Beverley Hopkins

Hello, I am Beverley Hopkins I live in Lampeter, Ceredigion, Wales. My maiden name is Wilson. I am the great great niece of Dr Edward Wilson. I love and respect Antarctica. From a young age my father always encouraged me to read books about Antarctica, he even came into my primary school and talked about Antarctica and gave a bit of polar history. My interest only grew as I went to University to study Veterinary Medicine in London. I was able to attend talks at the RGS and frequently visited Scott Polar Research Institute (SPRI) with my uncle Dr David Wilson, polar historian. Although I haven’t been able to work in Antarctica and I can’t afford to visit one day I do very much hope that I will be able to go. My brother has worked for BAS in South Georgia both at KEP and Bird Island, but I’ve never crossed the equator. I attended the Discovery centenary celebrations in Dundee in 2001 and the variety of Terra Nova centenary celebrations in Cheltenham, London and Swansea in 2012. I support the Wilson museum in Cheltenham.

I educate others by sharing my distanced experience of Antarctica. I teach my daughters the importance of Antarctica the continent, as well as the history. They recently enjoyed a visit to RRS Discovery while on holiday in Scotland. I am a Guide and Ranger leader with Girlguiding Ceredigion. I am currently working on a Challenge badge with my youngest daughter on Antarctica to raise money for RRS Discovery. My experiences and family history allow me to advocate Antarctica and when the need arises I will discuss Antarctica with my local MP. I am a keen scientist and try to be as climate friendly in my family life at home, at work and in the volunteer groups I work with. I’m a conscious consumer. The garden is full of wild flowers for the bees and insects and we garden organically. In working to safeguard Antarctica we all need to do what we can at home. 

I am proud to be an Antarctic Ambassador and hope I can do more to safeguard this amazing continent in the future. I now work in pathology and also teach in Aberystwyth University, I hope that these links will strengthen with the university so I can educate and advocate Antarctica to students too!