Salford Swift Street Initiative

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Placed on the IUCN Red List in 2021, Swifts are now recognised as one of Britain’s most endangered bird species, having suffered a staggering population decline of around 60% in just 25 years. These incredible birds return to the same nesting site each year after migrating from a summer in Africa, however due to urban development and land use changes, their natural nesting sites are rapidly disappearing, which is accelerating their already concerning population decline. 

Suzanne and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar Hill on installation daySuzanne and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar Hill on installation day.
Suzanne and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar-Hill on installation day.

In 2024, over 40 residents of two neighbouring streets in Swinton, Salford decided to take action and create their own ‘Swift Street.’ This community-led project saw the creation and installation of over 100 specialist nest boxes, providing essential nesting spaces for their local swift colony. The Swift Street initiative is part of a wider effort to transform Manchester into a Swift City and ensure the long-term survival of these endangered birds.  

In this blog, resident Suzanne Pendleton and RSPB Community Engagement Officer Roshni Parmar-Hill tell us about their journey to create the largest Swift Street in the north-west of England.


My Swift Street Experience – Suzanne Pendleton 

My name is Suzanne Pendleton, and I am a mum to two girls, Molly and Tess. I have lived in Houghton Lane in Swinton, Salford with them and my hubby for 30 years, and have been involved in the Greater Manchester Swift Street initiative since August 2024.  

During lockdown, I started to value spending more and more time in our little garden as so many people did, and whilst I was outside, I spotted a number of birds zooming around, screaming and flying over our house. At first I wasn’t quite sure what they were, so I asked my friend Kathleen and she enlightened me that they were Swifts! Swifts are migratory birds, so when summer ended they left Swinton and headed back to Africa, but every year I eagerly anticipate their return. 

Over time, my understanding of this species grew, and I learnt of their declining population numbers – whilst also developing a stiff neck constantly looking up to the sky to watch their incredible manoeuvres! I am privileged to live in a friendly community on Houghton Lane, so I messaged our community group and asked if anyone knew about our Swift population, or where they may be nesting. Initially we were unsuccessful in locating their nesting sites, however we struck gold in Spring 2024 with the help of the Swift Mapper app and discovered we had four nest sites on Houghton Lane and its surrounding roads. 

In this time, I’d also discovered that there was another small colony located less that 1/4 mile away, and a resident of this local road got in touch to tell us that Roshni from the RSPB had been to visit their colony and help establish their Swift Street – she then asked if we would be interested in developing our own Swift Street on Houghton Lane. I think we are so privileged that these incredible urban birds choose to nest on our lane, and as their nesting sites are often threatened by redevelopment, having the means to install boxes provides us with a wonderful opportunity to support them. 

Residents Suzanne Pendleton and Kathleen Sides holding up the Swift boxes made by The Skills Company, Trafford.
Residents Suzanne Pendleton and Kathleen Sides holding up the Swift boxes made by The Skills Company, Trafford.

This project has been a whole-community effort, superbly guided by the wonderful Roshni. With her incredible support and guidance, we used our community group to share the news of the development and launch of our own Swift Street, and we were overwhelmed by the local response. So many families were keen to support our Swift population, and we received requests for over 80 boxes. In January, we were blessed with some bright days, which allowed us to visit each home that had requested a Swift box and advise the families in selecting a suitable aspect and position for their box. As we chatted to more residents about the project I grew in confidence talking about Swifts, and increased my own knowledge too.

Roshni also gathered support from a local college who built our Swift boxes, whilst a local resident, Haldis, made our nest cups. Roshni and several Swift Ambassadors (volunteers who work alongside communities to raise awareness of Swifts and encourage positive action to protect them) then visited our Girl Guiding group to lead some Swift-themed activities which captivated the girls’ interest. They loved learning about the species and contributing to the project by painting our boxes with bird-friendly materials recommended by the RSPB. Saturday 8th March was our first installation day, and local roofer Ryan put up 25 boxes. Since then, we have now installed over 80 along the street, and we are ready for the first wave of our Swift populations to return! 

Ryan Cawdron installing boxes on Houghton Lane.

It’s been an absolute honour to be involved in this project, and I feel so lucky that our community can do something practical to support our local Swifts. 

 

RSPB Community Engagement Officer – Roshni Parmar-Hill 

I’ve been so privileged to work alongside individuals as passionate and energetic as Suzanne whilst bringing the Swinton Swift Street project to life. This truly is a community endeavour – proving that, to misquote a famous phrase ‘it takes a village to save a Swift’. From Suzanne’s tireless recruitment of her neighbours’ support along her street, and the hard work of her Girl Guide pack painting and waterproofing the nest boxes, to the students of independent skills provider The SkillCentre in Trafford who constructed the boxes, it’s been a joy to see so many people pull together to take positive action for nature. 

Swift boxes being carefully stored at Haldis Corry’s house (a Swift Champion who lives nearby)

The screaming calls of migratory Swifts are what first drew Suzanne to this species and fostered her connection. If we want to keep welcoming them back screeching overhead every summer, then they need our help now more than ever to create and protect safe nesting habitats. This incredible species travels a whopping 3400 miles to reach the UK from East Africa every year – crossing 25 countries over the course of 4 weeks in their journey to reach us. Swifts spend most of their time in the air – feeding, sleeping and even mating all whilst in flight! – only landing to nest, which is where Suzanne and her neighbours come in. 

