Megan McCubbin and Dr Amir Khan unveiled as Kew’s new Wakehurst Champions

Megan McCubbin and Dr Amir Khan are today unveiled as the first Champions of Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in the heart of Sussex and home to the Millennium Seed Bank.

Megan and Amir are excited to give their support to Wakehurst, a 535 acre site of natural and diverse landscapes, that provides both a crucial venue for scientific development, and a beautiful, peaceful sanctuary for visitors.

For Amir, a full-time GP, author and regular presenter on ITVs’ Lorraine and Good Morning Britain, it is the contribution that spending time in nature can make to our mental health that makes Wakehurst’s scientific research into Nature Connectedness so crucial for him.

He said: “I am over the moon to be one of the first champions for Wakehurst, where you can lose yourself in the beauty and power of nature - the sounds of the birds, the fragrance of the plants and trees from all over the world. I'm a passionate believer in nature on prescription, and that's why I'm supporting Wakehurst's cutting edge research on nature connectedness. Scientists are using these landscapes to gather data on how nature positively impacts our wellbeing, stress and anxiety levels and there are more projects that everyone can take part in to explore how nature really is a healer.”

Megan - a zoologist, conservationist and wildlife presenter - is particularly interested in the biodiversity of Wakehurst and its search for science-based solutions to some of the planet’s most pressing challenges. She says: “I am beyond honoured to be the new champion for Wakehurst! A living laboratory to understand the importance of trees, plants and fungi when it comes to making our planet more resilient. Come and visit and see it all for yourself because really when we work together, that huge problem of climate change and biodiversity loss gets a little bit smaller.”

The pair begin their role today to coincide with the start of Wakehurst’s summer programme, Meadowland which aims to give voice to one of Britain’s most critically threatened habitats.

Megan continues: “It is easy to overlook the UK’s meadows, but in reality they are incredible microcosms packed with wild flowers, grasses and wildlife rarely seen elsewhere. We know that we're facing a biodiversity and climate emergency. Nature really does have the solutions and this is what Wakehurst is all about, it really is a scientific playground.”

As part of the Meadowland summer programme, a series of specially commissioned art installations have been unveiled around the Wakehurst grounds, and are open for the public to visit from tomorrow (14 June) for 13 weeks. Megan and Amir will be joining Oscar winning actor & environmentalist Cate Blanchett in promoting Wakehurst, after she was unveiled as the wild botanic garden’s first Ambassador in April. The trio form part of an existing programme of eleven esteemed Ambassadors and Champions who support the work of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, including fellow actors Dame Judi Dench, Emilia Fox and Kim Cattrall, botanist James Wong and garden historian and TV presenter Advolly Richmond, amongst others.

Based near Haywards Heath, Wakehurst offers visitors a stunning mix of formal gardens, wild meadows, woodlands and wetlands. There is also a chance to set foot inside the Millennium Seed Bank which houses an incredible collection of over 2.4 billion seeds from around the globe, stored underground to preserve them for the future.

Visitors can find out more about any of the above, and book tickets at www.kew.org/wakehurst.
More information on the Kew Ambassadors programme here: https://www.kew.org/about-us/who-we-are/ambassadors-and-champions
For press enquiries, including images and footage of Megan and Amir at Wakehurst, please contact Emma Donnan on emma@busybee-pr.com / 07917 650081.

Notes for Editors

About Wakehurst

Wakehurst is Kew’s wild botanic garden in the Sussex High Weald. Its ancient and beautiful landscapes span 535 acres and are a place for escape, exploration, tranquillity, and wonder. Its diverse collection of plants from Britain and around the globe thrive within a tapestry of innovative gardens, temperate woodlands, meadows, and wetlands. Wakehurst is a centre for UK biodiversity and global conservation, seed research and ecosystem science. At its heart is Kew’s Millennium Seed Bank, the world’s largest store of seeds from wild plant species. Whilst Wakehurst is not a National Trust property, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew has a longstanding relationship with the National Trust dating back to 1965 when Kew took over the running of the Wakehurst’s 535 acres of botanical landscapes and Elizabethan Mansion. Since then, we’ve been working together to find the best ways to protect nature, prevent biodiversity loss, and build a better tomorrow.

About Megan

Megan McCubbin is a zoologist, conservationist and wildlife broadcaster, passionate about connecting people with nature and empowering them to use their voice. Megan is best known for co-hosting BBC's Springwatch and Winterwatch, as well as 8 Out of 10 Bats. She has also published two books; Back to Nature: How to Love Life and Save It, and An Atlas of Endangered Species. Megan presents BBC1’s Animal Park which has won a TV Choice Award 2024, and co-hosts a podcast called The Frog's Bollocks. Megan hosts Wildlife Photographer of the Year Awards and supports multiple charities doing good work for nature around the world.

About Amir

Dr Amir Khan is a full-time GP and best-selling author, dedicated to prescribing nature and communicating about healthcare. Amir is resident doctor on ITV's Lorraine and Good Morning Britain and hosts several TV programmes, including GP’s Behind Closed Doors and contributes to magazines including Gardener's World and BBC Wildlife Magazine. Amir is President of RSPB, Vice President of The Wildlife Trusts and an Ambassador for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and Butterfly Conservation.

About Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew is a world-famous scientific and horticultural institution and conservation charity, whose mission is to understand and protect plants and fungi for the wellbeing of people and the future of all life on Earth. It is internationally respected for its outstanding collections, horticultural and scientific expertise in plant and fungal diversity, conservation and sustainable development in the UK and around the globe.
Kew Gardens, with its 132 hectares of historic, landscaped gardens, is also a major attraction for international and London visitors alike. Dating back to 1759, the site has a rich history and was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site in July 2003. Combined visitor numbers with Wakehurst, Kew’s wild botanic garden in Sussex, total over 2.5 million per year. Wakehurst is home to the Millennium Seed Bank, the largest wild plant seed bank in the world and a safeguard against the disastrous
effects of climate change and biodiversity loss. RBG Kew receives approximately one third of its funding from the UK Government through the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and research councils, with the remaining two thirds coming from supporters, sponsors, memberships and commercial activity including ticket sales. This enables RBG Kew to carry out its vital scientific and educational work. For tickets, please visit our website. Since implementing a new accessibility scheme for those in receipt of Universal Credit, Pension Credit and Legacy Benefits, Kew has welcomed over 88,000 visitors with £1 tickets across both UK sites.