Join us for coffee, homemade cake and catch up with friends. We will have some familiar favourites on sale and also some wonderful new products — all of which will make perfect gifts for Christmas!
4th NOVEMBER: 9.30 to 12.00 AM
The Flower Pots Inn, Cheriton, SO24 0QQ
I’m Laura, I work for the RSPB and I run Cameron’s Cottage. I started working here in 2024 and in the Autumn decided to write a seasonal update of all my goings-on. Here we are almost two years on with edition 8, Summer!
Autumn is definitely in the air as I write this, in the first jumper I’ve worn in a long while. Whilst I welcome a quieter pace as the Cameron’s Cottage activities season winds down with a few last bookings in September and October, I am missing that Summer sunshine already!
Let’s rewind and remember when Summer felt never-ending in warmth and sunshine…
June saw me preparing for my sabbatical towards the end of the month. I had a great couple of weeks visiting other centres creating outdoor experiences for young people, the Wildlife Trust Care Farms in Wiltshire and Shallowford Farm in Devon. I learnt about how the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust team help encourage young people not in formal education to build skills and confidence in the surroundings of WWT nature reserves. And at Shallowford Farm I saw the ins and outs of a very similar but slightly larger and longer running residential centre, much like Cameron’s Cottage. Both teams of people were so kind to me and were patient whilst I asked question upon question about their work and processes. Seeing Summer come alive from Dorset, Wiltshire and Devon was a wonderful experience (even if the red weather warning threatened to stall my fun at times!) Seeing birds of prey soaring across the Dartmoor skies and dragonflies whizz across the water at Lakeside Care Farm are just a couple of so many wildlife highlights I have from those times.
July brought be a bit of respite after a learning-packed sabbatical, as I had two weeks off, before the Summer Holidays brought a second wave of busyness.
The end of August saw me complete the last of my sabbatical plans, a week with Free to Be Kids – a youth organisation who visit us every year in October for a residential stay.
We hosted back to back groups at Cameron’s Cottage throughout the 6 weeks of Summer Holidays, both returning groups like the Nature Writing group and new ones like the two groups from Young Merton who will certainly be back after their nature-filled adventures at the Cottage. We also had a great team of volunteers who helped with these activities and also worked with the membership team at the New Forest Show, highlighting Cameron’s Cottage to all those passing by the RSPB stand.
The end of August saw me complete the last of my sabbatical plans, a week with Free to Be Kids – a youth organisation who visit us every year in October for a residential stay. I spent a week camping with them in Sussex, a great experience where I got to discover what goes on in the life of a youth group on residential during the times I’m not usually around whilst in my Cameron’s Cottage role. I prepared meals for the group and joined them on activities they did off-site – ranging from paddleboarding to scrambling to hanging out at the beach. The same young people I met there, will be the ones to visit Cameron’s Cottage this October, which will be another aspect of youth work I don’t often get to see… how the young people over time develop in skills and confidence as a result of the hard work put in by their leaders during residentials and midweek groups.
I said last time that I felt like I was in the calm before the storm… I certainly have had a whirlwind Summer, but after a week rest in early September, I’m feeling refreshed and ready to continue encouraging young people to have incredible and lasting experiences in nature.
Until next time,
Laura
I spent a week camping with 'Free to Be Kids' in Sussex
After every project we sponsor, we measure the impact and the reach of the event. How has it helped connect young people with nature? This thoughtful and beautifully written piece by Lucy Kerr, a participant of the Young Writers Retreat in August, shows that being immersed in nature is crucial to our understanding and appreciation of our natural world.
Reflections from the Young People’s Nature Writing Retreat
By Lucy Kerr
From what little I know about the magical workings of the non-human world, I do know a little about the mycorrhizal network of trees. In healthy forests, networks of mycelium wrap themselves around the roots of trees. Through this mycelium, trees communicate to each other. They offer nutrients to those who need them most; older trees look after the small saplings, and the healthy nurture the sick. This connectivity, hidden under the soil from the human eye, reminds me that even when we feel so far away from nature, we are always entangled.
This is a picture I took of the New Forest on the first day of Emily’s and Andrew’s Young People’s Nature Writing Retreat. This annual retreat, enabled by the Cameron Bespolka Trust, is a moment in time and space where you can truly pause. Inside its bubble of belonging, the retreat encourages moments of deep reflection and connection with nature, within which, don’t forget, you are a part. Surrounded by nature experts, captivating storytellers, and enchanting folk singers, it is hard not to leave the retreat feeling hopeful about whose hands the future of our Earth resides. Swapping Coventry’s ring road for Cameron’s Cottage, embedded and embraced by the surrounding New Forest, was the best decision I have ever made.
The retreat began with the first of many talented speakers. Jeni Bell, nature writer and poet, graciously volunteered to ease us into the retreat with a workshop on confidence. We discussed that feeling confident in one’s writing is a particularly hard skill to master. Jeni reminded us that writing is not a talent that some have, and some simply do not. Writing demands you to put the work in. Good writing requires you to be vulnerable and ask your fellow writers for honest feedback. Reflecting on what confidence means in relation to writing brought me to just one conclusion: confidence is an unwavering belief in oneself. It is knowing that you might fail, but alas, you might succeed. Feeling empowered by the vulnerability of myself and those around me, I was ready to embrace what the retreat had in store.
As someone who has only recently begun exploring their connection with nature, this retreat really threw me in at the deep end. Whenever I have connected with nature, it has always been through literature, so the writing part of this retreat was familiar territory. I knew where I stood, and I felt pretty confident putting pen to paper. What did catch me off guard, however, was discovering a microcosm of nature fanatics existing right under my nose. I was surrounded by an inspiring group of young nature activists, each with specific expertise, and all with a roaring passion to protect the natural world.
This discovery, hands down, was my favourite part of the retreat. Surrounded by a small group of immeasurably intelligent individuals, all moving through the world with a deeply grounded connection to nature, I had no choice but to absorb as much of their knowledge as humanly possible. “What plant is that?” - almost certainly it would just be another fern. “What bird is that?” – fortunately, I did not ask this question when we were purposefully out looking for nightjars. And, perhaps most frequently, “How do you know all this stuff?!”. I found myself in a permanent state of astonishment whenever I spoke to my new friends.
Whenever I have connected with nature, it has always been through literature, so the writing part of this retreat was familiar territory... what did catch me off guard was discovering a microcosm of nature fanatics existing right under my nose
Whilst at first I was intimidated to be surrounded by young people with more knowledge of moth species, bird migration habits, and invasive plant species than I could ever hope to possess about Shakespeare after a four-year literature degree, I was quickly put at ease by their willingness to share their knowledge. They did not find my questions annoying, nor my ignorance frustrating; they all simply wanted to share their passion for the natural world. For are we not part of that too?
When I asked my new friends to reflect on the weekend, they too spoke fondly of the connections we had formed with one another, as well as with the natural world around us. Amy Squire is one of the youngest who attended the retreat. For what she lacks in age is made up, and then some, by her remarkable intelligence. She is an absolute powerhouse of knowledge. Her reflection of the weekend speaks to a profound sense of belonging, something that was fostered throughout the retreat. She captures a journey shared by all of us: arriving as strangers and leaving connected to “people who I now know not to be strangers but people more like me than I expected. The camp brought together its own biodiversity of people” (Amy Squire). Indeed, Cameron’s Cottage is a biodiverse base where young naturalists pour their hearts and minds into cultivating hope for the future of our planet.
I had spent the entire first day of the retreat thinking I was the only person there from an urban area in the West Midlands. I wasn’t particularly downhearted about it, but don’t we all enjoy a little regional pride? So, you can imagine my elation when, shamelessly eavesdropping on a conversation beside me, I heard someone mention that they had come from Walsall. Walsall! Naturally, I immediately interrupted to find out more. This individual is Ramandeep Nijjar. Raman is involved in absolutely everything. Her name and voice are well known across the nature and youth voice spheres, a testament to her tireless activism and unwavering passion in elevating young voices. Selfless by nature, Raman is constantly sharing opportunities for young people on her platforms to encourage their involvement in creating change. She truly never stops. Despite being extremely knowledgeable and a force to be reckoned with, Raman mentioned during the retreat that she lacked confidence in her nature writing. In many ways, the retreat directly challenged that insecurity. Reflecting on her experience, she describes how it “left me with so much inspiration, new thoughts, and more confidence in my voice” (Ramandeep Nijjar). I think this sentiment was shared by everyone involved; we all left the retreat with a renewed sense of inspiration and confidence in our own voices. Enveloped in towering oaks and singing blackbirds, it was the perfect environment to begin exploring what nature writing looked like for each of us.
