A CONSERVATION charity is celebrating its 50th anniversary with the purchase of its 100th patch of land.

Worcestershire Wildlife Trust has just completed the purchase of Tor Coppice, a small woodland next to the existing Knapp and Papermill nature reserve at Alfrick Pound.

Trust director Colin Raven said: “This is the perfect way for us to celebrate 50 years of protecting wildlife.

“The Knapp and Papermill was one of the first nature reserves owned by the trust shortly after it was established in 1968 so to add to it in our anniversary year is very special indeed.

“This new patch brings our nature reserve to 95 acres – that’s a mix of orchard, woodland, river and meadows that wildlife can thrive in and people can enjoy.”

The woodland, just over 10 acres, has been managed with wildlife in mind by the previous owners for more than 25 years.

The purchase was made possible thanks to a generous donation from a private individual and a grant from Severn Waste Services.

Mr Raven said: "We’d like to say a huge thank-you to our donor and Severn Waste Services. Our nature reserves are incredibly important stepping stones throughout Worcestershire’s countryside that help wildlife to move from place to place.

“For wildlife to truly thrive we need our landscape to be bigger, better and more joined up.

“That’s why, in our 50th year, as well as looking at how we can make our own land bigger and better, we’re also asking the public to help our landscape to become more joined up. Our Pledge a Patch campaign enables people to pledge their own patch for wildlife – adding their own plot of land to our map to turn Worcestershire wild.”

A public footpath runs through the new land from the existing Knapp and Papermill nature reserve. An eight mile walk already runs along this footpath, with a booklet and an audio trail available from the trust.