottage is open, we work with youth groups, schools and other organisations to financially support them to bring young people to spend time in nature who would not have the financial means to do so. Please get in touch if this applies to your organisation: info@cameronbespolka.com

Booking Cameron's Cottage

For more information about booking Cameron's Cottage including pricing and availability please email the RSPB: cameronscottage@rspb.org.uk

The Cottage can accommodate up to 19 people, including leaders in 5 bedrooms. Additional discounts are available for groups who meet certain financial requirements.

Activities include:

  • nature: bioblitz, bat detecting moth trapping, wildlife walk
  • team building: slacklining, blind fold trail, team all maze, wild art
  • survival skills: outdoor cooking, kelly kettles, shelter building, pioneering, navigation

Latest news:

 

New Forest Young Carers visit Cameron’s Cottage

23 May 2025

We were delighted to sponsor the New Forest Young Carers to enjoy a day in nature at Cameron’s Cottage.

They spent the day engaged in numerous outdoor activities, namely collecting branches and building dens, various team building activities and whittling tent pegs and mallets (which they used to make their dens).  All activities were  brilliantly led by the RSPB.

It’s always a pleasure to see groups enjoy the beautiful peaceful surroundings at Cameron’s Cottage and we are particularly pleased to work with so many Young Carer Organisations.  Young Carers look after someone in their family with a long-term health problem or disability.  It can often be isolating being a young carer and New Forest Young Carers Organisation has a supportive team who offers them support to ensure they are well looked after.  

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Click to enlarge

Fabulous den built, can you see them hiding inside?

Click to enlarge


New Year at Cameron’s Cottage

21 February 2025

Hello again!

I’m Laura, I work for the RSPB and I run Cameron’s Cottage. I started working here last year and in the Autumn decided to write a seasonal update of all of my goings-on. This is edition 2, Winter!

The Cottage Chronicles will be a seasonal update, written by me, of what we’ve been up to at Cameron’s Cottage. I’ll try to include the highlights, some stories from recent groups and my general musings of what the last few months have been like.

Although sunny outside today as I write this, it has been a cold, windy and rainy few months since I wrote the last blog. Cameron’s Cottage doesn’t host many groups of young people over the Winter, so it’s been strange to see the Cottage so quiet after a full-on summer! But that doesn’t mean I haven’t been busy. With less of my time spent on planning bespoke activities for groups and delivering sessions, I can bring my focus to improving current systems and devising new plans for an improved 2025 season. In addition to many other things, I have worked on finding new volunteers to help out at Cameron’s Cottage, started planning for a sensory trail around the woodlands of Cameron’s Cottage and begun research for an interpretation wall inside the Cottage to display information around how the renewable energy powers the cottage.

My other important task this season has been to create and implement a new marketing strategy, to encourage new and repeat bookings to the cottage. This has been in the form of creating a new promotional leaflet, contacting local group leaders and organisations, visiting local careers and volunteer fairs and working with other RSPB colleagues internally for a range of media and press opportunities. Keep an eye out for a Cameron’s Cottage social media page, hopefully coming soon!

I have worked on finding new volunteers to help out at Cameron’s Cottage, started planning for a sensory trail around the woodlands and begun research for an interpretation wall

And the hard work is starting to pay off, new bookings and return visits are trickling in as the calendar starts filling up for March onwards.

A definite highlight for me over these winter months was an unexpected snow flurry, turning Cameron’s Cottage into a scene from a Christmas Card! I was totally unprepared, having left my coat behind, but being caught out in the snow was a small price to pay for a magical memory and some fabulous photos.

Now the days are getting longer, and the first signs of Spring are appearing, I look ahead to the first of this year’s groups visiting Cameron’s Cottage and making lasting memories in nature.

If you, or anyone you know might be interested in volunteering with us or booking a stay at Cameron’s Cottage, do use the links below for more information.

Volunteering: https://bit.ly/cameronscottagevolunteering

Booking a stay: https://bit.ly/cameronscottage

Until next time,

Laura

Laura enjoying the snow at Cameron's Cottage

Laura enjoying the snow at Cameron's Cottage


Cameron's Cottage Residential from Leaside Trust

13 December 2024

Please read this excellent blog from Leaside Trust in Hackney after their visit in October.

It’s always such a pleasure to fund groups of young people from London so that they can experience a residential trip to the countryside and Cameron’s Cottage in the RSPB reserve, is a wonderful place for them to spend some time in nature.