One evening, whilst sitting around the camp (no) fire one evening, fires being prohibited due to the increased risk of wildfires, I shared the origin of my butterfly phobia. Following a traumatic trip to the Butterfly Farm at around seven years old, I have regarded the butterfly as a master manipulator ever since. Where others see the beauty of its colourful wings, I see the thick, hairy abdomen lurking beneath, and those fly-like, predatory eyes. Absolutely firm in my sixteen-year belief that butterflies are evil and deceitful, I did not anticipate that a young entomologist would dismantle it in the space of about two hours.
Riley Woodhouse is a biology student and insect expert. His ability to distinguish between even the subtlest differences in insect species is remarkable. Accompanying him on the retreat’s bioblitz was, firstly, incredibly educational, and secondly, an unexpected form of extreme exposure therapy. I got up close and personal with ants, beetles, and spiders, and watched the fluttering movements of dragonflies and yes, butterflies. I was encouraged by Riley, whether he is aware of this or not, to perceive these tiny creatures as fascinating and beautiful in their very own way. From this moment, my butterfly hatred began a metamorphosis of its very own.
For Riley, the retreat was defined by new friendships, growing self-confidence, and a wonderfully eclectic mix of activities. Riley summarised the experience as:
“a perfect mix of an educational masterclass, and the most heartwarming holiday I never planned. From playing bird bingo with people you felt like you’d known your whole life, to brushing your teeth alongside your new best friend, the retreat brought together the best people and brought out the best in myself. Whether we were bat-detecting, bioblitzing, or writing about the magic of the forest, I always had a smile on my face” (Riley Woodhouse).
I arrived at Cameron’s Cottage feeling somewhat disconnected from the natural world, and left feeling deeply entangled within it.
Riley’s appreciation for the combination of education and connection is exactly what is so unique about this retreat. Connections forged through fireside readings, folk music, and morning breakfast were only enabled through our shared love for learning. Emily and Andrew mapped out activities dedicated to enhancing our knowledge of the natural world and, in turn, our friendships naturally formed. We were given the rare opportunity to speak to and get advice from authors of award-winning nature literature, young filmmakers, storytellers, and creatives, all of whom volunteered their time out of pure belief in young people creating change. I don’t think anyone left the retreat without having formed a new neuron or two.
I arrived at Cameron’s Cottage feeling somewhat disconnected from the natural world, and left feeling deeply entangled within it. This entanglement, which I first understood through the hidden mycorrhizal networks beneath our feet, became something I experienced for myself. In the connections forged with my peers, I began to recognise my own place within the natural world: not as an observer looking in, but as one small part of a much larger network. Through them, I uncovered a new fascination with the plants I had previously brushed past on walks; I discovered that hearing folk music at dusk could make my soul feel as though it had been waiting a very long time to hear those stories again; and, most unexpectedly, I discovered that my sixteen-year hatred of butterflies was not quite as immovable as I had thought.
It was a pleasure to see 3 groups from Romsey Young Carers of various ages spend time at Cameron’s Cottage this year. Romsey Young Carers offer significant emotional support to these young people.
Young carers are children and young people whose lives are affected by caring for a family member who has long term illness or disability, mental health problems or issues with drugs or alcohol.
This summer, we sponsored one Family Fun Day where the parents came with their children and they all spent the day together, enjoying nature based activities. The parents had a great time being together with their children, tucked away in the peaceful woods.
And our 2nd group of young carers stayed for the first time for 2 nights at the Cottage. It’s often the first time that a young carer has actually been able to leave their families.
“It was our first time staying two nights and it went so well. Laura -(RSPB) is superb..her knowledge and calm nature have a magical effect on the group. Everything was so well planned and thought through. I saw many new additions and touches and I'm just so impressed by her."
"The house and environment bonded our group which consisted of kids age 11-15, and with not everyone knowing each other they were well bonded at the end.Corrine thanks so much for supporting us. It means so much for us to come to the cottage every year.”
Keren, School and Clubs Co-ordinator, Romsey Young Carers
And finally another groups of younger children, spent the day walking in the woods, den building and painting outside.
It was another fabulous Young People’s Nature Writing retreat at Cameron’s Cottage in the New Forest.
For the 3rd year in a row, this camp continues to reach young people looking to improve their nature writing skills and to create a space where young people can find a sense of belonging in nature through shared interest.
Organised by young writers Emily Hunt and Andrew Millham and supported by amazing talks by wildlife authors Stephen Moss, Jeni Bell, Mya Bambrick, Amy King, Roger Morgan-Grenville, Alicia Hayden and Freddie Emms. Thank you so much for supporting us and donating your time.
Jeni Bell addresses the group with her inspirational talk about confidence
Writing sessions in the outdoor classroom
This 3 day event included an excellent talks on building confidence and believing in your own words, sharing a film made by young conservationists “Conservation:The Next Generation” , reading out your favourite pieces of literature around the camp fire*, top tips about how to write about nature, an interview with one of UK’s leading environment novelist, folksongs by the camp fire*, a bio blitz and expressing enjoyment about ecological fairytales.
A really exciting opportunity for passionate young nature lovers looking for ways to share and communicate their knowledge.
Readings by Stephen Moss
Emily Hunt, Stephen Moss, Jeni Bell, Alicia Hayden, Andrew Millham
"Having come from a background of being so removed from nature, this retreat was initially very daunting. I thought I would feel out of place and unwelcome in a sphere I have previously thought was not suited for someone like me. Boy was I wrong. Although I do not know species of plants, birds, moths, and everything in between, I was not made to feel inadequate or less than. In fact, I was overwhelmed by how generous these incredibly intelligent people were with their knowledge. I say this with as much gumption as it implies, this retreat has changed my life. I feel I have finally found my people, my calling, and my place. With a heart I didn't realise could be so full, I want to say thank you. Thank you." Lucy
Thank to everyone who made this such a fabulous weekend. Thank you also to our two brilliant volunteers Riley Woodhouse and Ramandeep Nijjar. We are very much looking forward to next year’s event. Look out of dates at the beginning of 2027.
* no real fire was lit due to extreme dry weather.
Writing activities
Listening to stories around the camp fire, although never lit
I’m Laura, I work for the RSPB and I run Cameron’s Cottage. I started working here in 2024 and in the Autumn decided to write a seasonal update of all my goings-on. Here we are more than a year on with edition 7, Spring!
Spring has flashed by and Summer loudly introduced itself in the last couple weeks of May. I’m writing this in early June, on the eve of what is gearing up to be a busy Summer – both for me personally and for Cameron’s Cottage!
But back to the Spring…
After what felt like a long time coming, it was a blessing to see Spring appearing in the sights and sounds around Cameron’s Cottage. Fresh buds and bird sing reminded me that the endless dark evenings were almost behind us.
As a team, we spent a lot of March and early April off site, because our office was getting a much-needed re-vamp. Therefore, I missed a lot of the usual Spring sightings around Franchises Lodge Reserve – notably Goshawk displaying and swallows arriving. I didn’t miss everything though, periodic group visits to Cameron’s Cottage kept me connected with the reserve and a particular highlight for me was once again seeing the mass of toad spawn and, in time, toad tadpoles down at the lake on various visits with young people.
A new activity for this year was introduced in April, during a residential visit by Billingham Scouts. We would love to see young people advocating for nature beyond their stay at Cameron’s Cottage and this new Social Action Workshop does just that. The scout group spent a couple of thoughtful hours brainstorming how they could help nature back home in their local community. Many ideas were created, including a social media campaign to encourage hedgehog highways in local gardens and a vision to see the local park ‘wilded’ for nature.
The scout group spent a couple of thoughtful hours brainstorming how they could help nature back home in their local community
Moving into May, we started to see more residentials visiting as we marched into better weather. The end of May brought incredible sunshine and temperatures upwards of 30 degrees – but that didn’t stop Romsey Young Carers and Leaside Trust enjoying visits to Cameron’s Cottage and making the most of the cooling woodlands surrounding the cottage.
