ICS readies for Aride opening |10 October 2005

The visitors' centre is scheduled to be opened on October 20, in a ceremony on the island attended by members of the environmental NGO and senior Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources officials.

ICS took over the management of Aride in October 2003, from the Royal Society for Nature Conservation (RSNC).

Under the terms of the management hand-over ICS was given a three year trial period which, if successful, would see the management and the lease of the island turned over to ICS on a permanent basis.

Aride was originally purchased by the late Christopher Cadbury – owner of the famous chocolate company – in 1973, who entrusted it to the RSNC, who managed it for the following 30 years.