Care home residents think out of the box to help wildlife

The men and women of Field View, a residential care home which also offers care for those living with dementia, have been encouraging birds to also make the premises in Hesleden Road their home by creating bird-friendly habitats in the grounds, adding bird tables, feeders and building their own nest boxes as part of National Nest Box Week (NNBW).

National Nest Box Week was a nationwide initiative promoted by the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO).

With natural nest sites for birds such as holes in trees or old buildings disappearing fast as gardens are ‘tidied’ and old houses are repaired, the aim of NNBW was to encourage people to put up nest boxes in their local area to encourage conservation of birds and wildlife.

The home has also brought the Great Outdoors indoors with an indoor observation corner, decorated to look like a garden, which can be used by residents to observe the nest boxes and wildlife-dedicated areas of the grounds.

Field View took part in NNBW as part of a programme of activities designed to help residents to experience all the sensory, physical and emotional benefits of the outdoors.

Michelle Howarth, Home manager at Field View, said: “As well as helping to support an important wildlife conservation effort from the BTO, our nature-loving resident have also had a lot of pleasure from observing the birds in our gardens. Knowing that their efforts in creating our bird-friendly habitats will directly benefit the local bird and wildlife population has been very meaningful and rewarding for them.”