Behind the scenes, I have been working on the finer details of my sabbatical – which I take the first part of towards the end of June – not long now! I’ll be visiting Care Farms in Wiltshire which specialise in Alternative Provision and using the outdoors to build young people’s confidence and manage ongoing struggles such as anxiety. I’ll be visiting a residential outdoor facility in Devon who have 50 years experience delivering residential packages to groups of young people. And later in the Summer I’ll be joining a London based youth organisation on one of their residentials, to learn the ins and outs of youth work and pastoral care.
And that’s all on top of a busy Summer Holidays packed full of residentials and day visits – definitely enough to keep me busy! This feels a little like the calm before the storm, but what a great storm it will be!
Until next time,
Laura
Spring is appearing in the sights and sounds around Cameron’s Cottage
Scouts create a social media campaign
This annual day at Cameron’s Cottage has become a firm favourite with Romsey Young Carers.
It’s hugely important for families to spend a day together and be able to enjoy the many outdoor activities on offer at Cameron’s Cottage, immersed in beauty and nature.
"Our family had a peaceful, fun and educational day at Cameron cottage. It was a chance to unwind from our family life. Laura was informative and had a lovely calming effect on the group. My daughter and I particularly enjoyed bug hunting and identifying what we caught. We appreciated the opportunity to slow down and relax in the beautiful surroundings."
Despite it being the hottest days ever, Laura from the RSPB planned brilliant outdoor events, taking advantage of the cool woods by the side of the house. Nature art was hugely popular and loved by all, resulting in some very talented and artistic paintings.
“We can't thank you enough”.
A group of nine young Scouts from Teeside came to Cameron’s Cottage this week. They were all enthusiastic outdoor explorers and loved the space, surroundings and adventure that they discovered during their stay.
The activities provided by the RSPB leaders Laura and James, included pond dipping, bio blitz, bat detection, dawn chorus walk, bushcraft activities and learning how to forage to make a fire.
It was great to welcome this group who came by minibus which took over 8 hours to reach the New Forest. Probably our furthest group yet!
I’m Laura, I work for the RSPB and I run Cameron’s Cottage. I started working here in 2024 and in the Autumn decided to write a seasonal update of all of my goings-on. Here we are more than a year on with edition 6, Winter!
Winter has given us plenty of rain, rain and more rain, but there have been days of soul-refreshing sunshine dotted about in between. On these days, I was reminded of the beauty of winter; the crimson red of holly berries, the raindrops hanging off dew-drenched leaves and the feeling of crisp cold air on my face and in my lungs. It all reminds me that life still exists even when we don’t see if around us. I’m writing this in mid March, and Spring is bursting into life all around me – it won’t be long before Cameron’s Cottage is once again busy with the laughter and chaos that only young people can bring.
Spring is in the air
Before the seemingly endless rain and flooding in the New Year, the weather decided to be favourable and shine upon us over the Christmas period. For me, this was a great blessing, and I took many a walk around the New Forest with my family. Having struggled to get into work for all the floods, it’s a relief for both us and for nature that the worst of the storms and rains seem to have come and gone – at least until later this year!
Thought outside of our usual delivery season, Cameron’s Cottage hosted a handful of hardy young people this Winter. Winchester Youth Counselling came for an evening of fun fire lighting around the firepit – learning traditional methods of fire lighting to create a hot chocolate and toast marshmallows. It got dark very quickly, but this only added to the ambience – using the fires warmth to keep cosy and its flamelight to see just well enough to pop another marshmallow on a stick.
The National Park Authority brought a group of Young Carers to Cameron’s Cottage – who undertook a jam-packed conservation weekend, spending much of their time cutting back rhododendron and surveying the lake and streams around the cottage. We also squeezed one final rhododendron management session in with the Kings Trust before the end of February – which the young people really got into and helped to create a roaring fire – plenty warm enough to keep us all toasty in the chilly February air.
I have been spent the Winter networking with people from similar outdoor organisations and completed a 6 week qualification in Young People’s Mental Health
Despite the grey days, my time has been anything but boring. I have been spending the Winter learning and networking with likeminded outdoor centres and organisations. I spent a full-on 6 weeks completing a qualification in Young People’s Mental Health – something that I’m really keen to weave into the activities we deliver at Cameron’s Cottage. Being out in nature is a great way to boost young people’s moods, almost without them realising it! But I want to also help them realise they can regulate their own mental health and build resilience by seeking out nature and green spaces in their own local patch – which will surely help them manage the ups and downs that life will inevitably bring.
I have also been working towards undertaking a sabbatical this year – using connections I’m growing to visit a few other outdoor centres and knowledge share with them. I’m picking organisations which excel in different areas – working with young people who have additional needs, residential packages, pastoral care etc.
With Spring in the air as I write this, and the rays of the sunshine on my back are noticeably warmer than in the months gone by; I have enjoyed reflecting on how Winter has treated us, and look forward to what joy and adventures the Spring and Summer months have to offer.
Until next time,
Laura
Book a stay: https://bit.ly/cameronscottage
Volunteering with us: https://bit.ly/cameronscottagevolunteering
Wild ponies in the New Forest
A wonderful night time excursion...
It was such a pleasure to have Winchester Youth Council bring a group of young people to participate in nocturnal activities last week. The RSPB led them on a night time walk in the woods and reserve to experience the silence of the woods. The sound of their footsteps in the leaves and the odd rustle or distant hoot or chirp was all they could hear plus the smell of damp trees and woodlands.
They returned with a few objects they found in the woods to Cameron’s Cottage to do some bushcrafting as well as light a fire and enjoy a cup of hot chocolate
Enjoying a cup of hot chocolate round the camp fire
They returned with a few objects found in the woods
I’m Laura, I work for the RSPB and I run Cameron’s Cottage. I started working here last year and in Autumn 2024 decided to write a seasonal update of all of my goings-on. Here we are a year on with edition 5, Autumn!
As Summer quickly moved into Autumn, the woods surrounding Cameron’s Cottage came alive with colour – from leaves, to fungi, berries and everything in between, nature’s masterpiece was putting on an impressive display. Even while cleaning your teeth, young people could admire this beauty – see the view from our bathroom window!
And just like nature’s last bold act before the quiet of Winter, Cameron’s Cottage was too coming alive with a new wave of intrepid Autumnal explorers. September and October were busy with multiple residential trips and the beginning of November saw the last few day visits of the year. I’m writing this on the first day of December and Autumn is slipping away right in front of my eyes. For me, it’s now time to look ahead to Christmas, the wonders of Winter and planning for 2026 – I must remember to wear my thermals tomorrow!
But back to the slightly more balmy Autumn, where rain only disrupted plans a couple of times and where the sun’s dappled warmth was enjoyable through the golden shades of woodland oak and beech. A definite highlight for me was a sunny morning walk through the woods with a local university group, where fungi were seemingly popping up in front of our very eyes. There were so many of them and so many kinds! It made my day when I spotted my first fly agaric of the season – a firm favourite and a personal indicator that Autumn is surely here.
Behind the scenes I have been working hard to build a following on social media. Instagram has been a particular success, with 538 followers to date! Followers seems to enjoy nature themed content and practical ways to get involved in learning about and looking after the natural world. Showing a Facebook audience of home schoolers and forest schoolers how we use The Lost Words book to teach young people about nature has been a particular hit!
It's been great to have a new way to engage with young people and see their experiences at Cameron’s Cottage – both to follow along with their nature journeys and also a brilliant way for us to reflect using this valuable source of feedback. Here’s one young person who shared a video of his time at Cameron’s Cottage via his Instagram handle mustelid_man. See his post here.
I’ve also been working with the RSPB’s EDI team to raise awareness and improve how Cameron’s Cottage works with young people with Hidden Disabilities and accessibility needs. With initial discussions complete, this work will form a chunk of what I do this Winter – so more on this to come!
With the last group of the year been and gone, I am grateful for an amazing and fruitful 2025 and look forward to what 2026 is going to bring.
I met Free to be Kids a while ago to discuss possibility of a camp at Cameron’s Cottage. It was therefore wonderful to finally welcome their groups of young people for a stay.
Free to be Kids is a charity that helps London children who are struggling with complex disadvantages, to feel included. They support young people from vulnerable backgrounds.
They brought 2 separate groups to Cameron's Cottage during the October half term who said they were made to feel very welcome and loved being completely immersed in nature. This feeling of security and safety made their young people feel very special and cared for. They specifically said the Cottage was warm and cosy and really loved the communal area as a hang out space, especially the chalk board where you could draw and contribute, as well as read quotes made by other groups.
Chalk board in Cameron’s Cottage
The RSPB ran all the activities which included nature rich walks, shelter building as well as wildlife creative sessions. They loved the activities which offered them a new respect and appreciation for nature.
