Company volunteers give beauty spot a boost

A beauty spot owned by Derbyshire Wildlife Trust has been given a boost thanks to volunteers from a local company.

A team from science company Lubrizol, at Hazelwood, have helped make some new steps at Aqueduct Cottage, improving access for summer visitors to the surrounding Lea Wood.

The cottage and wood are owned by the trust, of which Lubrizol has been a corporate partner for more than 20 years.

Ron Common, volunteer project manager at Aqueduct Cottage, said: “This particular path had always been a bit treacherous.

“The team from Lubrizol were very helpful. They took on a lot of what has been a big challenge for our volunteers and made new steps for us, which has made it much easier for people to navigate, especially for those who might have mobility issues.

Work to restore the once dilapidated old Aqueduct Cottage began in 2019 and the entire project has been completed by volunteers. Since opening in March 2023, visitor numbers have steadily increased and are currently around 10,000 a year.