New Pond Dipping Platform Opens at Hanningfield Reservoir with Support from Bakers

On Monday 5th August 2025, Bakers’ Managing Director, Steve Baker, officially opened a brand-new pond dipping platform at Essex Wildlife Trust’s Hanningfield Reservoir Nature Discovery Park. A project proudly funded by Bakers through a £10,000 donation. The platform is already proving to be a lifeline for the nature reserve’s education team. It provides a safe and accessible space for school groups, families, and young explorers to connect with pond life and the wider environment.

A Platform with Purpose

Located just 11 miles from Baker Labels’ Brentwood HQ, Hanningfield is a haven for wildlife and a hotspot for environmental education. Each year, the Essex Wildlife Trust’s Wilder Learning team hosts thousands of children through school trips and family sessions. Inspiration for the next generation of nature lovers.

Thanks to the new platform, built earlier this spring, children can now safely explore the aquatic ecosystem as part of their learning. It supports topics like habitats, life cycles, classification and invertebrate studies. All while fostering curiosity and confidence in outdoor settings.

“The platform has been an absolute life saver,” said Peter White, Wilder Learning Intern at Essex Wildlife Trust. “Due to the hot spring and summer, one of our usual ponds completely dried up. We wouldn’t have been able to run our sessions at all without this new platform. Since April we’ve used it for schools, families and holiday groups. We’ve already found some incredible creatures and have been able to keep generating vital income for our work. Thank you, Bakers!”

Protecting Wildlife, Inspiring Futures

The new T-shaped platform also supports biodiversity at Hanningfield. It provides a stable point of access to a second pond, used to monitor the health of the ecosystem and introduce visitors to protected species like the Great Crested Newt. As a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), the wider reserve is home to thousands of birds, bats and aquatic species – making every pond dip a potential discovery.

Opening the platform on behalf of Bakers, Steve Baker shared his enthusiasm for the project.
“This isn’t something we’ve done before – and it’s been brilliant to do something so different that benefits both children and wildlife. The team at Hanningfield were so welcoming and passionate about their work, and I really hope our staff will visit with their families too. We’re even thinking about a staff day here in the near future.”

Local Partnerships with Purpose

The platform was designed and built by Essex Wildlife Trust and has been in active use since 1st April 2025. On the opening day, Steve was joined on-site by Grant Maton, Corporate Communications Officer, Jo Olliffe, Hanningfield Site Manager, and Bill Godsafe, Site Warden. “Thanks to Bakers’ support, we’ve been able to create a space where young minds can be curious, muddy, and inspired,” said Grant Maton. “Projects like this are how we create the spark in the future David Attenboroughs. It’s about more than access – it’s about possibility.” As a Platinum Corporate Members of Essex Wildlife Trust since 2021, Bakers is proud to support this kind of direct, local, environmental impact. It’s all part of our wider commitment to community, biodiversity, and sustainability.