"Overall just to say a massive, massive thank you to yourself and the team. We're beyond grateful for the chance to access your beautiful site Providers and organisations like yourself make it possible for groups like us to provide a safe and nurturing space for vulnerable young people who otherwise would not have these opportunities! Thank you so much.”
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 4, Summer!
In the last edition of this blog, I wrote of how busy April and May had been and early June brought the last of that particular busy spell. Summer has since been a little quieter, allowing for moments of reflection between incredibly rewarding group visits and activities.
The group visits to the cottage have been rewarding
My frequent visits down to the lake were a highlight as I could watch the toad tadpoles developing with every visit! Another highlight was seeing a cacophony of bats on each evening walk I led. Watching the young people be amazed and enthralled by this nocturnal display was so heartwarming – and the excitement from knowing bats were flying low all around us, almost touching our heads at points, was contagious and I couldn’t help but laugh with glee alongside them.
Behind the scenes I had also been working on setting up Facebook and Instagram pages for Cameron’s Cottage to engage young audiences in the nature around them, display some of the goings-on of recent groups visiting the cottage and inviting young people to take action for nature in their local green spaces. July saw the launch of these two accounts and I’ve been enjoying creating videos and taking photos to build an online platform for young people to engage with.
Things picked up again at end of July as we busily prepared for the New Forest Show. The 3 day event is a great opportunity to share what we do with the wider public and local community. Jayne and I designed activities to engage with families and made display boards to aid conservation conversations about our work and our nature reserve.
August brought a small flurry of residential stays and day visits to Cameron’s Cottage, and somehow the team were able to squeeze in some well-deserved holiday! I’m writing this in the beginning of September, with fond memories of the whirlwind year 2025 has already been, and excited for what adventures Autumn brings, especially as while writing this I’m seeing the first signs that Autumn is on its way!
The reserve lake is teeming with pondlife
Watching the tadpoles develop
The New Forest Show was an opportunity share what we do
We made display boards to aid conservation conversations
We were delighted to once again sponsor Romsey Young Carers to spend time in nature, away from their daily responsibilities. Young Carers are young people whose lives are affected by caring for a family member who has a long-term illness or disability. Romsey Young Carers provides safe spaces for their young carers to discuss concerns, get support and have fun.
The first group consisted of 15-18 year olds who enjoyed their stay at Cameron’s Cottage, immersed in nature, walking, pond dipping and participating in team building games as well as a bat walk and a BBQ around the camp fire. The bat walk was definitely a highlight.
"During my stay at Cameron’s cottage I was able to decompress around the sounds, sights and smells of nature. We had the opportunity to explore the wildlife that surrounded Cameron’s cottage and we even got to create our own fires to make hot chocolate where we used the natural resources around us.
"Overall I had the most amazing time being able to catch up with friends and my brother expressing the love of nature and the lovely cottage stay " - Gracie
"At Cameron's cottage I enjoyed seeing my friends and having the opportunity to relax, enjoy nature and create stronger bonds with other people. I feel it was very beneficial as I am very busy working a full-time job and dealing with lots of adult responsibilities so having the time to just not worry was great. My favourite activity was going to the lake and finding bugs and eating lots of food. I also enjoyed late night uno and playing pranks on everyone". -- Ella
"Thank you so much to everyone at the Cameron Bespolka trust for enabling us to stay at the cottage and experience its surroundings, to be immersed in nature whilst learning new skills. We felt truly enriched and recharged by the end of our stay.”
We were also so pleased to sponsor their Family Fun Day at Cameron’s Cottage. The group consisted of the parents as well as the young carers and provided a perfect place for them to spend time outside together with their parents. A highlight was the campfire where they could play games.
"Our family day at Cameron’s Cottage was an amazing opportunity that enabled all of us to spend quality time together in a supportive environment, away from the pressures of daily life. The activities – from exploring local insect life to learning practical skills like fire-making – were good fun and encouraged enjoyment of nature. For my daughter, who has caring responsibilities, the day offered both respite and the chance to simply enjoy being a child. Experiences like this have a significant positive impact on her wellbeing, family relationships, and confidence, and I am very grateful that Young Carers had the support from Cameron’s Cottage to make it possible" - Alison
A huge thank you to the RSPB for organising such amazing activities as well as giving these young people some down time to enjoy their surroundings and friends.
Spending time in nature helps the young carers decompress
Enjoying a campfire BBQ
Team building games are integral to the exprience
Building a makeshift shelter
Learning how to safely build a fire at the family day
It was a chance for the young carers to explore nature
Romsey Young carers spend time at Cameron’s Cottage
It was a chance to put drawing skills to the test
Making use of the outdoor classroom
The family day was a chance to spend quality time together
Another group of enthusiastic and creative young people arrived for the 2nd Young Writers Camp. It was such an honour to create a space for them where they can share an interest in nature and writing.
They were able to forge friendships with like-minded individuals, learn from experts and have time to write in the beautiful New Forest. Hosted by Emily Hunt and Andrew Millham, the weekend was a unique experience and enjoyed by all.
"A fabulous weekend. Refreshing to spend time in nature and learn useful tips for writing. I feel much more confident about writing now, especially with so many helpful workshops."
The aim of the camp was to provide young people with the opportunity to connect with nature and enter a space where they can focus on writing and nature. This was achieved by Emily and Andrew inviting a group of inspirational authors. They talked about the various options you had as a creative writer: do you want to become an author, a blogger, a journalist, a communicator to the public or to write government wildlife policies.
"It has been a huge help and has given me loads more ideas and tips which will definitely help develop my writing for exams and also my future career...also getting to meet so many young, like-minded people has been the highlight of my time here."
Writing and communicating about nature, wildlife and our environment is hugely important as well as meeting like-minded young people and having the unique opportunity to speak to such experienced writers.
Thank you to Andrew and Emily for organising and thank you to all the amazing speakers:
Cameron’s Cottage has a perfect outdoor classroom. The Cottage can sleep 19 and is a perfect place for young people to come together.
Class in progress
Outdoor Classroom
Dining room, kitchen and hang-out area
Why do you write?
The trip to Cameron’s Cottage is a highlight of the year for the Leaside Trust’s Youth Club. This year was no exception, with 8 young people booking their places to attend the camp.
They arrived and were greeted by the staff from RSPB and had a wonderful afternoon taking part in problem-solving games. The young people were split into pairs and one of them was blindfolded while the other had to lead them through an obstacle course or through the woods. This was a new challenge for many of the young people and some of them took to it incredibly well and very quickly while others had to think about things a little bit more and figure out that that their partner couldn't see gestures while they were blindfolded.
"It has become apparent that the annual trip to Cameron's cottage is one of the favourites of our youth club members.”
The next activity included the spiders’ webs and a slack line and set challenges for the entire group. This really helped them to bond and gel together, and it was great to see how inclusive they were with everybody having a role to play in solving the problems.
After an excited evening and an early night, they got up the next day and the first food team prepared breakfast before they headed out into the woods for a morning of den building. There were many different styles on display some of which were almost effective at keeping the water that the staff were pouring over the top of the dent on the outside! We left the dens up for a couple of days and over the free time the young people went and added to them or took some branches down to scavenge the materials to extend other dens and they ended up almost with a village of small houses where they played in quite happily.
After lunch they went outside and learned how to light fires with a Flint and steel and the youngsters then used Kelly kettles to boil up water and make themselves some hot chocolate this was one of the favourite things that they did so far.
While we still have some daylight, we headed over into the SSI to plant some camera traps in the hope of catching footage of some of the exciting and interesting animals that live in the woods around the cottage. We left them there until the final day... Unfortunately, the only thing that we caught a glimpse of was a little rat scurrying around in the undergrowth, but we did get to see some footage that other visitors had caught, and it was great to see the variety of wildlife in the area.
This was a very busy day it turns out as once it got dark, we headed off into the forest again for a long nighttime walk with bat detectors. We managed to locate several different sites where bats were active and even caught a glimpse of 1 hunting and catching a moth in our torchlight. On the walk back they found some amazing beetles before enjoying some marshmallows by the fire.
The next day was also equally busy, and they spent the first half until lunchtime bracken bashing in the woods. Bracken is a problem for native Woodlands as it carpets the floor and stops lights from getting through and other plants from growing. The youngsters took great delight in bashing it with sticks and breaking it down so that other things had a chance to grow.
