16 February 2010
Wildlife project is a real high flyer
Coventry youngsters are getting to grips with nature this half-term with help from local organisations.
Bird boxes are being put up behind Chace Avenue Police Station, next to the River Sowe, and at Willenhall Wood to provide extra homes for city birds.
The project is a partnership between Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, Friends of Willenhall Wood, Coventry City Council, Whitefriars Housing Group and West Midlands Police.
At the same time young people in Willenhall are being encouraged to join in a range of nature-loving activities including a scavenger hunt in Willenhall Woods, making wood craft jewellery and sculpting and orienteering.
Young people joined council officers to install the boxes during half-term, which happened to fall during Love Your River Week. The boxes have been part-funded through an award from the Whitefriars Street Pride scheme and the Whitefriars Homeworks repairs team also provided a ladder to help volunteers get up into the tree tops.
Anne Turner, area services manager at Whitefriars, said: “This is a great initiative to get young people outdoors and actively engaged in improving their community during the half-term holiday. At the same time it is helping to attract new wildlife to the area and teaching children about the different types of birds in their area.
“We are pleased to be able to support it, both through funding and practically through the help of our repairs team.”
Ends
Notes to Editors
Whitefriars Housing Group Limited is a not-for-profit housing and regeneration organisation established in 2000 that owns and manages approximately 18,000 homes across Coventry.
Whitefriars Housing Group is part of West Mercia Housing Group (WMHG), which is the lead partner of Spectrum Development Partnership. WMHG consists of Whitefriars Housing Group, Harden Housing Association, Nexus Housing, Kemble Housing and Herefordshire Supported Housing for Young People Project. The new combined group, which is a development partner with the Homes and Communities Agency, manages around 23,500 homes across Coventry, the West Midlands, Herefordshire and Worcestershire.
Whitefriars has a key role, in partnership with others, across the West Midlands to develop new affordable homes and regenerate communities.
Since transfer, Whitefriars has spent £340 million to repair and improve its housing stock. The vast majority of its homes now meet the Government’s Decent Homes Standard –ahead of schedule. It is currently embarking on a campaign, Services on the Up, aimed at improving the core services received by residents.
In addition to providing homes, Whitefriars works in partnership with communities and other agencies to provide training and employment opportunities and support services for local residents, with the aim of building sustainable communities.
Whitefriars Housing Group Limited is a charitable industrial and provident society.
For further information please contact Val Hunt or Nikki Cheung at The Bridge Group on
024 7656 0440 or v.hunt@bridge-group.co.uk