Swifts return to the exact same nesting spot every year, but increasingly these nesting sites have been hit by property renovations and the removal of old buildings. This has contributed to a 62% decline in Swift numbers between 1995 and 2020, and the species have now been added to the UK’s Red List of Birds, meaning its amongst our most endangered. However, with the installation of over 80 nest boxes on Suzanne’s street, we intend to grow another new urban Swift colony and build on wider ongoing work to develop Manchester into a Swift City. This project is supported by the expansion of our network of brilliant ‘Swift Champions’ who are leading the development of nesting sites at scale, manufacturing swift boxes and raising people’s awareness and engagement of the project and species through walks, talks and workshops.

Roshni and Seamus making Swift Egg cups on a cold January day.
Roshni and Seamus making Swift Egg cups on a cold January day.

As Suzanne and her neighbours now prepare for a special Swift Homecoming Street Party to officially declare it a Swift Street and welcome their bird’s home, all eyes will be fixed on the skies for a glimpse of the street’s feathered residents moving into their new addresses…  

If you feel inspired to bring your own community together in support of Swifts, or want to find out more about all things Swift, including Swift Champions, nest boxes and the Swift Mapper app, then head to https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/news/how-the-species-volunteer-network-is-supporting-volunteers-and-communities-to-help-save-swifts 

Explore our range of swift boxes here.

Interview with Devon’s Living Churchyard Project

Over the last 6 months, NHBS has had the opportunity to work alongside Devon’s Living Churchyard Project by donating a number of bat and bird boxes to be installed in a range of churches across Devon to support local wildlife. This initiative aims to manage churchyards while also encouraging wildlife, biodiversity and promoting sustainable management practices.

We recently spoke with David Curry, former Voluntary Environmental Advisor at the Living Churchyard Project, about his role, the importance of preserving these habitats and more.


Firstly, can you tell us a little bit about yourself and how you first became interested in biodiversity, particularly within churchyards?

I began my career working as Keeper of Natural History at Plymouth Museum and Art Gallery, and later St. Albans museums in Hertfordshire. I am now retired, having worked mainly in local government for 50 years, where I first worked in heritage departments and planning.  

My main role in planning was as an enabler – working with community groups in developing and managing wildlife sites – these ranged from changing derelict chalk stream cress beds into chalk wetlands, to planning and establishing community orchards ranging in size from 1ha to 72ha. 

I’m an old-fashioned naturalist, today it’s called biodiversity. 

In 1986 the Living Churchyard Project was set up by the Arthur Rank Centre to encourage the use of churchyards as a community environmental resource and to raise environmental awareness. I took an active interest in the project and began to visit and record churchyards in my area. I then lead the Devon Living Churchyards Project in a voluntary capacity for the Church of England’s Diocese of Exeter, while working in partnership with the national charity Caring for God’s Acre project.   

18 leaves etc. Danson Park by Brian Toward, via flickr.
18 leaves etc. Danson Park by Brian Toward, via flickr.

What does the role of a voluntary Environmental Advisor entail?

September 2023 saw the publication of the 4th State of Nature (SON) Report.  

The report provides the most comprehensive overview ever of species trends across the UK, laying bare the stark fact that nature is still seriously declining across a country that is already one of the most nature-depleted in the world. 

The data shows that since 1970, UK species have declined by about 19% on average, and nearly 1 in 6 species (16.1%) are now threatened with extinction. This is a timely reminder, if we needed it, that the nature crisis isn’t restricted to far-off places like the Amazon or Great Barrier Reef – it is right here, on our doorstep. We are losing familiar wildlife that we cherish including the Hazel Dormouse and Skylark.  

SON goes beyond the bare statistics to assess the evidence behind these differences, it also identifies the actions that are needed to recover nature. To quote the report; “We have never had a better understanding of the State of Nature and what is needed to fix it.” 

Exeter Diocese 

The Diocese of Exeter is part of the Church of England and covers the whole of Devon. There are over 600 churches in the diocese, many of them rural, and there are over 2,000ha of glebelands (areas of land owned by the Church of England) which are used as a source of income through rents etc. 

Opportunities 

So, what are the issues that that needed to be addressed? And what are the opportunities to address them? 

Evidence from the State of Nature report, and elsewhere, points to four big on-the-ground changes that we can take to accelerate nature recovery: 

  1. Improve the quality of our protected sites on land and at sea. These places have been chosen because they are special for nature, and wildlife should be thriving within them, yet too many are currently in poor condition. 
  2. Create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. Our wildlife needs more space, and we know that many species can benefit from habitats that are quick to create such as ponds, scrubby habitats and un-trimmed hedgerows. 
  3. Reducing pollution on land (notably pesticides and excess fertilisers) and reducing the pressure on marine environments. This means more wildlife-friendly farming, forestry and fisheries. 
  4. Targeted species recovery action. This can be very effective when applied to a high proportion of a species’ population, and is also key to bringing back lost species. 

