Tullis Matson, the Whitchurch-based conservationist behind the Nature’s SAFE charity, has called receiving an honorary degree from Harper Adams University the highlight of his year. Among a cohort of seven individuals honored by the Shropshire institution during its 125th-anniversary celebrations, Matson’s award carries particular personal significance given his academic background.
Matson left school at 16 with no qualifications, having struggled with dyslexia and been told he was destined for failure. Despite these early obstacles, he went on to establish Stallion Artificial Insemination Services, a company specializing in cryopreservation technology, and founded Nature’s SAFE. The charity operates as a bio bank, preserving cells from hundreds of endangered species in liquid nitrogen at -196°C to create genetic backups for potential future de-extinction or population restoration efforts.
In 2025, Matson’s organization preserved millions of cell samples from a white rhino that died at Whipsnade Zoo. The charity now holds biological samples from approximately 400 species, ranging from African elephants to Scotland’s wildcats.
“The journey through my education was really tough,” Matson said. “So now to get this is quite incredible, I’m absolutely blown away.” He added that the recognition reaffirms the importance of their scientific work: “It re-emphasises that the work we’re doing is the right thing. We’ve worked so hard, everybody has, for years to really push the boundaries of science to make a difference.”
Matson is scheduled to address fellow graduates during the September 16 ceremony. Other honorees include comedian Ed Byrne and The Archers actress Felicity Finch, both receiving honorary doctorates. Also recognized are farmer Olly Harrison for his agricultural YouTube channel, Christine Tacon CBE for her leadership roles, professor Grant Edwards, and Shropshire business leader John O’Brien MBE for founding the Anthropy platform.
Harper Adams University vice-chancellor professor Ken Sloan expressed delight at recognizing distinguished figures from the region and specialized industries, noting the timing coincides with the start of the university’s 125th birthday year.
I love seeing practical achievements recognized over traditional academics. His work with the white rhino samples is genuinely groundbreaking science.
How does Harper Adams balance celebrating agricultural tech like cryopreservation while addressing the climate crisis? Seems like a complex dichotomy.
Bio banking is vital for extinction prevention, but let’s be realistic about de-extinction costs. We need to protect habitats, not just cells.
From school dropout to honorary doctor—that is a truly inspiring turnaround. Dyslexia never stood a chance against that determination.