PUPILS from more than four primary schools across Hampshire attended a Spring Education Day at Ewhurst Park, Tadley. 

On Thursday, March 14, a team at Ewhurst Park, led by former supermodel and park owner Mandy Lieu, put together the bird-themed educational trip for students in Years 3 to 6.

Children from St Gabriel’s, and a collaboration of students from Bramley, Bishop Wood, and Silchester Church of England schools, began the day by painting their own bird boxes, before they listened to a talk on migratory birds by professional speaker and bird expert, Keith Betton, and constructed feeders using lard and pine cones.

Keith is chair of the Hampshire Ornithological Society, and is reported to have seen over 8,500 species of bird across more than 100 countries.

READ MORE: Who is Mandy Lieu and why did she buy Ewhurst Park estate?

Pupils were able to install their bird boxes in the park, and were given the opportunity to either take their bird feeders home or to hang them on the park fences.

The trip ended with a second talk by a park ranger on pond life during spring.

Pupils then returned to their schools to share the information they learned from the trip with their classmates.

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Speaking to the Gazette, Mandy Lieu said she is excited to host students at her Ewhurst Park estate.

"We want to host more such events for young eco-warriors," she said. "It's nice to get kids to know more about birds and nature. More such events are being planned for upcoming seasons."

The 37-year-old purchased the 925-acre estate, once owned by the Duke of Wellington, for a reported £28m in 2020, and is passionate about regenerating the park from arable farmland into a biodiverse landscape.

She recently reintroduced two beavers into the Park, 400 years after they went extinct in Hampshire, which have since settled in well, and hopes to host more educational sessions for local schools in the coming months.