The £32,000 grant will support Shropshire Wildlife Trust’s Feed the Birds befriending scheme, which aims to reach those experiencing loneliness and social isolation through the activity of feeding garden birds. By training and supporting volunteers to undertake home visits, which includes setting-up a bird feeding station in a garden or a window, the scheme is providing vital social contact in addition to the benefits that simple engagement with nature can provide.
The volunteer befrienders who have a joint interest in bird watching and nature, engage these older people who may be unable to leave their house due to health conditions such as dementia or Parkinson’s, sensory or mobility issues. Those to be visited are referred to the service via Shropshire Council adult services, GPs, social prescribers and the Alzheimer’s Society and other organisations. People can also self-refer.
A volunteer befriender is matched with a client and will provide regular weekly visits, sitting with them and providing a gateway for them to talk about their lives. Befriending relationships can last as long as they are needed and are completely free of charge. The scheme has been running for five years and was developed in partnership with Severn Hospice and local community and care coordinators.
Loneliness is considered to be as damaging to our health as smoking 15 cigarettes a day. It can lead to anxiety, depression, general poor health, and premature death. A simple activity such as watching and taking responsibility for the birds provides a sense of purpose, contributing to better health and wellbeing. There is much evidence to show that contact with nature is essential for human happiness.
Feed the Birds is in its sixth year and it has become apparent that for those experiencing loneliness and social isolation having a weekly visit from a friendly volunteer provides huge benefits. New friendships have been developed, and these are often referred to as being the ‘highlight of the week’. Volunteer visits bring enjoyment and laughter back into the lives of people who are feeling less connected to their local community.
In addition to reducing the loneliness of the older people they visit, the volunteers will be providing a valuable food source for birds, who often struggle to feed themselves during the winter months.
Recent research shows that The Wildlife Trusts’ nature based health and wellbeing programmes provide cost savings to the NHS and cut reliance on their resources. Shropshire’s Feed the Birds has been recognised as one such scheme that has positive implications for individuals and the use of health and social care in the UK, as well as the gains for wildlife.
