A HAMPSHIRE water company has pledged £10,000 to support an outdoor education charity.

Southern Water has given the money to the Countryside Education Trust (CET) near Beaulieu in a bid to make wildlife more accessible and exciting for children.

The grant will fund a year-long project to build a bird hide and renovate two ponds at the site.

The trust, established in 1975, welcomes a huge number of children from across Hampshire to learn about wildlife.

Four years ago, the future of the CET came under threat after Hampshire County Council were poised to withdraw funding.

Jane Cooper, CEO of the trust, said: “We are delighted to be working with Southern Water on this project which will benefit all our visitors from our playgroups to schoolchildren and the local community.

“Research shows that 25 per cent of primary school children cannot identify robins or blackbirds and 50 per cent of adults can’t recognise a sparrow, so our new hide will enable people to learn more about common birds in a really fun way.”

The trust also provides residential breaks, farm activity days and courses for adults with learning difficulties and woodland days.

The organisation’s work is also focussed on children from the city who may not have visited the countryside before.

It is based at both the Out of Town Centre in Palace Lane, and the Treehouse Study Centre in nearby Hartford Wood.

Beverley Thompson, community campaigns and engagement manager at Southern Water, said: “We are delighted to support the trust’s work to provide a haven for wildlife and a place for children to enjoy and learn.

“The project will provide a welcome space, whatever the weather and we look forward to helping the trust with their exciting plans to offer a new range of educational experiences.”

The trust was selected after a staff vote from the firm, which provides water and waste services across the south east.

The new projects at the Beaulieu site are set to be completed within the next 12 months.