Last summer, Bridport Swift Town hosted a series of free walks, talks and creative workshops run by local ornithologists, authors, educators and conservationists, musicians, artists, storytellers and poets. The aim was to deepen understanding of swifts and inspire the community to share their love and fascination for these extraordinary birds. The project was a huge success, with 100s of people joining walks and workshops, and over 70 volunteers working as citizen scientists on our Swift Pint Surveys collecting data about swift numbers in the town. This year we are running a similar educational and cultural programme from May 2025, and in order to keep these events free and open to all, we are crowdfunding to cover the costs of the workshops and events.
W H A T I S B R I D P O R T S W I F T T O W N ?
Swifts are one of our most beloved birds. Their presence in Bridport is a symbol of summertime, and spirits lift when screaming parties arrive in the skies above the streets. We can hear them from our homes or places of work, we pause to watch them rush down South Street or soar above the River Brit.
From May to August swifts become our neighbours, nesting in buildings and feeding in landscapes nearby. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Bridport has a good number of swifts compared to similar towns. This is something we should celebrate and protect. It is also something we can’t take for granted because the species faces many risks, including lack of invertebrate food and nest-sites in buildings. The UK swift population has declined 60% since 1995, and in 2021 they were added to the Red List for endangered birds. In contrast, the swift population in mainland Europe has stayed largely stable, signalling that the UK needs to take urgent action to save this very special species.
Bridport Swift Town is a community response to the problems swifts face. Celebrating Bridport swifts is key to protecting them - by drawing attention to swifts, by expressing how they make us feel, we can spread awareness and gather important data about nesting sites and feeding habits around town. We are inviting all swift lovers, swift enthusiasts and swift ambassadors to join us in turning Bridport into a Swift Town - a place that recognises and celebrates the value and hope these wonderful birds bring with them, screaming through the summer.
W H A T N E E D S F U N D I N G T H I S Y E A R ?
The majority of the work that goes into Bridport Swift Town is voluntary, but there are still costs we need to cover this summer so we can keep ALL the events free. These costs include:
Workshop leaders: £1600 - this is £200 per person to cover the time of freelance workshop leaders, allowing them to prepare & run the creative events
Swift count analysis: £600 to cover the cost of a professional ornithologist to analyse the data collected by volunteers & citizen scientists during the summer
Venue Hire: £100
Workshop materials: £150
Print flyers & posters: £50
Total: £2,500
H E R E C O M E S S W I F T S U M M E R '25:
B R I D P O R T ' S S W I F T S U M M E R ' 24:
Thank you for your support!