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Fundraiser Aims To Save Wildlife By Getting Shanklin Pond Flowing Again

A Shanklin resident is hoping to raise funds to rescue wildlife after a pond in the town's Big Mead park lost its primary source of water.

Sharon Cooper, alongside husband Brian, got involved with the local town council and other authorities to find the lost natural streams after witnessing an ongoing evaporation of water which threatens to make it uninhabitable.

A Go Fund Me page created by the pair aims to raise £5,000 for investigation and subsequent repair of water sources.

Sharon said:

"Over the last few weeks, many of you would have seen us trying to rescue a terrapin from the pond that was released there.

"In the process, we have witnessed the evaporation of the water and poor state of the pond, at the present time the water is at dangerously low levels and affecting wildlife.

"If the pond dries, it will be fenced off and we will lose (more than) 200 years worth of history."

Sharon and Brian successfully located the natural source of water in need of repair to get it flowing back to the pond, and she says the IW council has agreed to fund the required work if it can be repaired.

The Go Fund Me page was created to fund the initial investigation, and will be used to acquire a mini digger to for a new trench, materials, and the clearance of areas for access to complete the first stage of work.

The Shanklin town Council will distribute remaining funds among local animal charities.

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