I’m incredibly excited – and frankly, a little speechless – to share with you all, I was invited to officially joined the Board of Trustees of the South Georgia Heritage Trust (SGHT) as of September 2025!
If you’ve followed my adventures here, you know how profoundly my first trip to South Georgia Island in November 2019, affected me. It was a place of astonishing beauty and humbling conservation success. I wrote about it in “How this all started,” my emotional reaction to Gold Harbour, and the need to “celebrate the return of the whales but not forget our past.” That voyage wasn’t just a holiday; it was a call to action.
An Unexpected Mantle
I never imagined when I started using this little corner of the internet to be an ‘ambassador’ for this small, impactful charity that I would one day have the chance to contribute in this manner.
My journey with SGHT has been one of increasing involvement: first as a passionate donor, then for the last 18 months, I’ve had the privilege of serving as an external advisor on the PR/Comms sub-committee. Now, as a Trustee, I am able to apply my passion and professional experience directly to the strategic decisions that shape the future of this extraordinary island. To move from admiring their work from afar to helping steer their course is truly a humbling honour.
It is critically important to me that I can contribute in this way. I witnessed firsthand the fruits of the Trust’s labour – the wildlife restoration after the massive effort to remove the traces of human activity, specifically the eradication of invasive rodents. South Georgia is truly a beacon of nature’s ability to heal, and supporting SGHT’s work to maintain this recovery is where my heart lies.
🎂 SGHT at 20: Celebrating Wildlife Conservation and Heritage
As SGHT celebrates its 20th anniversary their work is gathering momentum – what an incredible time to be joining the Trustee team!
Over two decades, this small charity has achieved globally significant milestones, like the successful Habitat Restoration Project, in collaboration with the Friends of South Georgia Island and partnering with the Government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands – ridding the island of rats and mice – that allowed seabirds to flourish again in this important breeding ground as well as native invertebrates and delicate plant life to recover and thrive.
They have transformed South Georgia’s ecosystem
This success is why we now see an inspiring return of whales to South Georgia’s protected waters – a recovery that Sir David Attenborough himself has celebrated!
Saving Shackleton’s Heroic Haven
The celebration is being marked with an incredibly important new project: the stabilisation of the Stromness Manager’s Villa.
This is no ordinary building; it is a globally significant piece of Shackleton heritage. It was the crucial finishing line for Sir Ernest Shackleton, Frank Worsley, and Tom Crean in May 1916. After their epic 800-mile open-boat journey from Elephant Island and the arduous unmapped traverse across South Georgia’s mountainous spine, reaching the Manager’s Villa at Stromness allowed them to raise help, leading to the rescue of the entire Endurance crew.
© Rufus Harper Gow/SGHT
This iconic structure, which fell into disrepair after the whaling industry ended, is now being conserved for future generations, thanks to the generosity of major donors and the expertise of a team from Norway, UK and the Falkland Islands, including expert Norwegian carpenters.
And the future plans are wonderfully innovative! Once stabilised, SGHT plans to create a digital ‘twin’ – a 3D version of the Villa. This will allow people globally to virtually step inside this pivotal moment in polar history and “further animate the Shackleton story,” overcoming the reality of the Villa’s remote and inaccessible location.
Here’s a superb short film about the Stromness Manager’s Villa, narrated by historian Dan Snow, giving insights into Shackleton’s unexpected arrival there and how it stands today.
Film Credit: Courtesy of South Georgia Heritage Trust, Friends of South Georgia Island and Culture Communications Collective.
My Continuing Commitment
I am so proud to be part of a Trust that not only safeguards this vital Shackleton heritage but also continues its work to honour the island’s past, including the installation of the new Whale Memorial at Grytviken and the launch of the Whalers’ Memory Bank.
My commitment to South Georgia and to the SGHT is now stronger than ever. The island reminds us all that positive change, even on the largest scale, is possible when a small group of dedicated people work together.
Thank you for being part of my journey. I look forward to sharing more about the Trust’s incredible work from this new and exciting vantage point!
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