DARWIN200 UK Voyages

A key objective of the Foundation is to support children and their schools, and this activity takes place through our ‘Schools Program’, initially mostly through our flagship Hanson Box and DARWIN200 projects.

Schools opting in to our Schools Program get access to future Hanson Boxes, special offerings such as the weekly ‘World’s Most Exciting Classroom’ from the DARWIN200 voyages, and competitions.

We have also distributed grants to schools of over £20,000 to support a range of activities from the construction of greenhouses, vegetable gardens and wild spaces, to the launching of high altitude rockets to inspire children’s learning.

Through the ‘Hanson Box’ schools can sign up as members of our Schools Program to get support, competitions and access to match funding grants throughout the year, and thousands have opted in.

The Don Hanson Charitable Foundation is a key partner of the Darwin200 project.

Our 2020 support enabled a team of 10 young scientists and 25 trainee young sailors to join the Darwin200 UK Voyage, and undertake environmental research projects in partnership with the University of Plymouth.

Over the course of 7 weeks, the Darwin200 team sailed around the British archipelago, undertaking systematic studies of macro and micro plastic pollution, a survey of chemical pollutants in UK waters, a UK-wide citizen science study of whales, dolphins, seals and sunfish (contributing data to the Sea Watch Foundation), as well as studies of wind power, other sources of sustainable energy and many other exciting research projects, as well as several live lectures beamed from the ship to classrooms around the world via satellite.

The team young scientists and volunteer engaged vast audiences in the UK and beyond, in an attempt to educate the public about the pressing environment issues which they studied. The young scientists engaged in extensive outreach activities, media appearances (including articles in more than 20 newspapers), blogs, social media pieces and a series of online videos (search Darwin200 on Youtube).

Visit www.darwin200.com for a summary of the voyage’s findings and discoveries.

For more information please click on the image above to view our video or visit our special-purpose website www.hansonbox.org

DARWIN200 Global Voyage

WHAT IS DARWIN200?

DARWIN200 is a planetary conservation initiative which aims to change the world for the better – see www.darwin200.com

We are sailing a historic tallship around the world following Charles Darwin’s voyage aboard HIMS Beagle two centuries ago. Using our ship as a floating laboratory and media platform, we are harnessing the legacy of Charles Darwin’s passion for natural history to engage worldwide audiences and advance global conservation.

Overview video here

The project’s main objectives are:

DARWIN LEADERS

The DARWIN200 project is developing the world’s top young conservationists as they gain practical experience studying conservation subjects. These leaders are developing the skills and abilities to change the world of tomorrow, taking this experience into their future conservation careers.

Our Darwin Leaders have been selected due to their lifetime passion for nature conservation and their efforts, so far, to protect and restore our beautiful planet.

Each Darwin Leader joins us at a port along our voyage itinerary for one week. They will be hosted aboard our spectacular, historic tall ship Oosterschelde, which will be used as a floating laboratory and media platform.

Their placement project involves studying an animal or plant that Charles Darwin studied in the port they visit. It can also involve studying a threatened habitat, or potential effects of re-establishing indigenous people’s connection with its original environment. These topics will be selected from the amazing conservation projects we’re partnered with in each port, and each leader will be guided by an experienced local conservation organisation and world class international conservationist.

Meet our Darwin Leaders here

WORLDS MOST EXCITING CLASSROOM

Every week, schools around the world take part in our World’s Most Exciting Classroom events, which include:

• interactive experiments inspired by Charles Darwin’s research and discoveries. Complete these experiments at home or at school to win 3 * £50 weekly prizes.

• live lectures and interviews with amazing conservationists and wildlife specialists (where possible, beamed from exotic locations).

• a weekly kahoots quiz (with a £50 prize).

• a Darwin story exploring a different aspect of Charles Darwin’s discoveries, research and life.

• live uplinks via Starlink (where possible). Meet the sailors and researchers aboard the historic tall ship Oosterschelde.

• Interviews with Darwin Leaders. Find out about their incredible conservation projects and ask them any questions about their findings.

• Curiosity of the Week. At the end of every World’s Most Exciting Classroom, we will show you an unusual and interesting natural history object – can you work out what it is? Submit your answers before next week’s session to find out!

See www.worldsmostexcitingclassroom.com

RESEARCH PROJECTS AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH

In continuation of Charles Darwin’s work aboard HMS Beagle, the DARWIN200 ship offers a unique platform to support research into many of the world’s most critical environmental problems. We are embarking on eight engaging research projects, featuring real-time data feeds, informative results presentations, interactive online lectures, and insightful interviews with the talented teams of researchers driving each initiative. Four research projects will be undertaken from our ship while it sails, the other four will be undertaken in the ports that we visit. Through these research projects, we aim to captivate global audiences, particularly students, enabling the public to delve into and gain deeper insights into some of the world’s most critical environmental challenges.

With a focus on practical solutions, each project will explore actionable measures and ways in which we can all play a role in addressing these issues, working together to build a more promising and sustainable future.

We engage with schools and the communities in the ports we visit to showcase these research projects and our results and findings.

See https://darwin200.com/research/