THIS band of volunteers put their backs into rejuvenating a disused pond at the Animal Rescue Charity in Bishopís Stortford.

The good samaritans are members of Operation 200, a group of volunteers who donate one day of their lives per year for the benefit of nature or conservation.

They stepped in to help the Foxdells Lane centre after hearing it needed to rebuild and fill its disused pond to enable its resident ducks and geese to find their water wings.

The Founder of Operation 200, Peter Bonnell said: ìThe Animal Rescue seemed very deserving of our help as it has about 12 geese and ducks but no pond. We were more than pleased to help out.î

Mr Bonnell, whose organisation is based in Great Amwell, near Ware, also organised the use of a JCB to excavate the pond and employed a firm to transport the digger to and from the centre.

If you would like to join the group and devote one day per year to helping similar projects, write to Mr Bonnell at Ravenscourt, Amwell Hill, Great Amwell, near Ware, Herts, SG12 9RA.~

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000.Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.