Read blog post

Leaside Returns for another New Forest Adventure

Leaside Returns for another New Forest Adventure


New Beginnings at Cameron’s Cottage

19 November 2024

Hello everyone!

For those who don’t know me, I’m Laura, I work for the RSPB and I run Cameron’s Cottage. I started working here in June and it’s been a busy few months since then!

The Cottage Chronicles will be a seasonal update, written by me, of what we’ve been up to at Cameron’s Cottage. I’ll try to include the highlights, some stories from recent groups and my general musings of what the last few months have been like.

It’s looking very autumnal outside as I write this; and I love using nature to reflect on the recent times gone by. Summer is a busy time for all, Cameron’s Cottage included, but Autumn sees a quieter pace of life, a sense that nature is winding down, ready for Winter. Like the trees losing the last of their leaves, the Cottage has seen the last of its residential visitors for the year. But that doesn’t mean there’s not work to be done! Like busy squirrels, the Cameron’s Cottage Team are gearing up to use this quieter season to plant some metaphorical acorns - planning and preparing for next year.

Since I started at the end of June there have been 24 visits to Cameron’s Cottage, some part-week or full-week residentials and some day visits. That’s more than one group per week! Like I say, it’s been busy!

We’ve made natural shelters, whittled mallets, discovered wildlife, explored nature by night, brainstormed conservation issues, forest-bathed, partook in teambuilding challenges, cooked on the open fire, written nature poems, designed nature art and so much more.

It’s hard to pick one highlight, my role is incredibly rewarding – I love seeing young people coming out of their shell through the medium of nature. We teach them about conservation and wildlife, but what they take away is so much more than that, it’s a confidence in who they are, a strengthening of team building skills, an appreciation of conservation work and a new-found understanding of how nature improves our wellbeing. I find, for urban groups, this is most prominent. For some individuals this has been their first time in a woodland.

“As an inner-city youth organisation, a key goal is to enable young people to get out into more natural environments. It’s fantastic to be ‘off-grid’ and for the young people to learn so many new skills in a largely outdoor environment. Many of our group have never been in a forest type environment so it was helpful they learnt more about the area and how to respect the environment.”

A stay at Cameron’s Cottage is so much more than a visit to a nature reserve, it’s a time of firsts and of new beginnings for so many – myself included! It’s a blessing to watch so many young people take part in these ‘nature firsts’. Whether that’s their first time in a woodland or developing a desire to pursue a conservation career, this is how I know Cameron’s Cottage is quietly changing lives.

To sum up just how much fun we’ve had, let’s hear one young person’s take-away:

“One of the best weekends of my summer.”

Let’s hope there’s many more ‘best weekends ever’ to come!

Until next time,

Laura

Click to enlarge
Cameron's Cottage in Autumn

Cameron's Cottage in Autumn

Click to enlarge
Cameron's Cottage in Autumn

Laura investigating a hive of bees by torchlight


New Members for the RSPB Management Team

07 October 2024

We are delighted to welcome to new members to the RSPB's management team, Visitor Engagement Officer, Linda Ronald and Learning Officer, Laura Pringle.

We will let them introduce themselves:

Linda: Hi, my name’s Linda, and I’m the Visitor Engagement Officer at Cameron’s Cottage. My background is mostly in support work and welfare within the education system, from primary schools to sixth form colleges, and I began volunteering with the RSPB as a residential volunteer for five months at the RSPB Old Moor reserve in South Yorkshire at the start of this year. What a fantastic change of direction! I’ve always loved being out in nature, and have learned so much more this year through the RSPB. The more I learn, the more fascinated I am by the wildlife and habitats around us, and the more passionate I feel about protecting and promoting our natural world. I’m loving being part of the Cameron’s Cottage team and welcoming guests to this unique and peaceful space. It’s a privilege to lead sessions where young people can enjoy being active, exploring nature and experiencing the beauty and calm of the forest.

Laura: I am excited to have joined the team as Learning Officer for Cameron’s Cottage in June this year. I have been with the RSPB for 5 years, firstly as a volunteer then in as an employee working in a couple of different visitor facing roles since early 2020. I have spent the last 3 and a half years working for the RSPB in Dorset, with a large part of my time spent at Arne Nature Reserve. I enjoyed leading guided walks and family activities and doing all the behind the scenes planning this needed, but my favourite part of my role was definitely organising and delivering sessions to school groups visiting the reserve. Creating a space where children and young people could learn and begin to care for nature was the highlight of my role. Which is why I’m so excited to now be working at Cameron’s Cottage. This team has created an amazing facility and I can’t wait to continue to build on this work and grow Cameron’s Cottage and its ability to capture the hearts and minds of thousands of young people! I look forward to working with many of you and want to thank those of you I’ve already met for your warm welcome.

