A PICNIC for the whole of West Meon Primary School was enjoyed last Tuesday (July 25) at the launch of a new nature reserve by the village’s old station platform.

Villager Martin Cowell, whose idea it was for the school to use the area to extend their outdoor learning, officially opened the site at the picnic.

The event followed the school’s leavers’ service and prize giving in St John’s Church.

“The new learning area will give children the opportunity to have lessons outside and explore, play and learn there,” enthused headteacher Julie Kelly.

“Pupils will also help plan and design what features will be present in the reserve, as well as benefitting from studying the wildlife in the area.”

Extensive work has been carried out by Hampshire County Council at the site of the old railway station to improve the car parking arrangements and a seating area at the head of the upgraded Meon Valley Trail.

There was an area of land at the station looking towards the village that used to be a general storage area for the county council’s highways department.

This was then taken over by the authority’s countryside services section as part of the overall works on upgrading the trail.

There was a real opportunity then to use some of the land for the benefit of the school.

The South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) worked with countryside services to advise on how to develop and enhance the natural environment, and the authority’s volunteer rangers helped with the labour.

Funding for materials and labour to landscape and fence the site came from the SDNPA’s Sustainable Communities Fund, and the South Downs Volunteer Ranger Service Reserve Fund.

Martin and the volunteers have installed benches, and an open day was held last month, with pupils attending workshops and earning Junior Ranger certificates.

Steve Peach, a ranger at Queen Elizabeth Country Park, ran some of the activities, which included tracking skills and managing a nature reserve.

The reserve will be open to the public using the Meon Valley Trail.

It is planned to improve the vegetation for wildlife on the sire and control non-native species.

For more information visit www.westmeon.hants.sch.uk