LOCAL HOUSEBUILDER PARTNERS WITH THE RSPB TO HELP NATURE THRIVE

As research from a recent YouGov poll reveals that two thirds of people in the UK found nature to be a source of solace during the pandemic,* local housebuilder Barratt Homes is encouraging residents living at and around its developments in Aylesham and Dover to create a home for wildlife in their garden or local green space.

Barratt Kent has launched its Nature on Your Doorstep campaign in partnership with wildlife conservation charity the RSPB. The project is designed to empower residents to share their outdoor spaces with native wildlife.

The three-year long project will curate an online community dedicated to caring for local wildlife and offer a range of digital resources. Visitors to the Nature on Your Doorstep website will be able to access a range of how-to gardening guides, step-by-step ‘Wildlife Action’ videos, seasonal gardening advice, and dedicated forums to seek advice, ask questions, and share their wildlife-friendly success.

Adrian Thomas, the RSPB’s wildlife gardening expert, said: “Our local wildlife has been an incredible source of comfort over the past year of isolation and uncertainty, and we’re so thrilled to see people wanting to help nature in return. With Nature on Your Doorstep we want to provide a place for everyone to learn from each other, ask questions, and be inspired to do more.

“Gardens can provide a crucial lifeline for struggling species – familiar birds such as the house sparrow have seen their numbers halve in the last 40 years, while 28 species of urban butterflies are down 69% in three decades. But seven out of eight households in Britain have a garden, and that is a huge patchwork of potential homes for nature. To that hungry butterfly, or that weather-beaten bird looking for a place to roost, just one garden can make all the difference. If we all work together to transform our gardens, we can truly revive our world.”

Natalie Perry, Sales and Marketing Director for Barratt Kent, said: “We want to empower people to give nature a home by creating an online community for them to learn and to share their experiences. We hope that by giving them the digital tools, they can then take their newfound knowledge into the garden to get their hands dirty. This is all about helping homeowners to turn their garden into havens for wildlife.”

The RSPB and Barratt Developments have been working together since 2014 to show how new homes can help nature and support wildlife. Their support has allowed the RSPB to breathe new life into its wildlife-friendly gardening work through the creation of Nature on Your Doorstep.

Barratt Kent is currently building its Aylesham Village development in Aylesham and Richmond Park development in Dover, where the new homes and surrounding areas have been designed with nature in mind. A range of measures have been taken to promote biodiversity onsite, alongside installing nature-friendly features in the show home gardens including bat boxes, swift bricks, and bee friendly planting/

Prices at Aylesham Village start from £236,995 for a two-bedroom home. At Richmond Park, a range of three-bedroom homes are available, with prices starting from £295,995.