Today (Wednesday 30th October) three local groups came together to make some new bird boxes for the Three Brooks Nature Reserve in Bradley Stoke.
Nineteen Children from the Southern Brooks Community Partnership’s (SBCP’s) Dreamscheme met at the Jubilee Centre to make the bird boxes, which had been pre-prepared into kits by the ‘Men in Sheds’ group.
The girls outnumbered the boys but everyone worked very hard to make the boxes themselves, although assistance was given when needed by the ‘Men in Sheds’ group. The boxes were all marked with the name of their maker before being given to Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group (TBNCG) members Sara Messenger and David Baker.
The boxes will be soon be installed around the nature reserve and next year when the boxes are checked it is hoped that the TBNCG will be able to let each child know which type of bird has been using ‘their’ box.
Sara said:
“We’re very grateful for these new boxes, which were made to a very high standard and we hope that the kids will come and find ‘their’ box on the reserve.”
Children on the Dreamscheme project are able to swap an hour’s volunteering for points which are then traded in for a reward of their choosing. The scheme is proving very popular but is in need of a local steering committee to help it grow. If you think you may be able to help please contact SBCP’s Winsome Barrett-Muir (01454 858670/1) for further information.
Men in Sheds (MiS) is another newish group which meets up on a Wednesday from 10am-12noon at Scott Park Cricket Pavilion, Coniston Road, Patchway to socialise and to complete practical projects, e.g. making ‘to order’ planters, bird tables and bee/bug boxes.
MiS member Les Brooks said:
“Today was a different experience to our usual day but everyone really enjoyed themselves”
For more information on Men in Sheds, contact Leslie Brooks on 0117 940 0020.
Source: Press release from the Three Brooks Nature Conservation Group
