GREEN-fingered residents at a retirement housing complex have come together to spruce up their communal outdoor spaces and give wildlife a boost.
Residents at St Marks Court in Bilton planted hedges and shrubs, prepared green areas to sow wildflower seeds, and installed new benches at the estate.
Orbit, the housing group which runs St Marks Court, teamed up with the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust to conduct a habitat survey of the complex and came up with a plan to make the community more biodiverse by creating a more wildlife-friendly environment.
The aim is to encourage more wildlife to the area and improve residents’ wellbeing by connecting them to nature.
Olivia Williams, Community Engagement Officer at the Warwickshire Wildlife Trust, said: “By creating and enhancing habitats with communities, we can help to transform the environment we live in restoring, recreating and reconnecting wildlife-rich spaces for the benefit of nature and people.
“This project has been a great opportunity to empower communities to take action for wildlife and use these spaces as a resource for learning and exploring the natural world, whilst fostering pride, belonging and involvement in the community.
“It has been a great pleasure to be a part of this project and we look forward to the benefits it will bring to both nature and the local community.”
Jessica Marshall, Environmental Change Manager at Orbit, added: “The improved green space and change in maintenance style at St Marks Court will provide the food and shelter for nature to thrive, hopefully encouraging a number of native species such as birds, insects and small mammals into the local area.
“The project has been a great way for us to engage with residents and we hope that the regenerated outdoor space will provide a place for them to socialise outdoors and connect with nature, as well as giving their wellbeing a boost.”
