A NEW dipping platform has been officially opened at the Whelford Pools wildlife reserve.

Members of Cirencester Rotary Club recently met up with George Griffiths from the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to open the platform.

Cirencester Rotarians have supported the trust over many years with members volunteering to carry out monthly maintenance work at the Whelford Pools Site of Special Scientific Interest

The club have also agreed to part-fund the erection of a new dipping platform, which allows visitors and school children, easy access to pond life for closer examination.

Rotarian Tony Ferris said: “Our club members regularly help the park wardens to clear willow, elder and brambles that would otherwise choke the more beneficial trees, shrubs and reed beds. "In addition we have helped build and maintain hides and other buildings on site and we look forward to the new dipping platform being well used by school groups and other naturalists.”

George Griffiths added: “The Trust are grateful to Cirencester Rotary for the money to buy the materials and with the help of the Cotswold Water Park Tuesday Volunteers, and one of our local farmers, we were able to complete the construction of this fantastic facility.

"I am now working closely with our educations officer to attracted local schools and activity groups to come and discover what lives under the water at Whelford Pools.”

Cirencester Rotary Club meets on Wednesdays at the Royal Agricultural University.

For more details, go to cirencester-rotary.org.uk.