RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve has secured more than £19,000 from Renfrewshire Council to improve facilities for visitors and volunteers.
The reserve has been awarded £19,236 from the council’s Village Investment Fund (VIF) to install a 13ft wooden gazebo. The structure will provide a sheltered space with picnic benches, creating an all-weather area where people can rest, learn and connect with nature.
The Village Investment Fund supports infrastructure and place-based projects aimed at strengthening the identity and heritage of villages across Renfrewshire.
Earlier in 2025, RSPB Lochwinnoch secured almost £15,000 from the same fund. That money was used to install new children’s play equipment, a raised pond and interactive, non-invasive pond equipment. The raised pond supports inclusive and educational activities, while also benefiting plant and wildlife species.
The organisation also received £48,000 from the council’s Sustainable Communities Fund to install an on-site solar-powered workshop. Around 100 volunteers use the space while clearing pathways, caring for wildlife and helping visitors.
Further support has come from the Scottish Landfill Fund to install a new, more accessible Aird Meadow wildlife viewing hide. Funding from FCC Communities Foundation through the Scottish Landfill Communities Fund, the Brown Forbes Memorial Fund and a corporate donation of recycled plastic is helping extend the Aird Meadow Trail boardwalk by almost 200 metres. The extension will include two passing places and a new wetland viewpoint.
Councillor Marie McGurk, Convener of Renfrewshire Council’s Communities and Housing Policy Board, said: “Our Villages Investment Fund aims to support groups and projects looking to build up the character and identity of the local community.
“RSPB Lochwinnoch’s plan to improve the visitor experience with the installation of a new gazebo will provide a sheltered space that can be used by volunteers and visitors in all weather. People will be able to use the space to relax, learn and gather or simply take in the stunning views and observe the wildlife across the reserve.
“The RSPB nature reserve is a much-loved attraction in Lochwinnoch and wider Renfrewshire and I’m delighted that we are able to continue to support them in their ambitious plans to improve their visitor experience.”
Tabby Lamont, Site Manager for RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve, said: “Funding like this is essential to helping RSPB Lochwinnoch nature reserve achieve its goal of reconnecting people, regardless of background, experience or abilities and challenges, with nature.
“External funding is essential for any project we wish to deliver, from habitat projects increasing biodiversity, to infrastructure projects enabling people to visit the reserve and enjoy the wildlife. This project is part of a wider programme of work to make the visitor experience more comfortable and fulfilling.
“In addition to providing shelter from the elements, in the form of a wooden gazebo, other funding has been secured to enable us to create a sensory garden, ramp, viewing platform and screen, on the footprint of the old visitor centre. We are also applying for funding for a Changing Places Toilet, which if successful, would be installed later this year.”
The Village Investment Fund was created in 2018. Since then, a total of £970,000 has been made available to local groups. More than £170,000 remains available for projects across Renfrewshire.
Headline photo: Artist’s impression of the new wooden gazebo planned for RSPB Lochwinnoch Nature Reserve.