| It’s been a while since we’ve up-dated you on our progress as life slowly gets back to normal. We’ve been keeping busy as well as making up for cancelled and postponed events. Nature is amazing and we all need to protect it. And a very important place to start is by making it accessible to young people. |
|
| After 4 years of renovating this derelict Cottage, it was wonderful seeing Cameron’s Cottage filled with young people last summer, enjoying being outdoors and immersed in nature. This residential cottage will provide affordable access to nature for groups of young people, expertly managed and run by the RSPB and plenty of homes for wildlife too! |
|
 |
| The Wild New Forest Camp at Cameron's Cottage |
|
| And much work is ongoing behind the scenes. The RSPB has been busy finalizing activities that can be offered to various age groups as well as tweaking the many logistical details that go with running an operation of this scope. |
|
 |
| The RSPB are finalising activities and meeting new group organisers |
 |
| Bug and reptile home |
|
| This off-grid cottage is powered by solar panels and after a few adjustments, has been working very efficiently. How much energy is actually supplied by the solar panels on a dark December day? Answer: not much but luckily there are 3 back-up batteries that can store energy. It’s fascinating to see how small your carbon footprint can be if the house is properly insulated and heat dispersed efficiently with a heat pump. |
|
 |
| 72 Solar panels used at Cameron’s Cottage and Outdoor Classroom |
|
| Two camps we recently sponsored are Romsey Young Carers and Wild New Forest Camp. It was wonderful to see these young carers enjoying themselves and spending a much deserved day out in nature. They were delighted to take part in various activities including shelter building. |
|
 |
| Romsey Young Carers enjoy RSPB Franchises Lodge Nature Reserve |
|
| And we were thrilled to once again sponsor the Wild New Forest camp to stay at Cameron’s Cottage. This group of 18 young people were expertly led by Marcus and Russ from Wild New Forest and their volunteers, and everyone spent the weekend moth trapping, wildlife safari, bio blitz and bird ringing (under license). |
|
 |
| Wild New Forest Camp. Enjoying a new card game SOS, highlighting endangered species and created by young participant Jackson |
|
 |
| Enjoying Cameron’s Cottage. |
|
Book your Group to Cameron’s Cottage
Please get in touch direct with RSPB if you are a school or organisation and want to make a booking for a group of young people to Cameron’s Cottage. cameronscottage@rspb.org.uk
Or come and visit and see for yourself.
RSPB are holding a series of open days throughout the year so you can come and see the facilities at Cameron's Cottage and meet RSPB staff.
Thurs 16 June 2022
5:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Sun 3 July 2022
11 am -12:30 pm
Weds 7 Sep 2022
11:00 am-12:30 pm
Thurs 6th Oct 2022
5:30 pm- 6:30pm
Please book your open day online:
|
|
|
Funding
Please get in touch with us if you need funding for your group:
info@cameronbespolka.com |
|
|
Other work we continue to sponsor
|
|
British Trust for Ornithology Camps (BTO)
We are also very pleased to work with BTO again and sponsor their very popular youth camps that have been so important for getting groups of young people together to build a better understanding of local wildlife. |
|
 |
| At the camps experts are on hand to pass on knowledge to the young birders |
|
This year the Camp programme has been increased from just one camp in Norfolk to include one in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Camps will include trips to local nature areas, citizen science projects, mindfulness and creative sessions, ringing demos and many other exciting science activities and bird-related experiences.
BTO has worked really hard to create a Youth Team of passionate young naturalists who will be present to assist at the camps, providing their support, knowledge and inspiration.
Read more...
|
|
 |
| The BTO camps take place in all four nations of the UK |
|
70 Bird Boxes for 70 Years - Young Ambassador Project
We were thrilled to support Kabir Kaul, one of our Young Ambassadors, who came up with a wonderful way to engage more young people in the London area with wildlife. To celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, schools were approached to apply for a Bird Box to hang up at their school. “70 Bird Nests for 70 Years” has been a huge success and in the end, 106 bird boxes were sent out to inner city schools. Some fabulous stories and photos have shown how quickly birds were using these new nest sites. The bird boxes were generously supplied by C.J. Wildlife and we also worked with Swift Conservation Organisation to identify additional spots for Swift Boxes.
Read more... |
|
 |
| In total 106 nest boxes were sent to schools in the London area |
|
Hampshire Ornithological Society (HOS)
We continue to support HOS and provide free membership for local budding young naturalists. HOS started with just two members and now have over 70 young members.
Read more... |
|
 |
| Chris Packham, HOS President, with young members at the recent AGM |
|
New Trustee
We are delighted to welcome new Trustee, Clare Talks on board. Clare comes with a wealth of experience of working with schools and will be crucial in helping us reach more young people in the education sector who do not have easy access to green spaces in their everyday life. Clare will help us identify schools from deprived areas who do not have the means to fund such trips. |
|
 |
| Clare will be a great asset in helping us to reach young people |
|
| A huge thank you to Sarah Neish and Keith Betton who have stood down as Trustees after serving two terms. They have helped us tremendously and we could not have done it all without them. |
|
Cameron Bespolka Scholarship
We are delighted to once again offer the Cameron Bespolka Scholarship to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Bird Event in New York and are particularly thrilled to have teamed up with Zeiss UK and their partner, British Birds Rarities Committee.
Zeiss UK have just launched the Young Birder Awards which will have three age categories with various prizes. The winner of the 17-18 year old category will be offered the the Scholarship to Cornell. Applications are now open and successful applicants will be invited to the Zeiss stand at Global Birdfair in Rutland Showground on Saturday 16th July.
Read more... |
|
 |
| Winner of the 17-18 category will win a Scholarship to Cornell |
|
Please support us
You can support us by shopping from our online shop. Perfect gifts for a teacher, friend or family member. We have some beautiful new gifts that have been added for 2022. |
|
Or come and visit us:
Winchester College Open Day
18th June from 10am to 3pm. |
|
Annual coffee morning
Flower Pots Inn in Cheriton
Friday 4th November
Put the date in your diary and make the perfect start to your Christmas shopping.
|
|
Swifts
I love looking out for returning Swifts and the sound of Cuckoos, two birds that are sadly both endangered. A very simple way to help Swifts (they come here only two months of the year to breed) is to provide a home for them to nest. Local organisation Hampshire Swifts have lots of recommendations on their website www.hampshireswifts.co.uk or else check out a group near you. |
|
 |
| Hampshire Swifts have put up boxes on all the houses on our road and we are eager for them to be occupied this summer. |
|
Save the Date
Evening of the 23rd November, 2022
Please join us at the Cameron Bespolka Memorial Talk, kindly hosted every year by Winchester College. This year we are very honoured to have guest speaker Roger Morgan-Grenville, author, conservationist, enthusiastic amateur beekeeper as well as Chair of Trustees of Curlew Action Group.
Roger has just returned from walking 1000 miles, starting in Lymington and finishing in Cape Wrath at the top of Scotland, to raise awareness for the endangered Curlew, as well as carry out research for his next book. Keep checking our website for up-dates to join us for this fascinating evening. |
|
|
Any donation big or small is very gratefully received.
|
|
|
"The future of humanity and indeed all life on earth depends on us."
David Attenborough
|
|
Registered Charity No: 1156567
|
|
|
|
