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An urgent rallying cry has gone out to the people of Woking to help stop swifts
disappearing from British skies by building nesting boxes.
Thameswey is inviting residents to workshops where they can build a nesting box as
part of the Swifts in Woking project which aims to reverse the decline of these iconic
birds.
The next workshops will be held on the 14th and 28th of September at the Woking
Community Furniture Project, close to the town centre.
Under the guidance of an experienced craftsman, participants will finish the half-day
workshop with a wooden nesting box that they can install at home, with assistance if
required.
Sam Pepper, from Swifts in Woking, said: “These workshops offer people the chance to make a real difference to our campaign to protect swifts which are a real symbol of
summer. As well as creating a nest ready for next season, they’ll pick up some new
skills, meet new people and leave with a real sense of achievement.”
The cost of the workshop is just £15 which covers the cost of materials. Swifts are remarkable birds that migrate over 14,000 miles every year. They eat, sleep and even mate on the wing, visiting the UK in the summer before leaving for Africa with their young at the end of August.
They are now endangered in Britain, with their numbers in decline. As well as building and installing nesting boxes, the Swifts in Woking project is asking residents to report sightings of the birds and to volunteer to help raise awareness.
To book a place on a nesting box workshop or to volunteer, email
swifts@thamesweygroup.co.uk and for more information about the project, visit www.woking.gov.uk/swiftsinwoking
Images: James Sellen