Nature Discovery Centre, in Thatcham, reopens after £125k refurb

The Nature Discovery Centre has reopened after a £125,000 revamp.

A new welcome sign, filled with natural materials for insects to nest in, is just one of the new instalments at the centre in Thatcham.

The building now also features a wall-mounted screen showing drone footage and other videos of on-site animals and plants as well as notice boards.

The public were welcomed to celebrate the opening on Saturday, November 26, with young people experiencing the new hide in the sky.

The renovations were commissioned by Berkshire, Buckinghamshire & Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT), which manages the site.

The revamp has created an open-plan layout for the popular cafe and shop, new educational table displays and a wildlife-themed children's play corner.

The icing on the cake for BBOWT is a brand new 'hide in the sky' viewing station overlooking the wildlife lake where visitors can use a telescope and binoculars to spy on all the wild goings-on below.

Nature Discovery Centre manager Steve Johnson said: “This is the biggest refurbishment we have had in years and it makes the whole centre a more welcoming, easy-to-use space for all our visitors.

"The Nature Discovery Centre is now the perfect place to go for a family day out this winter.

“I am really proud of what we have done and what we have achieved.

“We had a lovely opening morning, we had loads of the general public down here which was fantastic, and the place was packed.”

The centre’s café is now serving its new ‘warming winter’ menu.

The refurbishment was funded by a grant from site owner West Berkshire Council.

West Berkshire Council executive member for environment and transformation Steve Ardagh-Walter (Con, Thatcham, Colthrop and Crookham) said: “We are delighted to help BBOWT deliver this important improvement to the Discovery Centre with a grant.

“Ensuring our residents can be closer to nature is an objective of the council’s environment strategy, which this investment achieves.

“The Nature Discovery Centre is a key educational and wellbeing asset and one that I would encourage all our residents to visit and enjoy.”