Swift initiative at Malin Bridge School for endangered species

and finally for this week some lovely new additions for two primary schools

Swift initiative at Malin Bridge School for endangered species - Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust

group of primary aged children holding triangular wooden swift boxes — some of the children with the new swift boxes

Local voluntary group S6 Swifts have installed four crowdfunded swift nesting boxes to Malin Bridge Primary School in Hillsborough to help reverse the population decline of this at-risk bird.

Since 2021, Co-organisers Melanie Savas and Laura Lian of S6 Swifts have helped facilitate the installation of over 200 swift nest-boxes onto local residents’ homes and raise awareness of the plight of swifts using social media.

“This incredible bird spends the majority of its two-decade lifespan in the air, migrating between Sheffield and other areas of northern Europe to mid-Africa and back each year without touching land once”, said Laura. “Each May, we see and hear their return, but we are hugely concerned about population decline”.

Robbie McGrath, Headteacher of Malin Bridge Primary School, said: "We are really pleased to have been able to install the swift boxes and hopefully see the birds set up nests in them. The school community donated generously to the fund organised by the parents and the quality of the finished boxes is incredible. The swifts will certainly be enjoying life in a luxury home!"

Ian Cracknell, Advocacy Officer at Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, said: “It’s fantastic to see local communities coming together like this to help turn around the fortunes of this much-loved bird."