Sri Lankan adventure offers a picture of a better world

A former Cambridge Regional College student with a love of wildlife photography is doing his bit to ‘save the planet by using the skills he developed on his media course as a conservation volunteer in Sri Lanka.

George Allen is taking part in a marine and wildlife conservation programme where he combines work in turtle sanctuaries with travel around the island photographing local wildlife. The trip has been organised by Travelteer, which runs programmes combining responsible travel and ethical volunteering.

While at CRC, George earned a distinction on his Level 3 Extended Diploma in Creative Media Production Technology, making a documentary about the Savannah Monitor lizard for his final major project. He is now studying television production at the University of Gloucestershire in Cheltenham.

He said: “As well as my love for photography, I have always had a passion for wildlife. This is an amazing opportunity to combine two hobbies and interests, and I have been snapping lots of pictures on the go. I’m hoping to get a lot of out of this trip but also hopefully give back a lot to a country in dire need. This has been one of the best things I’ve done in my life. It’s great fun while also saving the planet one step at a time.”

George said that his media course at CRC helped him with more than just his camera skills – he also learned useful lessons in teamwork. 

“Being at CRC helped develop my skills working alongside others with similar interests, and I learned from some great lecturers. CRC helped me develop my camera skills and understand how to frame videos and photographs. But I also learned that the story is the most important and impressive thing about filmmaking and photography – your work needs meaning.”

His former teacher, Creative Industries Team Leader Matthew Phelan, said: “George’s interests in wildlife and photography were obvious during his time with us, and I’m really happy to see how he’s putting what he learned at CRC to use in such an exciting and worthwhile environment.

“His adventures in Sri Lanka show how our vocational media courses equip students with all sorts of useful knowledge – not just technical understanding, but also workplace skills that are relevant everywhere.”

Find out more about Creative Media courses at Cambridge Regional College. Explore opportunities with Travelteer.