The Cameron Bespolka Memorial Wildlife Lecture & Competition

On Wednesday 17 November, 400 pupils from ten local primary schools attended our annual Cameron Bespolka Memorial Lecture in New Hall. 

The guest speaker, Jonny Owen from the Dorset Wildlife Trust, enthralled the young audience with a dolphin-eyed view of diverse marine life in Poole Harbour and the English Channel, before describing the perils of warmer waters, more acidic waters and plastic waters on Dorset’s marine fauna and birdlife. 

Jonny’s talk, ‘A wilder future’, which was held in memory of former Winchester College pupil, Cameron, highlighted the importance of young people becoming both young conservationists, and catalysts for change to protect our oceans from human threats. 

Jonny spent an hour with Winchester College's Natural History Society at the Outdoor Classroom before joining 80 children, their parents, and representatives of Hampshire’s wildlife organisations for a special celebratory tea in College Hall, where the numerous entries for a Schools’ Wildlife Garden Design competition were on display. 

The panel of judges included Winchester College Head Gardener, Alan Smith and Cameron’s father, Kevin Bespolka. Two pupils from Winnall Primary School and Sparsholt C of E Primary School were elated to win the fabulous prize of a day out for their respective classes at Cameron’s Cottage in the RSPB Franchises Lodge Nature Reserve in the New Forest, and the Brownsea Island Nature Reserve, generously donated by The Cameron Bespolka Trust and the Dorset Wildlife Trust.

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