Churchyards and their unique habitats provide a recipe for recovery in that they can be used to create more, bigger and messier places for wildlife. But also, the local communities must have the chance to be part of these changes. Establishing a Nature Recovery Network of ‘honeypot’ churches has been key. A pilot scheme working with the South Devon National Landscapes Life on the Edge project and Buglife has surveyed churches along the South Devon B Line from Wembury near Plymouth to Brixham (2023/2024). From the data collected, we will be able to provide churchyard management action plans to improve the biodiversity of each site, creating ‘honeypot’ churches. 

In Conclusion 

The picture of ongoing nature loss painted by the SON report is stark. This isn’t just sad – nature loss undermines our economy, food systems and health and wellbeing. So, we owe it to nature, and ourselves, to make sure that it is the last State of Nature report to chart continuing decline. Churchyards, in particular the Living Churchyards project, can make a positive contribution towards nature recovery in Devon and ensure that the next SON report can document the start of nature bouncing back. 

“Nature’s recovery in Devon is not something we can achieve alone. It needs the support of individuals, communities, businesses and schools.” Devon Wildlife Trust 

Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) by Peter O'Connor, via flickr.
Monterey Cypress (Cupressus macrocarpa) by Peter O’Connor, via flickr.

Why do you think creating new habitats, and restoring old ones, is important for these spaces, and which species are you hoping to attract to the area with the installation of our habitat boxes? 

Encouraging a diversity of species on a site is important. Installing the NHBS habitat boxes will provide both shelter and protection to various species such as bats, swifts, and bees. 

Why do you think these vital areas of biodiversity are so often overlooked, and how do you think we can work to improve their future preservation? 

Mention churchyards to anyone and they will usually shrug their shoulders. 

A churchyard is many things to many people; 

  • A pleasant, reflective place for the congregation and visitors 
  • An environment in keeping with the function of burial and the scattering of cremated remains 
  • A respected and cared for part of our environment 

No one mentions its potential as a sanctuary for wildlife. That’s the problem. People will walk past a church cemetery without giving a thought to looking inside, after all it’s a cemetery containing graves and memorials for the dead. 

Raising awareness about the wildlife in the churchyard or the peace and tranquillity takes priority.  We need to make the entrance more welcoming with appropriate signage. 

‘People protect what they love’ – Jacque Yves Cousteau. This quote encapsulates the basic human instinct that drives us to safeguard and preserve the things that hold a special place in our hearts. Whether it be our loved ones, our communities or nature. At its core, this quote highlights the importance of connectiveness. Our modern culture has disconnected us from nature, and as ambassadors for nature we need to reconnect people, encourage people to understand and love nature and to be motivated to protect it. 

Nature can also trigger positive emotions, reduce stress, increase prosocial behaviour, and improve health and wellness.

Hart's-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) by Peter O'Connor, via flickr.
Hart’s-tongue fern (Asplenium scolopendrium) by Peter O’Connor, via flickr.

What are the most interesting species that you’ve found in some of the churchyards you’ve visit? 

Gosh, how long is a piece of string? Because churchyards have been oases in space and time, largely immune from activities beyond their walls, they have become sanctuaries for a wide range of species. Churchyards provide a mosaic of habitats, from meadowland to woodland edge, dense hedges, short and long grass cover and a variety of ‘cliff’ and rock habitats in the form of the church wall and gravestones. They can harbour a startling number (often many hundreds) of species and no doubt conceal rare and interesting creatures and plants. The range of rock types on headstones are of special value to lichens and other lowly plants, some of which may be very rare. 

Old cob boundary walls maybe especially interesting, offering hole nesting species including many species of solitary bees with places to lay eggs. These in turn attract the inevitable parasites, some of which are often over-looked but impressively sci-fi in appearance. Part of the peregrine falcon ‘come back’ after they dwindled to near extinction was fuelled by the nest site opportunities of church buildings – they are now a regular site perched on bell towers. Likewise, the shocking decline of swifts is now being reversed thanks to the installation of nest boxes in bell towers. 

4 images in a square showing 4 different species found in Exeter Diocese graveyards.

Love Your Burial Ground Week, celebrated every June, is an important opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of churchyards and celebrate their natural diversity. How can the local community get involved? 

Saturday 7th June to Sunday the 15th June 2025. 

Love Your Burial Ground Week is a celebratory week which has been running for many years. Caring for God’s Acre has been encouraging all who help to look after churchyards, chapel yards and cemeteries to celebrate these fantastic places in the lovely month of June – in any way you choose.  

We’ve seen history talks, picnics, bat walks, storytelling, volunteering work parties and even abseiling teddy bears!

Churches Count on Nature 2025 runs at the same time as Love Your Burial Ground Week, and focuses on the brilliant wildlife to be found in churchyards and chapel yards. It is a joint initiative promoted by Caring for God’s Acre, the Church of England, the Church in Wales and A Rocha UK. 

In the months leading up to June we shall be working with Caring for God’s Acre to encourage church communities throughout Devon to take part in this exciting event. There is a wealth of information on how you can open your churchyard to visitors provided by Caring for Gods Acre.