VOLUNTEERS are calling on people in Ealing to help restore the neglected Barons Pond water feature to its former glory.

They have already used a digger to dredged the pond and have plans to reopen it to the public.

The once picturesque pond, opposite the main gates of Gunnersbury Park in Popes Lane, near the busy A406, was once owned by Baron Lionel de Rothschild and sold to the nation in the 1920s.

For years, it has struggled to retain water due to filtering and construction issues and fallen into disrepair.

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Now, plans to form a Friends of Barons Pond group is underway, backed by the charity Ealing’s Forgotten Spaces and Ealing Council.

Peter Treadgold, group leader of Ealing’s Forgotten Spaces, said: “Barons Pond is a resource for both wildlife and our community.

“Lockdown prompted us to think more about the environment. This summer the pond dried out completely for the first time in years and the local community raised money and worked hard to clear the silt deposits.  

“This is just the first step. We have returned the pond to its original depth and now we must find more water and keep it in the pond.

“Volunteering events are arranged in the first week of every month, along with other one-off specialist projects.” 

Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq MP added: “I’ve been past countless times but never really noticed, let alone appreciated it.”

ealingsforgottenspaces@gmail.com