Housebuilder gives away nestbox kits to aid wild birds

It’s National Nestbox Week next week (February 14-21) and, to mark it, Barratt David Wilson Homes has come up with the nice idea of encouraging families at its developments across the county to create a home for wildlife in the back garden. The housebuilder is donating 150 build-your-own nestbox kits to children nearby its developments, with families able to reserve and collect a kit from outside its development sales and marketing offices.

Research shows that there are now 19 million fewer native birds in the UK compared with the late 1960s. To show support and to help raise awareness, Barratt David Wilson Kent is making kits available to families in Aylesham, Hythe, Faversham and Staplehurst, which can be safely collected from outside of the sales and marketing suites at nearby developments as part of their daily exercise. The company had planned on 125 kits, but decided to increase the number due to demand from Faversham families.

An educational hands-on activity for children during the lockdown period, the easy-to-assemble kits are made from sustainably-sourced FSC-certified wood, and the outside of the box can be painted or decorated using markers. Once assembled, the kits can be easily installed in the garden to house birdlife including blue tits, great tits, and house sparrows.

Natalie Perry, sales and marketing director for Barratt David Wilson Kent says: “As British wildlife continues to decline, it is more important now than ever to ensure that wildlife can co-exist safely with us. We have partnered with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) since 2014 to give nature a home on our developments. This includes producing landscaping and gardening guides, providing nesting bricks for swifts and making wildlife-friendly show home gardens.”

“Especially during this lockdown period with many more people staying at home, we hope that our National Nestbox Week campaign will inspire local families to create a home for nature in their gardens.”

Local families can reserve their nestbox by emailing the sales team at their local development to suggest a time slot during which they can collect the kit, which will then be placed outside of the sales and marketing suite. The email addresses are as follows:

Aylesham: ayleshamvillage@barratthomes.co.uk

Faversham: perrycourt@barratthomes.co.uk

Hythe: martellolakes@barratthomes.co.uk

Staplehurst: dickensgate@dwh.co.uk

Families are invited to share their nestbox when fully built and decorated on social media using the hashtag #MyBDWNestbox.