Click to enlarge
Linda Ronald

Linda Ronald

Click to enlarge
Linda Ronald

Laura Pringe


Open Days

We would love you to come and visit Cameron’s Cottage and see for yourself. If you are a school, college, university or an organisation who is thinking of taking a group of young people for a day or overnight stay, please email date you can join us to: cameronscottage@rspb.org.uk

 

 

 


Cameron's Legacy

To celebrate the official opening week at Cameron’s Cottage, we are very proud to share this video which shows the result of many years of collaboration between the Trust and the RSPB.    

View video »

 

 

2 Minute Introduction to Cameron's Cottage:
solar powered and low-impact

 

Cameron’s Cottage offers an immersive outdoor experience for 15 – 25 year olds in a stunning woodland packed full of wildlife, including many rarities.

Whether it’s getting creative through outdoor cooking and wild art, tackling the grittier side of nature with survival skills and conducting research or learning conservation skills, those coming to stay at Cameron’s Cottage will have the experience of a lifetime.

Franchises Lodge is a haven for wildlife, from birds of prey to unusual fungi, orchids and loads more. In this idyllic setting, young people can come together to take part in activities ranging from shelter building to conservation skills, plus much, much more.

The newly refurhbished Cameron's Cottage will be a wonderful base fromm which to be immersed in nature

The fully-equipped kitchen

The living area where many stories will be shared

Bunk room with a view - nature is right on your doorsteps

Outdoor Classroom
Next to Cameron’s Cottage there is an open-sided wooden outdoor classroom which can be booked for day visits from schools.  These day trips will include nature activities provided and led by RSPB.  

The  outdoor classroom will bring the guests closer to nature

"Cameron’s Cottage is completely off-grid with heating and electricity provided by solar power, so it really is the ultimate nature experience"

Beth Markey, RSPB

Sustainability
We are proud of the fact that Cameron’s Cottage is off-grid, relies on solar power and is wildlife friendly. All the timber used to renovate the Cottage has come from the site.  The douglas fir trees needed to be thinned by a third to allow light to reach the ground and to increase biodiversity. Solar panels are located on the study centre and extension roof producing 10KW power per hour with battery storage.Groups can monitor their power use and adapt according to the amount being generated or stored. This is a fantastic learning resource for how we need to think carefully and consider the impacts of how we use resources. A firepit and equipment has been provided to encourage outdoor living.

 

The water is heated by solar heating in the warmer months but switches to solar power for the winter. Inside, all appliances have been planned to have a low energy use. There are wood burners inside the kitchen and study centre to provide additional heat but can also be used to cook indoors and has an additional hob. A heat source pump supports the low carbon heating arrangement by drawing heat from the outside air and transferring to the underfloor heating system to warm the building.

Outside, wildlife friendly features have been built into the design including swift bricks, house martin cups, greater horseshoe bat entrance and bat entrances included in the roof slates. There is an old well which supplies water to outside taps to wash boots, whilst inside the water does come from a mains supply. The property has its own sewage treatment plant to treat sewage safely and with no negative impact on the environment. This is fenced in the garden and will eventually be hidden by a native hedge that will provide a nectar source for butterflies, moths and bees to support the ecosystem.

To find out more about how sustainable and environmentally friendly this Cottage is, please have a listen to Joe Moorhouse, the Architect who worked on the whole renovation project. He explains the care and attention taken to make sure this off-grid Cottage is low-impact as well as being a home for lots of wildlife all around.

The video from Moorhouse Architecture shows the work that went into transforming the derelict cottage

 

Generous Support

Thank you to Garfield Weston and the National Lottery Heritage fund for their generous support.

Garfield Weston Foundation

   

Cameron's Cottage

Read all about how we came to be partnering with the RSPB to create this wonderful retreat and learning centre deep in the New Forest.

Read more »

Videos

 
2 Minute Introduction to Cameron's Cottage:
solar powered and low-impact
 

The video from Moorhouse Architecture shows the work that went into transforming the derelict cottage