They spent an afternoon enjoying craft making activities using natural materials, leaves and sticks. And finally a poetry session where everyone's thoughts were put together to make a story that was read out to the whole group.
This was followed by our final activity, which was a big, long walk around the perimeter of the woods. We saw ticks up close with a magnifying glass and even found the rest of Mr stinky (a skeleton of a deer who died there last year the skull had already been recovered and we brought most of the rest of the bones back to be reunited and put him all together again!)
"To have the opportunity to bring our young people here and expose them to a world that many of them simply wouldn't have access to will have an ongoing and positive impact on them for many years to come.”
Over the course of the week, about half of the kids kept a journal with sketches and phrases of things that they've been up to in the week, and they even drew a map of our nature walk so they could find their way home if they got lost.
As we have come to expect from spending time in Cameron's cottage, the activities were fantastic, and each child had an amazing time. For one or two this was the first trip away from their parents outside of a school trip, for others it was the first time being in such an environment and interacting so closely with nature. There was a noticeable difference in their willingness to help each other, work together and avoid skiving as the week progressed - testament to the benefits that they got from the activities they took part in.
The facilities, activities, location, staff and benefits of spending time in Cameron's cottage are phenomenal. We are lucky at Leaside that we are surrounded by open space, however it is very different to being in the middle of the woods where you can hear the creatures in the nighttime and the sounds of nature drifting on the breeze.
We've worked with the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) for quite a few years now. In fact they were our very first partner when we sponsored the first young birders camp they organised in Thetford, back in 2015.
Today they run multiple camps throughout the UK. These camps introduce young people to more in-depth knowledge as well as learning new skills in conservation. Most of the participants are already keen ornithologists and conservationists and these camps are perfect for meeting other like-minded friends.
We were therefore thrilled to sponsor the first camp to Cameron’s Cottage for 14 participants aged 13-16 years old. BTO felt that Cameron's Cottage gave a holistic approach to connecting young people with nature, based in the heart of the New Forest.
The young naturalists explored surveys such as Garden BirdWatch, WeBS, and BBS, and used BirdTrack to record their daily sightings. A Bioblitz – complete with pond dipping – introduced them to the diversity of taxa around the site and encouraged hands-on discovery.
Two ringing demonstrations with the New Forest Ringing Group gave the participants the rare chance to see birds up close. Licensed ringers shared their expertise, adding rich context to these unforgettable encounters.
They were thrilled to be inspired by local organisations: Wild New Forest brought extensive ringing knowledge, while Thomas and Eleanor opened up the fascinating world of Nightjars and Laura from the RSPB Cameron’s Cottage team brought invaluable insight during the Bat Walk and Bioblitz, helping to deepen everyone's understanding of the site.
They also learned about nurturing creative connections to nature. Jane from the RSPB team led a nature art and writing session that encouraged participants to reflect on their experiences, explore different ways of engaging with the natural world, and prioritise their mental wellbeing.
Photo: Rachael Griffiths/BTO
Photo: Rachael Griffiths/BTO
Photo: Rachael Griffiths/BTO
Photo: Rachael Griffiths/BTO
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 3, Spring!
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.
The weather has definitely picked up since I wrote the last blog. Feb/March brought us our first residential groups of the year and since then it’s been a whirlwind of great weather and happy young people. Spring arrived in full force and it was wonderful to see the cottage and surrounding woodland come alive with wild flowers – seeing the bluebells was a particular highlight! With wall-to-wall sunshine for most of April and May, our busy season kicked off with a bang. A highlight was definitely doing a reptile survey with a group of young conservationists and finding a pair of common lizards basking in the sun.
And wildlife has been all around us! From moths to toads, goshawks to buzzards and everything in between, young people have been treated to an amazing array of wildlife.
At the start of May, we also welcomed Jayne our new Visitor experience Officer who will be delivering activity sessions to groups all through the Summer and Autumn. Jayne will be with us for 6 months and has great experience of working with children and young people both in a school setting and in the outdoors.
It was a fun and engaging, full-on day, which concluded with me achieving the Bushcraft Assessment Level Two Qualification
A highlight for me over these Spring months was to head back into the woods and complete my bushcraft training, being assessed on the topics I had learnt and trained on last Autumn. This photo below shows the shelter, fire and pot hanger I made, all using bushcraft skills and techniques and culminated in me making myself a cup of tea right there in the woods! It was a fun and engaging, full-on day, which concluded with me successfully achieving the Bushcraft Assessment Level Two Qualification. A fabulous day on all accounts!
May has been jam-packed with several groups visiting the cottage, and while I was hoping to get this blog written earlier, I am glad to have touched the lives of so many young people, hopefully starting their journey in becoming keen nature lovers and wanting to help nature thrive where they live.
June and July are looking a little bit quieter, though bookings are still coming in for our Summer season. If you, or anyone you know might be interested in booking a stay at Cameron’s Cottage, particularly for June or July, please do use the links below for more information.
Booking a stay: https://bit.ly/cameronscottage
Volunteering with us: https://bit.ly/cameronscottagevolunteering
Until next time,
Laura
The shelter that Laura built
A pair of common lizards basking in the sun
A toad
A Moth
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.
Fabulous den built, can you see them hiding inside?
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
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.
Leaside Returns for another New Forest Adventure
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
Cameron's Cottage in Autumn
Laura investigating a hive of bees by torchlight
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.
Linda Ronald
Laura Pringe
‘An absolutely fantastic, inspiring and overwhelmingly hopeful weekend’ – as put by one of our attendees, the first ever camp for Young Nature Writers at Cameron’s Cottage was very special. It was such an honour to create a space for young people with an interest in nature and writing to forge friendships with like-minded individuals, learn from experts and have time to write in the beautiful New Forest.
Hosted by Emily Hunt and Andrew Millham, and kindly supported by Alasdair Robertson from Cameron Bespolka Trust, the weekend was a unique experience and enjoyed by all. The aim of the camp was to provide young people with the opportunity to connect with nature, connect with each other and enter a space where they can focus on writing and nature.
Here is what we got up to during the weekend:
Friday
Once everyone had arrived, we kicked off with some brief introductions and an icebreaker game – guess the animal/plant on your head… This proved to be more difficult than anticipated! Everyone settled in quickly.
For our first session, we welcomed Roger for his talk on nature writing and his experiences in the field. It was interesting to hear Roger’s unique perspective, and everyone thoroughly enjoyed his talk. This was an excellent opening to the weekend!
We then ventured out on a short walk and set up our moth traps for the next morning.
Following a lovely meal, we launched into our Open Mic session. The group assembled around the campfire, and Emily, Andrew, Stephen Moss and Roger Morgan-Grenville all gave readings, along with many of the attendees. This was one of the highlights of the weekend. A special mention goes to attendee Finn who recited The Trees by Phillip Larkin from memory!
We were also treated to some wonderful music from Andrew on his Irish bouzouki while we toasted marshmallows.
Saturday
On Saturday we were all up bright and early and ready for the day! However, we were met with an onslaught of rain – which caused some rescheduling, and thankfully cleared up in the afternoon!
First of all, we unboxed the moth traps, led by attendee Max who has an incredible knowledge of insects. Max guided us through the different species, and we had a great selection considering the weather. Then, with our table adorned with moths, Emily and Andrew led some moth-related writing activities, including turning a basic description into a poem and zooming in on specific parts of moth anatomy.
We then took part in a fantastic Writing in the Field session led by Stephen Moss. Due to the rain, we didn’t actually write ‘in the field’, but instead wrote about an experience in nature from our childhood. Afterwards, many attendees shared their work, and it was very impressive to hear what they had created in just an hour or so!
Thankfully, the rain stopped, and we were able to venture off into the woods for our roaming workshop. This consisted of three activities – a mindfulness activity from Andrew, writing from the perspective of a woodland species from Emily, and an activity from our guest Jeni Bell, comparing positive and negative experiences in nature. Being in the woods, it was inevitable that we were going to get distracted by wildlife while doing these activities… perhaps the most notable was Stephen’s firecrest sighting!
We then headed back to the cottage for Jeni’s session on confidence and empowerment in writing. Jeni spoke about finding your voice and overcoming barriers that may stop us from writing. The messages given in Jeni’s talk were very important, and it was a delight to be joined by Jeni for the day – the group loved Jeni’s enthusiasm and really connected with her sessions.
We then had a brief interlude between sessions, during which we lit the campfire and were serenaded by Alasdair on his low whistle.
