Swift Business (Bird Boxes for Swifts)

Aim

Building Swift nest-boxes with community groups from recycled pallets as they are a RED listed endangered bird here in the UK.

OUR CROWDFUNDER

Projects from Pallets CIC just love creating models of heritage from recycled wood. We also respect nature and the local environment so our recycling volunteers have come up with an ingenious way of celebrating all three. Our NEW project called Swift Business:

• Celebrates Our Canal & River Heritage;
• Helps Nature by Increasing the UK’s Swift Population; &
• Cares for the Environment by Reducing Carbon Emissions Through Recycling.

The Swift population has significantly reduced over the last few decades and they are now one of the UK’s most endangered birds. The Swift is classified as RED under the Birds of Conservation Concern List.

CAN YOU HELP? We are looking for individual and group pledges, donations  & sponsors and envisage that businesses close to water will join us on this venture. 

Our new initiative helps these wonderful creatures by building them safe and secure homes throughout their nesting season from April to September. 

Our nest-boxes will be handmade by community groups from recycled wooden pallets therefore creating a circular economy story. They also generate a collective response to the problems of bird population, retaining an interest in heritage while reversing climate change.

Almost all Swifts nest in colonies and return to their nesting site each year. We are also looking to build communities of Swifts across the UK in the near future...

OUR PURPOSE

Focusing on our canal & river heritage, we are co-creating our Swift nest-boxes in the style of narrowboats and positioning them close to our waterways.  

Even though Swifts can be seen flying high across the skies in our villages, towns and cities, they also gather over water to feed and their nest sites are now almost entirely in buildings underneath the eaves of houses, church towers or derelict buildings (some of which are heritage listed).

However, it has become increasingly more difficult for the Swifts to find a home due to these buildings being demolished and new builds that seal all gaps and cover ventilation spaces.

Our Swift nest-boxes work around this problem as they are easy to position on a north to north east facing wall and facia boards several metres high.

OUR PRODUCTS

Our nests are built to the measurements and specifications taken from the advice of trusts and organisations that focus on Swifts and their conservation. They include an inner concave section for the bird's eggs. Customers who support us through our rewards area have a number of options when purchasing.

These include our natural looking version, additional business logo or/and painted in your chosen colours by people from youth organisations, community groups and charities. We will contact you after your pledge to hear your preference.

For that extra special design, we can also paint your narrowboat Swift nest-box in the theme of Roses and Castles; the eye-catching artwork seen on many of the canal barges up and down the UK's waterways. Read more about this colourful canal folk art below:

https://canalrivertrust.org.uk

THE CLEANEST OF CREATURES

While Projects from Pallets CIC recycle business waste, the Swifts are also resourceful. They make little or no mess as the parent birds eat their chick’s droppings to recycle the mineral content. 

The adults themselves defecate away from the nest too so there is no need to worry about extra cleaning. In fact, we are aiming to clean up the planet and our waterways for everyone to enjoy whether for business or pleasure...

Please support our project and show how the business community together with community interest companies  are helping to increase the Swift population  through art and recycling across in the UK...

Kind regards

Chris Parr: Stoke-on-Trent

The Prime Minister's 'Points of Light' recipient 2115 (https://www.pointsoflight.gov.uk/the-stoke-2000/)

BBC Environmental Award Winner (View on X formally known as Twitter)

Multi Award Winning Social Entrepreneur

This project successfully funded on 18th March 2024