Use gardens to help struggling wildlife call

To help give advice on how best to give struggling wildlife a home in gardens, balconies, and even windows, housebuilder Barratt Homes North East and the RSPB have teamed up to produce some guides.

They include plenty of advice on planning the perfect outdoor space, including how to get it buzzing with wildlife.

Winter is a great time of year to get planning and digging so that when spring comes next year, homeowners will have a fantastic space to enjoy whilst also providing a haven for wildlife.

Carl Sobolewski, managing director of Barratt Homes North East, said: “One of the easiest ways to help wildlife is on your doorstep.

“This is why we give new homeowners lots of information and guidance on how they can turn their gardens into something wonderful that will look beautiful, and help nature too.

“If we could harness every garden in the country to look after wildlife more, it would make a massive difference.”

The company and organisation are putting out the message that nature in the UK is in trouble having lost 38 million birds over the last 50 years, with house sparrows, starlings and song thrushes all considered birds of conservation concern, and together with a 76 per cent decline in butterflies and the loss of a third of urban hedgehogs since 2000, wildlife really needs a helping hand.

Sarah Brompton, RSPB Actions for Nature project manager, said: “There are so many ways that we can all be using our outdoor spaces to give nature a home, whether that’s by planting plants for pollinators or making a bug hotel.

“And the great news is that it makes these places such a joy for us as well – a visit from a hedgehog is bound to bring a smile to every face and there’s something quite special about seeing a robin foraging in the snow.

“Together, we can make our outdoor spaces a true haven for us, and for nature.”

To see the guides and other useful information, go to www.rspb.org.uk/yourdoorstep and www.barratthomes.co.uk/campaigns/giving-nature-a-barratt-home