Visitors to Attenborough Nature Reserve will be able to 'walk on water' thanks to a new viewing platform. The platform will also be a spot for people to pond dip as part of the site's educational programs.
The platform has been made of recycled materials and it is hoped that it will give people a chance to boost their mental and physical wellbeing by being immersed in nature. The new Boardwalk dipping platform is thanks to a partnership between Capital One and the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust as part of an investment in the nature reserve.
The trust has major plans for the reserve since they took over the ownership of the site and this is just one of many enhancements. Other plans include new habitat creations with further improvements to be made to the visitor centre. The boardwalk will help visitors get closer to the beautiful natural habitats around them.
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It will be open just in time for people to enjoy the reserve in spring and summer. The reserve welcomes over half a million visitors per year. It has 145 hectares of lakes, wetland, grassland, and woodland and is listed by Countryfile as one of Britain’s best nature reserves for walks and wildlife.
Dave Richards, head of corporate responsibility at Capital One said: “We’re really proud to be partnering with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust again this year and to be extending our work with them to support installing the dipping platform at Attenborough Nature Reserve. Like so many others, we’ve recognised that nature has given us an incredible amount of joy during the pandemic and investing in our local environment now seems even more important than ever.”
He continued: “We’re also delighted to be invited to trial the platform ourselves first with staff and their families. Showcasing why we collaborate with Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust with our staff plus having a go and learning about what we can’t usually see under the water with a pond dipping session with experts.”
Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's business partnerships officer, Emily Patrick, added: “It’s fantastic to have this kind of support from our partners. Collaborating in this way has such a positive impact on the reserve and local communities, supporting our joint aim to enable people to build closer connections with nature and wildlife. Capital One has been a long-standing partner of the Trust and we look forward to many more years of partnership and collaboration to come.”
