Jonathan Newell, Public Engagement Officer, RHS Wisley, Surrey

Jonathan was professionally trained in agriculture and worked in the dairy farm industry. He owned a snail farm, trained as a teacher specialising in sciences in 1993, and joined the RHS in 2022. A year later, he became a Hilltop Live teacher at RHS Wisley.

He manages the digital screens and schedules for Hilltop Live, organising 20 weekly talks. In 2023, these talks attracted more than 16,000 attendees and often included seasonal props and content. One of his talks involved the Royal College of Physicians discussing allergies and pollen.

The Hilltop Live presentations at RHS Wisley are often unknown to visitors, so Jonathan promotes them through ‘café karaoke,’ walking around the café and entrance announcing the presentations. He also leads tree walks with volunteers twice a month, sharing his knowledge and enthusiasm to make them more confident guides.

In his personal time, Jonathan runs a YouTube channel called EcoGeeko, where he talks about trees. Despite its small viewership, he loves it and enjoys hearing stories of parents teaching their children about trees.