Duke of Gloucester unveils Hare Festival Way in Cirencester

The Hare Festival Way has been designed by the Gloucester Wildlife Trust (GWT) to give visitors and residents better access to the green spaces of the town.

At City Bank, HRH opened the first two hare sculptures and interpretation boards along the route in front of residents and school children who came up with ideas for the project.

The trail was funded by the sale of 5ft hare sculptures at auction last year, which were designed by celebrities including Lawrence Llewellyn-Bowen and GWT’s president Ellie Harrison as part of the popular Cirencester Hare Festival.

Hare festival founder, Florence Beetlestone, who came up with the idea for the project was delighted to see the new trail being unveiled.

She said: “This is such a fantastic outcome to all the hard work of organising the festival. I was so delighted that the HRH the Duke of Gloucester honoured us with his visit today and that he took such an interest in this community project.

“He (HRH) was extremely interested in everything about the trail, about the festival, about the people involved. He took a real significant interest in it.

“I was so glad that so many of our local schools were able to share the experience and make it a special afternoon.”

In attendance were a variety of pupils from schools in the area, including Cirencester Deer Park and Rendcomb College, who have contributed to the design of the trail by taking part in workshops organised by the GWT.

The trail is expected to be completed by the end of next year and the project is being managed by the Cirencester Community Development Trust.

GWT will be designing six boards and seven hares along the route, a new accessible nature reserve, as well as improving wildlife habitats.

Head of the GWT, Roger Mortlock, said: “It will be a place where people can get close to common species.

“We will be improving wildlife for people and creating species that people can enjoy.”