By David Nesham
Trustees, volunteers, Friends group members and visitors were all welcomed to the Rodley Nature Reserve Tea Party to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
Trust secretary Peter Murphy welcomed everyone to the party and commented on the idea of converting the redundant sewage treatment works into a nature reserve.
This concept was put to Yorkshire Water back in 1992 by the environmental lobbying group “Eye on the Aire”. It wasn’t until 1999 that construction work actually commenced with the Reserve eventually opening to the public in July 2000.
Peter, who has been Trust secretary since 2004, added: “We are proud of what we have achieved over the last 25 years all of which is down to Yorkshire Water, the Friends Group, volunteers and public support.”
Peter’s wife Barbara has also played a significant part over the years, supporting him as well as being chairperson of the Friends group from 2014 to 2023.
Barbara recalls the very early years back in 1999 when the Reserve was under construction: “I used to visit the developing Reserve during my lunch hour to photo the diggers and excavators carrying out the construction work wearing my high heels!”
Asked about her highlight of the last 25 years Barbara recalled the first ever appearance of Avocet back in 2018 which hasn’t been recorded since.
Along with Peter they both commented on the BBC Countryfile Magazine’s Nature Reserve of the Year Award 2018 and the introduction of nest box cameras of Barn Owl and Kestrel relaying live images into the Visitor Centre as memorable moments.
One of the Reserve’s key objectives is to introduce members of the public, and particularly children, to wildlife and over the years to fulfil this objective the Education Team has become a well-established free resource now used annually by local schools. 950 school children visited the Reserve during 2024 on educational visits and this was further enhanced by evening youth group visits.
The Reserve has become so popular with the local schools that vacant dates are now rare.
Val Walker, a longtime member of the Friends of Rodley Nature Reserve, had travelled up from Derbyshire for the day. Val has been a very generous supporter of Reserve over the years and, with her daughter Christine, visits whenever she can.
Val said: “I wouldn’t have missed this day for anything. I’ve always had a love for wildlife and before moving to Derbyshire some 30 yrs ago enjoyed the local area prior to the Reserve opening, Swain Wood being a particularly favourite spot.”
Val is pictured below:
When asked about the next 25 years many ideas and thoughts amongst the guests were suggested – an extension to the visitor centre, redevelopment of the current reed bed and wet grassland habitats and car parking improvements to name just a few.
With the current enthusiasm amongst the volunteers no doubt such ideas will become reality over the next 25 years.
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