WHEN Sian Owens went to work in a panda reserve in China over the summer, she fulfilled a lifelong ambition.

The 22-year-old University of Worcester post-graduate student, of Hardy Court, Barbourne, spent four weeks at the Bifengxiau panda reserve with her boyfriend, Andy Shaw, aged 21, as a volunteer.

The couple heard about the project, run by Frontier, through a lecture Mr Shaw attended at Edinburgh University.

Representatives from Frontier came to speak to students of evolutionary biology about their conservation projects and the idea for the summer trip was planted.

Miss Owens said: “I have always wanted to go to China and I have an obsession with bears and pandas.

“So when my boyfriend found out about the project through his course, we were given the opportunity to go.

“It all fitted perfectly because that kind of thing is quite relevant to his degree and I went because I’d love to work with pandas.

“It was one of those things I thought, if you don’t do it now, you’ll never do it. I really wanted to do it while I’m a student.”

The couple, who met at Worcester Sixth Form College, arrived in the Chinese city of Chengdu after a 10- hour flight, where they were to be met by Frontier.

They arrived a few days early to explore the city and once the reps from Frontier arrived in Chengdu, they made the two-hour journey to the panda reserve and the hostel where they were staying.

“The reserve is right in the middle of the mountains, in the middle of nowhere,” said Miss Owens.

“When we arrived at the reserve, we got a little introduction then were assigned to keepers – the pandas are kept in groups of four or five and each area has two keepers.

“We were keepers without the official title. We had to feed the pandas, prepare their food, chop the bamboo, clean the cages and generally help out.

“We also acted as tour guides for the few Western tourists who visited the reserve. You learn a lot on the job.”

The volunteers started work at 8am, and would carry out general jobs and scattered feedings throughout the day.

Although the park was closed between 11.30am and 2pm, Miss Owens says there was always plenty to do before the working day ended at 4pm.

The Bifengxiau reserve didn’t used to be open to the public, but in 2008 an earthquake damaged the Wolong panda reserve and a number of pandas were transferred there.

But the area is so remote that not many people speak English, so Miss Owens said many of the keepers found it helpful to have the volunteers there.

She said: “Everyone was very friendly, but we were immersed in the most remote Chinese culture.

“We went days without water and electricity, but it’s all part of the experience. You just have to put it into perspective.

“We had a coordinator who lived in the hostel with us, so we could sort things out through her.

“People generally try their best to help you and once you’ve been there for a few weeks you start to get used to it and pick up certain words so you know what’s going on.”

The group was stranded in the mountains for four days due to floods, which caused part of the road to fall into the river, and the panda reserve closed.

“After the four days, we would get a bus down to the damaged part of road, walk across it, then get another bus from the other side into town.”

Miss Owens says she would recommend the trip to anyone.

“Our hostel had its own bar, so we met people from all over the world.

It was absolutely amazing.

“Four weeks in a different culture was enough and you’re kind of glad to come home, but I do want to go back and do it again.

“You really get to know the pandas you’re with and how many people can say they’ve done that?

We don’t know how long they’re going to be around for, so it could be the only chance I’ll get. “I’d recommend it to anyone who wants to see proper Chinese culture, but you have to be prepared to slum it!”

After their four weeks in the reserve, the couple spent a week and a half travelling around the country, but Miss Owens said there’s still a lot more of China she’d like to see, including the many other panda reserves. For more information about volunteering projects, visit frontier.ac.uk.