Sowing the seeds of an adventure centre

The Tom Roberts Adventure Camp has sown the seeds for a bright future by planting 500 new trees.

Thirty volunteers descended on Yate's Farm, near Newent, to help plant a new coppice and a smaller plantation at the camp's entrance.

Site manager John Ettle said the trees would benefit the environment and form a key part of future developments at the centre.

"It was a good day and it felt very satisfying," said John.

"The trees at the front will give the camp more privacy and the copse at the back will provide kindling for camp fires and might one day be used to house a ropes course."

The saplings include oak, ash and silver birch trees and form the next step in the development of the camp.

Work is well under way on the indoor accommodation and a road from the camp to join the B42215 Newent to Gloucester road.

"We've got the first camps booked for the end of May and we will finish on time even if we have to work 24/7," said John.

The camp is named after Tom Roberts who owned the farm at Malswick. The site is now run and managed by volunteers.