In the evening, we were joined by Lucy Houliston, who gave a fascinating talk about bats. We learnt all about UK bat species, in preparation for our nighttime bat walk. Lucy also talked about the elements of her career that have involved writing, showing how she has used her writing skills throughout her jobs with charities and NGOs.
The bat walk on Saturday evening was a definite highlight of the weekend – picture a group of teenagers trekking out across the heathland in the dark! The bats put on a bit of a show, treating us to a fantastic view of a soprano catching a moth right in front of us. This was a wonderful end to the day.
‘The biggest thing this weekend has shown me is how much I want to learn, but it’s also confirmed that whatever I do, I want to work with people like the ones I met this weekend.’
Sunday
Thankfully, when we woke up on Sunday it was not a torrential downpour! We kicked the day off with a nature walk and bioblitz activity run by Emily and Andrew.
The bioblitz involved setting off in pairs and finding as many species as possible in half an hour, using the equipment chosen from the cottage – pond dipping kits, insect catching nets, etc. Embarrassingly, Emily and Andrew did not win… instead the winners were Rufus and Freddie, with a very impressive number of species!
We then headed back to the cottage for a talk and Q & A with Stephen Moss. This was packed full of interesting insights, and in particular explored Stephen’s incredible career.
Stephen’s talk was followed by Dominic Couzens. Dominic really captured the attention of the group, putting a smile on everyone’s faces. He gave some brilliant tips and advice to bring the weekend to a close, and a valuable insight into life as a writer.
Thank-yous
It was such a privilege to be joined by such amazing writers and speakers at the camp.
A special mention must go to Stephen, who generously joined us for the whole weekend. Being the incredible speaker and guide that he is, Stephen engaged and educated the group on many different topics. Meeting Stephen was an amazing opportunity, all of us hugely valued his company.
Thank you to Stephen, Roger, Jeni, Dominic and also Alicia Hayden who provided us with a recorded poetry activity.
Thank you to the Cameron Bespolka Trust for supporting and funding the camp - Corinne, Alasdair and Sienna. It obviously couldn’t have happened without them!
Thank you also to Andrew (Emily is writing this blog!), who helped Emily to organise and host the camp.
Comments
Below are some comments lifted from attendees’ reviews of the weekend.
James was the winner of this year’s How can you Help Wildlife Competition as part of the Cameron Bespolka Wildlife Talk held at Winchester College last November.
His prize included his whole class spending the day in the New Forest at Cameron’s Cottage.
Throughout the day, the children took part in a range of outdoor activities, including den building and a nature walk. These activities required them to show off their brilliant teamwork and problem-solving skills.
Here’s what the children had to say:
It was wonderful to see Romsey Young Carers enjoy a day out at Cameron’s Cottage in RSPB Franchises Lodge reserve in the New Forest recently.
They built dens, had a bio blitz, made fire with Kelly kettles to make hot chocolate and had lots of fun!
Young Carers are children and young people whose lives are affected by looking after someone in their family with a disability or long-term illness. It is therefore wonderful to sponsor these young people and see them enjoy their beautiful surroundings and participate in the many RSPB outdoor activities.
We feel very honored to help and will be welcoming many more local groups of young carers at Cameron’s Cottage this summer.
Delighted to see Young Bristol Youth Group at Cameron’s Cottage for their first camp. Such great group who enjoyed their stay and got immersed in all nature and team building activities around the nature reserve.
Thank you on behalf of everyone from Young Bristol for the opportunity to bring our Outdoor Employment Programme along to Cameron’s Cottage – all the group really enjoyed their time with you!
We were delighted to sponsor 14 children between the ages of 9 and 15 from the Leaside Trust who checked in to Cameron’s Cottage recently for four days of activities and adventures in the New Forest.
The Trust, based in Hackney, is an organisation dedicated to delivering inspiring and engaging outdoor activities to young people. Their aim is to encourage children to stay in education, develop their confidence and build leadership skills. This was the Leaside Trust’s first every dry land residential outing all made possible for sponsorship from The Cameron Bespolka Trust.
Over the course of the four days the young members of the trust took part in a range of activities in the Forest designed to enhance their social and team building skills. The group arrived around lunch time on day one leaving enough time to unpack, sort out the cooking and cleaning roster before heading out into the forest for some blindfold teambuilding games, slackline walking and wood chopping. After dinner the group gathered round the open fire to toast marshmallows and boil water for hot chocolate in ghillie kettles.
A massive thank you to Corinne, the Cameron Bespolka Trust and the RSPB for hosting us and making the trip so memorable.
Day two saw the group clearing growth of invasive rhododendrons before building natural shelters from the branches. Next they learned how to make cordage from nettles and rushes followed by a short scavenge through the woods to collect material for making mobiles. After dinner they learned how to make bannock bread, baking it on an open fire they built in the woods.
The group spent time working in teams, working independently, doing solution focused activities ... we saw huge progression through the 4 days in all our young people
On day three the group spent the morning map reading and learning how to use a compass. Splitting into the groups, they headed out into the forest tasked with navigating their way to set points on the map. It proved a tough challenge crossing boggy ground, through thick woods and over fences to reach their goals. The afternoon was spent whittling wooden owls under the expert guidance of instructors Simon and Amanda.
All too soon it was the final day of the trip. The children packed, loaded the bus and cleaned the cottage before heading outside to finish up their wooden owls, split more wood and explore the forest for one last time. In all it was a great experience for the children. They had very limited access to their mobile phones and social media so had to find other ways to amuse themselves during their free time.
Building shelters from branches
Making cordage
Making Bannock Bread
Toasting marshmallows
We were delighted to once again sponsor the Autumn New Forest Wildlife Camp. The camp was held at the newly renovated Cameron’s Cottage in the New Forest at the end of October. Izzy Fry attended the camp as a mentor and blogged about her experience.
by Izzy Fry
This weekend I have been down in the New Forest for the Wild New Forest autumn camp which is sponsored by the Cameron Bespolka Trust.
On the Saturday we spent most of the morning searching for the weird and wonderful fungi around the forest and didn’t we find some amazing specimens! Highlights included Stinkhorns, Hedgehog fungi, Fly Agarics and Purple Deceivers.
The forest is home to an abundance of fungi
I joined the camp this year as a mentor and one of my roles was leading a group as part of a BioBlitz competition! My group was fantastic and preserved through the torrential rain to find and identify a huge 81 species.
In the evening we listened to some great talks about Pine Martins and camera trapping in the New Forest as well as a bird ringing talk from me and also a mentor interview from myself and photographer Dimitri Moore.
There was much to discover in the New Forest
Later that night we headed out for another walk in the dark around the forest. We found lots of new species of fungi including Puffballs, Cauliflower fungus, False Deathcaps and many many more!
We started off our second day in the forest bright and early to do some more bird ringing and the slightly better weather led to a nice selection of birds! The highlights for me were Goldcrests and Marsh tits, one of which I was lucky enough to ring. It was brilliant to see how many of the young people were interested in ringing and the process of it and lots are inspired to start training themselves! (All birds ringed under license with HPAI precautions to ensure all birds and people involved are safe)
Happy Campers
We then checked the moth traps that were put out the evening before and my favourite species was this beautiful Merveille du Jour. Later that morning we headed for another fungi walk that led us up to a patch of heath land. We spotted loads of fungi species including Rosy bonnets, Jelly babies and Hedgehog fungus as well as the rare Nail Fungus which grows on the New Forest pony poo! In the afternoon we had a bit of time to dry off from the torrential rain we walked through earlier and played a couple rounds of bird bingo which has become a camp favourite and tradition over the years.
For our last evening in the forest we headed out to do some more fungi photography and a final walk around the cottage before saying goodbye until next year. I had a brilliant weekend as always and would like to thank Wild New Forest for organising and running the camp and the Cameron Bespolka Trust for funding us to go.
The BioBlitz is a highlight of the weekend
After a successful run at Spurn Bird Observatory, the Young Leaders Course (YLC) has moved to Cameron’s Cottage, a facility ideally suited to educate and entertain.
With the change in venue came some changes in the programme; lecturers from a range of backgrounds and sectors were invited to deliver talks and presentations to the 12 participants who had been carefully selected for the course. One of the key aims of the YLC is to make clear to participants how they can move into leadership positions, even if they are not yet at the CEO level. The sheer wealth of expertise on offer made the course hugely valuable for those wanting to forge a career in this area.
