Wildlife visitor centres close as part of 'refocus'

Two wildlife visitor centres run by a charity are to close, with one being turned into an education space and the other being upgraded.

The Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire said the Nene Wetlands Visitor Centre at Rushden Lakes shopping centre will close at the end of September and reopen in December.

The centre at Summer Leys nature reserve, close to Wollaston, Northamptonshire, will shut from the beginning of November and reopen next year as an education space.

The trust said it was so it could "refocus" its resources.

The upgrade at Rushden Lakes will see new classroom facilities and exhibits created, to "provide a more immersive and engaging experience for visitors."

From Spring 2027 the centre at Summer Leys will be used as an education space for organised events and will no longer open every day serving refreshments.

Nicole Schreiner, the Trust's communities and education manager, said: "We want to reach more of the community in Northamptonshire and inspire people young and old to love nature.

"The more people we can introduce to wildlife, particularly young people, the safer species will be in the future."

She added it was "sad" the Summer Leys centre was closing and thanked everyone who had used it over the years.

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