A brand new nature hotel has been opened at Icknield Primary School in Sawston on an overgrown and neglected area of the school grounds, thanks to a grant from Cambridge Water.

The school was awarded a £2,000 grant from PEBBLE, the biodiversity improvement fund, from Cambridge Water to create the nature hotel on 55 sq m of unused school grounds.

The nature hotel was officially opened, on Friday 10 May, by Councillor Clare Delderfield, Ciaran Kelly, head of operations at from Cambridge Water, and Matt Davey parent and Chair of the Grants Committee at the school.

Four different habitat areas are included in the nature hotel, linked by a bark path, allowing the children to explore each area of tall grass, tree berries, berries and the wild area.

A wide range of birds, animals and insects are catered for, with a hedgehog area, bird tables and bug boxes made by the children.

The grant also helped pay for equipment for the children to view and learn about the wildlife, including binoculars, wireless cameras and endoscopes for viewing ponds, down holes and in log piles.

Anneka Stockdale, Headteacher at Icknield Primary School said:

"The PEBBLE fund from Cambridge Water enables us to work with a number of local partners to create our nature hotel, from paying for skip hire and tree felling to obtaining seeds and trees. I’d like to thank Cambridge Water for the grant, and Matt Davey, parent and Chair of our Grants Committee, who worked hard to acquire the funding and lead the project. The children are over the moon at how it’s turned out and can’t wait to see the wildlife move in.”

Dan Clark, Water Resources and Environment Manager for Cambridge Water, said:

"We recognise the part we play in the conservation and enhancement of biodiversity, so we offer our PEBBLE fund to help increase the variety of natural living things and the diversity of the habitats where they live. The nature hotel at Icknield School is a great example of how we can not only benefit wildlife, but enhance open spaces and provide vital educational resources too.”

Any school, youth group, wildlife group, charity or community organisation can apply for a PEBBLE fund grant of up to £10,000 for any projects designed to improve, restore or create new habitats, and which benefit biodiversity, the environment and have a positive impact on the local community in rural or urban areas.  Visit our PEBBLE page for more information.

Icknield School nature hotel

Find out more about the nature hotel