News and Social Media

We were thrilled to spend the day with two inspirational women last week: Holly Budge and Lewyn Maefala. They are connected through their important work in conservation, as well as the promotion of the work of female rangers. Both are passionate about the environment and conservation in Africa, and it was brilliant to hear about the progress being made in protecting elephants and other species through education and anti-poaching endeavours. Their leadership makes a significant contribution.

College was introduced to Holly and Lewyn in Prayers, and the interviews gave us a flavour of their impact and roles. Thereafter, there were talks for particular year groups, as well as more general events at lunch time and after school, culminating in our evening event. Along with students, guests and several parents who responded to our invitation were captivated by their accounts.

Throughout the day, we were inspired by both speakers – and we were particularly impressed by the courage of the Black Mamba female rangers in South Africa. They make such a difference in the local community through their work – becoming breadwinners and with access to education and career development. They are courageous, paving the way for women to stand alongside men at the forefront of conservation.

When on duty, the Black Mamba female rangers routinely face wild animals and menacing poachers – and they are completely unarmed. Indeed, all rangers are unsafe generally, as poachers would rather they didn’t do this important work. Do look out for a film to be released, called Rhino Man, and you can read about the special screening of this film, supported by HRH The Prince of Wales here.

“I was truly in awe of the incredible work that Holly, Lewyn, and the rest of the Black Mambas do. With the shocking statistic that 96 elephants are poached a day, their hard work and dedication has inspired me to look at ways I can help in my future studies in order to protect the precious animals that live on our planet.”

Lily, SFC

Holly Budge attended this premiere, and her work on promoting female rangers has caught the attention of the world, including accolades from Sir David Attenborough. This short clip provides a fascinating insight into her work and passion.

Many members of College had the chance to hear from Holly and Maefala, and we were moved and uplifted by the experience; whether the talk had a focus on aspects pertinent to geography, biology, history or more widely – it was a brilliant opportunity for us all.

You can find out more below, and of course, should you wish to support these amazing charities with a donation, there is a link for this too:

www.howmanyelephants.org

www.worldfemalerangerweek.org

www.hollybudge.com

Donate link 

Ms Woodhead, Head of Lower College and Wellbeing & Personal Development Coordinator