RICHMOND SCHOOL AND SIXTH FORM COLLEGE STUDENTS LOOK BACK ON WALKING AND BOOK FESTIVAL TALKS 

Once again, we were very pleased to support the annual Richmond Walking and Book Festival, which recently drew to a close.  

Four History and English Literature students from Years 12 and 13 volunteered to write a preview of one of the talks that featured in the festival – we recently published these.  

The students attended the talks, and we can now look back on them through their eyes by reading their reviews.  

The third review is of a talk by wildlife presenter, conservationist, and author Megan McCubbin. She talked about her book ‘An Atlas of Endangered Species’ at the Georgian Theatre Royal. 

Over to Georgina Braidley, Year 12 student, for her review: 

“An inquisitive atmosphere filled the Georgian Theatre on Thursday night as the crowd anticipated a fascinating talk by one of the country’s leading voices in animal conservation and activism, Megan McCubbin. She began with a brief introduction, passionately communicating her love of the natural world which, as she explained, rooted itself in her childhood, living in proximity to the Isle of Wight Zoo. The audience were then instantly plunged into the lives of some of the most captivating species on planet Earth, highlighted in her book ‘An Atlas of Endangered Species’, with the addition of her personal insight and unique experiences. 

Her media presence was evident with the way she engaged with all ages in the audience: a personal favourite was her engrossing explanation of how drone imaging can be used to identify areas of penguin poo on immense expanses of ice in the Antarctic to locate penguin populations. Her vast knowledge of modern scientific techniques used to bring species back from the brink of extinction stem from her personal involvement with animal protection programs and her strong connections with scientists at the forefront of this work; her expertise was certainly evident! 

McCubbin provided a sensational experience, taking the audience on an emotional roller coaster, allowing them to connect with her vital cause. From delivering humorous anecdotes about animal behaviour, including a video of the rather unique mating habits of a bird species living in the jungles of New Zealand, the kakapo, leaving the audience in fits of laughter, to exposing the shocking reality of shark hunting, expressing her outrage with how endangered shark meat is sold frequently in UK fish and chip shops under false names such as ‘huss’ and ‘rock salmon’. She highlighted the importance of awareness about normalised practices which harm endangered species every day with utter conviction. 

Perhaps the most compelling part of her talk was her discussion of the term ‘activism’. She encouraged everyone in the audience that they too can be activists, no matter how small the action is when it comes to climate consciousness and the preservation of species, increasingly debated topics in today’s society. She even delved into the controversial issues within this conversation, concerning organisations who protest for political intervention in this pressing situation. However, the sentiment with which she left the audience was a hopeful one; as long as you are doing more today than you were yesterday, that is progress. She gave examples of feeding the birds, planting wildflowers for insects, adding a hole in the fence for hedgehogs and even simply encouraging a conversation about the environment with a friend. 

Megan’s key message was one of hope. She explained her understanding of the isolating feeling of eco-anxiety but stressed that everyone in the audience could relate and that, as a community, that could be channeled into improvement. Seeing so many environmentally conscientious people under one roof was a testament to the societal hope for the conservation of biodiversity for ourselves and future generations. 

This eye-opening talk resonated deeply with those in the audience – just an example of the diversity of the events featured in Richmond Walking and Book Festival. Thank you very much to Megan McCubbin for her emotive intervention and thoroughly engaging call to action.”