Aspiring Young Naturalist, Lewis Wilkinson, has become the first individual Young Ambassador for the Community of Arran Seabed Trust (COAST).
Lewis, who has been visiting his family on Arran for as long as he can remember, learned on his last visit about the effects of dredging and trawling on local marine wildlife. Taking matters into his own hands, Lewis sent a letter to the Prime Minister, advocating for a ban on dredging and trawling. The letter was forwarded on to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs who responded with some information on their plans to stop bottom trawling in 41 Marine Protected Areas.
Lewis is also a keen collector of fossils and has been collecting them for some time. Having grown up watching Sir David Attenborough’s inspiring documentaries, Lewis was keen to share his findings with the fellow fossil enthusiast by writing a second letter. A few weeks later, Lewis and his family were shocked and delighted to receive a hand-written response from David himself congratulating Lewis on his collection.
Lewis hasn’t stopped there, he has shared his letters and replies with his school and he is using them to teach his classmates about dredging and trawling and inspire them to become ocean activists themselves.
You can read the full story here: West Coast Today – News – COAST ambassador receives handwritten letter from Sir David Attenborough
Last Updated on 13th October 2026