RESIDENTS at HC-One’s Ashbourne Lodge in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, have been lending a helping hand to local wildlife as winter temperatures drop, inspired by the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.
With colder weather making it more difficult for birds to find food, residents decided to take action by creating homemade bird feeders to support their “little feathered friends”.
Using simple materials including bird seed, peanut butter, cardboard tubes and string, residents Marie Brook, Bronwyn Johnson, Margret Stubbs and Cathy Davison worked together to make nutritious reats to help birds through the winter months.
The activity also helped residents learn more about the importance of feeding birds at this time of year, particularly as part of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which encourages people across the UK to support and observe garden birds while contributing to a nationwide wildlife survey.
After dinner, residents enjoyed a gentle walk to Backhouse Park. The group hung the bird feeders around the park, ready for birds to enjoy. Residents then returned to the warmth of the care home for a hot drink.
Wellbeing coordinator Claire Daley said: “It was wonderful to see the residents come together to support local wildlife, especially with the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch taking place.
“Making the feeders and taking a walk to hang them up gave everyone a real sense of purpose, and the residents loved knowing they were helping nature in their community.”