It was a busy four days for participants and lecturers
The Lecturers
The course was hosted by Faye Vogely who is Youth Entertainment Manager at the BTO. She was ably supported by youth staff member Rachael Griffiths and youth volunteer Mya Bambrick. There was a very busy programme with lectures and sessions from 9am until 6pm. Faye led practical sessions on delivering presentations, CVs and job applications, giving guided walks, and running successful meetings. Richard Benwell, CEO of Wildlife and Countryside Link focused on negotiating and influencing with his interactive workshops showing participants how they can influence others by using effective storytelling and understanding people.
“A huge thank you to the incredible staff and people supporting the course. It has been a valuable week, where I learned priceless lessons which I will carry with me throughout my career, and personal life.”
Dr Anjana Khatwa, Earth Scientist and EDI specialist, focused on creating inclusive communities and understanding how to be an ethical leader. Her workshop forced participants to think about their own privilege and how to use it as a leader. Jack Baker, Pangolin Podcast creator and PhD student talked about the importance of communicating effectively as a leader, and showing the different ways we can communicate to different audiences. Helen Robinson and Paul Walton from New Forest National Park Authority looked at the importance of partnership working and how leaders need to be able to understand the needs of different stakeholders.
The outdoor classroom proved an ideal learning environment
There was plenty of opportunity for socialising
Students gather media content for presentations
Social activities were not neglected; ice breaker games were played at the start of the programme to help people get to know each other and after dinner each night camp fire games were played and evening walks undertaken. In addition attendees were given the opportunity to go birdwatching before and after the programme each day. This was an offer that was eagerly taken up. RSPB staff joined the course at times during the four days to talk about life as wardens and demonstrate bats in the hand as part of a ringing programme.
The feedback for the course has been overwhelmingly positive. All sessions were well received and were found to have relevant elements that will help participants in their career. Most of the participants reported that their confidence increased during the four days and said they recognised that their self-worth was key for successful leadership.
Roasting marshmallows on an open fire
At Cameron’s Cottage there is a path dedicated to the memory of Jim Kilner who died recently at the age of 83. Jim spent much of his later years quietly raising money for the RSPB and the Kilner Path has been named in his honour to celebrate his tireless efforts.
Jim was a very proud engineer by profession and still kept the tools he made when he was an apprentice in his extensive engineering workshop. From this workshop he made bird nest boxes out of felled trees to his own very specific design. The proceeds from the sale of these lovingly-crafted boxes went to the RSPB and that money was used to purchase tools for the Lodge Garden and the benches under the shelter.
Jim was invited down to Franchises Lodge by the RSPB to see what had been bought with his money. On the visit he spotted a neglected tricycle chassis and asked if he could buy it from the RSPB. Within two months he had renovated the chassis and turned it into a cargo carrying bike. It was sold to a young fisherman to carry his gear to fishing spots. The £400 of profit went to buying the trees at Cameroons Cottage and the residual used towards the costs of the Kilner Path.
Three months before died he travelled down to the cottage and took a ride in his off road tramper around the path. Jim spoke of how wonderful it was to have been a small part of the Cameron’s Cottage story and how proud he was that the RSPB had named the path after him.
Jim Kilner was tireless in his fundraising efforts
Sponsorship from the Trust enabled a group of children from Winnall Primary School in Winchester to travel down to Cameron’s Cottage and enjoy a jam-packed day of activities.
Thank you BBC Radio Solent and BBC News for sharing our story.
Inspired by Cameron, Cameron’s Cottage in a RSPB reserve is a place for groups of young people to be immersed in nature. Run and operated by RSPB, this place connects young people and nature where all activities are led by RSPB wildlife experts.
Cameron had a passion for birds and wildlife
Thank you BBC South Today for the coverage on Cameron’s Cottage and for telling our story.
Thank you so much to New Forest National Park Authority for supporting the collaboration between ourselves and RSPB to create Cameron’s Cottage in the heart of the RSPB reserve Franchises Lodge.
Alison Barnes, CEO of the New Forest NPA was there to celebrate the opening of the cottage
"Celebrating the opening of Cameron's Cottage with the RSPB and the Cameron Bespolka Trust at their residential retreat based within Franchises Lodge nature reserve. It's a dramatic and ‘secret forest’ in the north of the New Forest now saved by the RSPB and the Trust with our help "
Guests and Staff at the grand opening
Staff and first-year students from the UoW Nutrition and Dietetics Course were at Cameron’s Cottage earlier this month for a very special away day.
The students, who were on placement at the Cottage, made fine use of its facilities to whip up a first rate meal for the Team. What better way to discuss curriculum development than in the great outdoors eating delicious food.
We had a brilliant team away day today in a very special location, talking about RD curriculum development! A big thank you to our 1st year students for our fab lunch!
Staff and Students from the University of Winchester
We were thrilled to sponsor Romsey Young Carers to spend a magical day at Cameron‘s Cottage for a Family Fun day.
The day was expertly guided by a lovely group of RSPB volunteers and staff. 10 families with a total of 25 children took part in outdoor activities. A wide range of activities were on offer suitable for all ages and two new activities we’re particularly popular: playing in a drum circle and taking part in a nature escape room.
Young Carers are children and young people whose lives are affected by caring for a family member who has a long term illness or disability, mental health problems or issues with drugs and alcohol. Romsey Young Carers provide a safe space for their young carers and their families.
It’s wonderful to see them outside, enjoying carefree nature rich activities, together with their families.
It was a magical day at Cameron's Cottage for Romsey Young Carers
Cameron’s Cottage continues to be a hub for many educational and vocational opportunities for young people from all walks of life.
Thank you to RSPB team at Cameron’s Cottage for supporting Josh from the Minstead Trust and allowing him to develop skills to enable him to apply for jobs in conservation.
Minstead Trust is a charity who nurtures the unique potential of people with learning disabilities and their ‘Step Up for Work’ programme offers work and training opportunities. Please have a look at their website if you might help host and train someone.
Josh from the Minstead Trust
We are thrilled to sponsor the Winchester Youth Counselling. This wonderful charity provides free, confidential counselling for young people aged 11 to 25 who are based in the district of Winchester.
During the Easter holidays their nature therapy group enjoyed a visit to Cameron’s Cottage. The group took part in a range of nature based activities led by the RSPB team. The activities included team games, bug hunting and making bird boxes.
"Thank you to the team at Cameron’s Cottage for such a fantastic day. The young people really enjoyed making the bird boxes and doing the teambuilding games. The day was really helpful for young people and was enjoyed by all who attended."
The WYC nature therapy group recognises that spending time connecting with nature is proven to reduce stress and anxiety and improve emotional health and well-being.
The group takes part in a team building exercise
The group learns how to build nest boxes
We are delighted to continue our sponsorship of the New Forest Wildlife Camp for a third year. The Wild New Forest chose the newly renovated Cameron’s Cottage as its venue for camp which ran from Friday 22 October to the Sunday.
The Trust has sponsored this event since its inception and it was wonderful to welcome this energetic group of teenagers to the Franchises Lodge RSPB reserve in the northern New Forest.
It was a jam packed weekend for the campers. The activities included everything from nocturnal wildlife hunts to bird ringing demonstrations. The campers were also able to set moth traps and to see how camera traps are set to capture nocturnal activity. The camera traps yielded video footage of Fallow Deer, Grey Squirrel and Wood Mouse.
Lou checking the corrugated iron sheets for sheltering reptiles and amphibians
The Saturday afternoon bio blitz competition showed just how rich the area is in flora and fauna; the three teams recorded between 130 and 150 species, with highlights including Raft Spider, Wood Cricket and Palmate Newt.
Trustee, Corinne Cruickshank paid a visit to the cottage on the Saturday to give the attendees an inspiring speech about Cameron’s legacy and the vision for Cameron’s Cottage.
Andy Page, Head Keeper at Forestry England, joined the group on the Sunday walk and was able to talk about wildlife and woodland management and reveal some of the rich history of the area.
By the end of the camp the attendees had recorded nearly 100 species of fungi, 45 species of bird, over 30 species of moth, and numerous invertebrates, plants, and trees. It was great to see the group sharing experiences and enjoying each other’s company after what has been a tough couple of years due to COVID-19 restrictions.
Team photo outside the cottage
Huge thanks to Nigel Jones, Andy Page, Andrew Colenutt and Helen Schneider for leading the activities and to Anneka and Lou from RSPB for their assistance at Cameron’s Cottage.
