Local Help & Assistance

Get help for your Project from Expert Local Helpers! These expert local helpers can give you free advice and help to get your Swift nest box project up and running, or just to help you protect a local Swift colony from building work or development. Please contact them via the e-mail links.   Brighton Chris Lowe click here to e-mail   Bristol & Avon Mark Glanville click here to e-mail   Cambridgeshire Dick Newell click here to e-mail   Channel Islands Vic Froome click here to e-mail   Cheshire Brian Martin click here to e-mail   Cornwall (North) Thaïs Martins click here to e-mail   Cornwall Bruce Taggart click here to e-mail   Devon Stephen Fitt click here to e-mail   Dorset Stephen Fitt click here to e-mail   Ely & District Bill Murrells click here to e-mail   Essex John Smart click here to e-mail   Henley-on-Thames Michael Shemilt click here to e-mail   Ireland (inc. Northern Ireland) Mark Smyth click here to e-mail   Kent Fred Hookins click here to e-mail   Lancashire Brian Martin click here to e-mail   Lancashire (Ribble Valley & Bowland) Ian Walker click here to e-mail    Lincolnshire (Central) Bill Ball click here to e-mail   Lincolnshire (North) Helen Robertson click here to e-mail   Lincolnshire (South) Barry Hancock click here to e-mail   London - North of the Thames Edward Mayer click here to e-mail   London - South of the Thames Steven Robinson click here to e-mail   Manchester (Greater) Brian Martin click here to e-mail   Middlesex Roland Giddy click here to e-mail   Merseyside Brian Martin click here to e-mail   Norfolk Paul Noakes click here to e-mail   Oxfordshire (Cherwell District) Chris Mason click here to e-mail   Portsmouth Dave Warner click here to e-mail   South West England Stephen Fitt click here to e-mail   Sheffield, South Yorkshire Peter Brown click here to e-mail   Surrey Roland Giddy click here to e-mail   Suffolk Steve Piotrowski / SWT click here to e-mail   Wales - South & Brecon Beacons Kirsty Johns click here to e-mail   Worcestershire Suellen Holloway click here to e-mail   Yorkshire Bill Thorne click here to e-mail   Yorkshire Jonathan Pomroy click here to e-mail Some samples of Local Helpers' work The drawings below show drawings by Dick Newell, (Cambridgeshire Local Helper) showing how eaves of traditional houses can be converted to provide secure, separate accommodation for Swifts to make their nest places in. The left drawing also shows "Ibstock Eco Homes for Swifts" (a type of Swift Brick) installed in the wall below the eaves. This is a practical and cost-effective option where walls are being built or repaired.   Drawings © Dick Newell Photo © Mark Smyth Photo © Helen Robertson Photo © Roland Giddy They know what they are talking about! Mark Smyth set up a very successful Swift colony at his home, Helen Robertson saved her Swifts' nests by having special entrances fitted when her builder re-tiled the roof in late 2009, and Roland Giddy had his Victorian eaves converted into Swift homes. Ask your nearest helper for advice on making your home Swift-friendly! The Small Print - please read carefully! The Expert Local Helpers work independently, and are unpaid volunteers. They only provide advice on Swift conservation and nest space creation; they do not advise on any aspect of building maintenance, structural or safety matters.They should be able to tell you what can be done to preserve and provide nest places, and what sorts of commercially-available nest boxes might be suitable. You will need to assure yourself that their advice fits in with your plans for your building, your building's condition and your future requirements, and any other associated matters. You will need to arrange for purchases and fitting, and/or associated building work, as required. Swifts are wild creatures, and while all our Helpers are in touch with the latest advice and techniques, it may well be that Swifts will not take up the offered nest places, or may leave an altered nest site notwithstanding all efforts to preserve the colony. Under no circumstances can our Helpers or Swift Conservation accept any liability. Back to Fitting Swift Nest Places          Back to Contents         Next - Moving to Italy, Spain or the Midi?