Cameron's Cottage is a non-profit venture in memory of Cameron to make nature more accessible to young people.
Cameron’s Cottage is nestled in the heart of RSPB Franchises Lodge nature reserve in the New Forest and sleeps up to nineteen people. It has been renovated to create a sustainable place where groups of young people can experience and learn about the natural world.
Wow, what progress. I was blown away with how much work has been done and what a hive of activity was on site. In a time when so much can sadly not happen, it was so wonderful to see this incredible progress. The construction company AV Developments have done an awesome job inspite of everything.
The place has taken on a new dimension and you can get such a real sense of what it will be like when groups of young people come and stay. The RSPB have the most beautiful reserve in the New Forest and we are just thrilled to partner with them on this exciting project.
Construction work is progressing steadily. The foundations have now been laid for the extension as well as the new free-standing Field Study Centre.
What an incredible day. We are thrilled to announce that the builders are on site and renovation work has started at Cameron’s Cottage.
This magical place will be given a new lease of life and will soon be occupied by young people from all walks of life. RSBP have selected AV Developments to carry out the work, together with SA-Energy, responsible for renewables and Moorhouse Architects. They will renovate the Cottage, build an extension as well as construct a Field Study Centre.
This low-impact renovation will provide a residential educational base for small groups from schools, colleges, universities andother organisations. This RSPB Cottage in memory of Cameron, will provide nature-based activities that will fascinate budding naturalists to encourage a life-long love an understanding of nature and the environment.
Estimated completion: spring/summer 2021.
We are thrilled to report that Steve Cuff, who very generously and kindly offered his services, was able to completely water-proof and fix the roof of the cottage.
Thank you to Steve for this fabulous work! He also installed a bat box for the Rhinolophidae bat (commonly known as the horseshoe bat) and one for the Common Pipistrelle bat, giving them places to roost.
We have been very busy these last few months and are delighted that RSPB have appointed an architect, Joe Moorhouse, who shares our vision to renovate Cameron’s Cottage.
We are looking at the endless possibilities to transform this run down, three bedroom cottage into a place where groups of young people can stay in the heart of the 1000 acres RSBP Franchises Lodge Reserve. Not only are we looking to up-date the cottage, we hope to create a field study centre that will be a base for young people to carry out research and other nature related activities.
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.
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.
"Cameron’s Cottage is completely off-grid with heating and electricity provided by solar power, so it really is the ultimate nature experience"
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.