To read a full report on the weekend please visit the Wild New Forest website
Setting camera traps
Examining Flora and Fauna on the night walk
Trustee Corinne Cruickshank met up with RSPB Chief Executive, Beccy Speight, recently to check on progress at Cameron's Cottage. It won't be long before the doors will open to young naturalists everywhere.
Beccy reflected on the progress so far; "The partnership between the Cameron Bespolka Trust and the RSPB feels like a real meeting of minds. Cameron’s Cottage is a very special place and the opportunity to have young people come and stay and have the chance to be immersed in such nature rich surroundings is hugely important. Nature’s restoration needs all of us to care and take action and we know that people only care for what they can understand and therefore grow to love.
We also know that being in natural surroundings brings huge benefits in terms of an individual person’s physical and mental wellbeing. The kind of experience offered by a stay at Cameron’s Cottage in a supportive communal environment will definitely start young people on that journey, both for nature and for themselves. We’re incredibly grateful that the Trust has chosen to fund and work alongside us to achieve this vision.”
Beccy Speight and Corrine Cruickshank
We were very proud to be the first group to test out Cameron’s Cottage last weekend. All our Trustees and 10 Young Ambassadors came to Cameron’s Cottage and find out what a stay is like and to discover the RSPB Franchises Lodge nature reserve.
Cameron’s Cottage is so nearly ready, just final touch up details before the building is handed back to the RSPB. So we had fun camping close to the Cottage but using the facilities which made the whole weekend even more of an adventure.
The focus of Cameron’s Cottage is to invite young people from all walks of life to come and stay, learn, develop skills and confidence in this beautiful wildlife rich forest. The Cottage will sleep 19 (and additional camping available) and has an Outdoor Classroom adjacent to accommodate day time activities as well as being a perfect place to eat outside. There is also an enclosed study centre at the end of the Classroom which will have facilities for research and data analysis to take place.
Cameron’s Cottage is also a home for wildlife. There are bat boxes in every roof space as well as on the surrounding trees, Swift bricks, House Martin cups and many other nooks and crannies around the place for birds to nest.
This building is off grid but there is mains water and but no mains gas or electricity. Much research has gone into making this place reliable and energy efficient. There are 72 solar panels, 3 large batteries, a mechanical ventilation system, an air source pump and under floor heating. There will also be a back up generator for those dark winter days. The most energy efficient part of the Cottage is the superb insulation. And the RSPB are very proud to have supplied all the timber (douglas fir) from the surrounding reserve.
We can’t wait for you to organise your group and come visit, aimed especially at 15-25 year olds from all backgrounds and walks of life. We are working with educational establishments such as schools and universities, conservations groups, youth groups, specialist charities, scouts and more. Reservations will be on line as of September but please email me in the meantime if you have any questions or enquiries info@cameronbespolka.com or Anneka Schofield, Project Officer RSPB Franchises Lodge anneka.schofield@rspb.org.uk.
Cameron's Cottage
Young Ambassadors outside the Cottage
Cottage at night
Anneka, RSPB Project Officer inside the Outdoor Classroom
Outdoor Classroom
Wildlife talk in Outdoor Classroom
Team building exercises
Young Ambassadors
Franca's bug hotel
One of the many species we saw
Lake dipping
Wildlife observation
Toad
Bio blitz
Bio blitz
Franchises Lodge Nature Reserve
Camping is a great option if you have a larger group
What an altogether awesome week it has been! An incredibly momentous occasion to be hosting the first groups of young people at Cameron’s Cottage to experience just a few of the outdoor activities that will be on offer.
The RSPB hosted three separate small groups to test out some of the outdoor activities at Franchises Lodge nature reserve. The first group, Employ My Ability, is a charity that helps students with learning disabilities develop vital skills. They learnt about habitat management and helped clear the invasive non-native rhododendrons.
The second group Black To Nature led by Birdgirl took part in a bio blitz activity organized by Russell Wynn and Marcus Ward from Wild New Forest with each group identifying over 110 different species in just 1 hour!
And the third group of University students and volunteers carried out deer population and impact surveys in the New Forest.
These are just some of the endless possibilities around Cameron’s Cottage. For now, groups could not stay due to COVID restrictions and the Cottage is not 100% ready but it was very special indeed to be part of the day.
The event was expertly organised by Anneka at RSPB England. We are so grateful to our amazing supporters for making this possible. Thank you.
What a glorious day to be in the New Forest. Cameron’s Cottage was basking in sunshine, amongst a hive of activity. It was wonderful to see such amazing progress and see so many people working on site.
The Outreach Centre, with a spectacular 360 degree view of woodlands, creates a feeling of open space and being totally immersed in nature. All the solar panels have now been fitted on the roof of the Outreach Centre as well as the Cottage and electricity is now being entirely provided by renewables.
One highlight was seeing the Swift bricks being installed. A total of 6 Swift homes will be added to Cameron’s Cottage and we are hoping for Swifts as well as a variety of other birds to make their nests in them.
Inside, work has progressed and all the glass panels have been installed, stairs are in and bedrooms have been painted.
We are so grateful to the Garfield Weston Foundation for their wonderful grant of £40,000 that we were awarded last week. This grant will enable us to kit out the Cottage and install all the necessary fixture and fittings. A huge thank you to all the Trustees at the Garfield Weston Foundation for their tremendous support and generosity.
Due to open in the autumn, our young visitors will be able to enjoy a wealth of nature-based activities, whilst living off-the-grid for days at a time. Cameron’s Cottage is a unique nature outreach centre located in the idyllic RSPB Franchises Lodge woodland reserve.
A total of six swift bricks were installed
Front of the cottage
Spectacular 360 degree view from Outreach Centre
The stairs are in
Solar panels fitted to the Outreach building
Swift bricks being installed
The cottage and the Outreach Centre
Work continues on the wooden extension
It was wonderful to see such progress at Cameron’s Cottage last week. Now more than ever, this residential nature outreach centre will be a place where young people can connect with nature, understand wildlife, boost their wellbeing, learn new skills and socialise in an outdoor environment. Cameron’s Cottage, in the heart of the RSPB nature reserve, is surrounded by pristine ancient woodland and open heathland where young people can experience this unique natural heritage and immerse themselves in outdoor learning experiences.
Inside the Cottage, the stairs have been fitted and all three bedrooms on the top floor are looking good and all the original windows have been refurbished and refitted. Below, all the other rooms are taking shape and the Cottage has been insulated throughout. The new extension has been clad and will be used for the showers plus a large dorm room which will sleep up to 8. This area is spacious and has been insulated and installation of ducting for the ventilation systems are being installed in the walls and ceilings.
This new extension is beautifully clad with wood all from the reserve which compliments the old brick building. Next to it is the Nature Outreach Centre which is nearing completion and all the solar panels have been fixed on the roof. Inside the Nature Outreach Centre is a small Field Study Centre which will be used for research projects by University Students and other young RSPB volunteers.
All renewable equipment has been installed inside a security caged outhouse and has been tested and is working which is fantastic. See the flow chart below to show how energy will be created to heat Cameron’s Cottage as well as supply hot water. All this has been expertly done by SA Energy Ltd.
We are hoping that the weather continues to improve so that building work can carry on without any hitches. So far our builders, AV Development, have done a remarkable job continuing all the work. Our aim is to complete the project by this summer.
The Nature Outreach Centre
View from the back of cottage
Solar panels on Nature Outreach building
Portico at the rear of the cottage
Front of cottage with the wooden extension left
Cottage nestled in the woods
The solar panels have been installed and the new staircase is in place. Ancient Anglo Saxon burial mounds have also been discovered in the Reserve.
Approach to the cottage
Solar panels are in
Lake on the reserve
Cottage stairs
Inside cottage March 2021
Building continues into March
Cottage March 2021
Clearing the Anglo Saxon burial mounds on the reserve
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.
Front view of Cameron's Cottage
Solar panel supports
Cameron's Cottage with extension and Field Study Centre
Field study centre
Room with a view, from the field study centre
Interior of Cameron's Cottage
Interior of Cameron's Cottage
Construction work is progressing steadily. The foundations have now been laid for the extension as well as the new free-standing Field Study Centre.
Construction work is progressing steadily
Foundations have been laid for extension and 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.
Young Ambassador Alex in front of scaffolding
Franca’s bug hotel being built
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.
Cottage roof completed
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.
Architect's Plan of the Cottage
1000 acres RSPB Reserve, Franchises Lodge