Winchester College recently hosted local primary school pupils for the Cameron Bespolka Memorial Lecture.

The Cameron Bespolka Trust was set up in memory of Cameron who was a nature enthusiast before he died at the age of 16.

Around 400 pupils attended from ten schools around Winchester with the event including a wildlife garden design competition.

The guest speaker, Jonny Owen from the Dorset Wildlife Trust, enthralled the young audience with a talk about the 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 bird life.

Jonny’s talk, A Wilder Future which was in memory of 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’s NHS 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.

The numerous entries for a schools’ wildlife garden design competition were on display in College Hall. The panel of judges included 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 prize of a day out for their class at Cameron’s Cottage in the RSPB Franchises Lodge Nature Reserve in the New Forest, and the Brownsea Island Nature Reserve, donated by The Cameron Bespolka Trust and the Dorset Wildlife Trust.