How to help birds thrive for National Nestbox Week

NATIONAL Nestbox Week takes place from:- 14 February to 21 February 2025 and it is a fantastic opportunity to give our garden birds a helping hand as they prepare for the breeding season. With Britain a nation of bird lovers, the week highlights how we can help our feathered friends who are becoming increasingly short of nesting holes in an urban environment. The team at British Garden Centres has put together a guide on how to choose a nest box in-store to help our feathered friends in the garden thrive.

Engaging with nature and helping the birds in your garden live healthy lives is an important aspect of our living environment. Introducing a nest box to your garden can significantly improve a bird's quality of life and is just as essential as a feeder or bird bath in your outdoor space. With the loss of trees, natural borders, and traditional nesting sites, it's more important than ever to support our feathered visitors.

How to choose your nestbox...

Nestboxes generally fall into 2 categories: those with an entrance hole, which provides a degree of protection from predators, and open-fronted boxes.  Look for nestboxes with holes if you want to attract smaller birds to your garden, such as the:- tit family, nuthatches, redstarts, tree and house sparrows. It's important to choose a box with the appropriate hole size for the birds you want to attract. A 25mm to 28mm hole is ideal for tits and tree sparrows, while a larger 45mm hole is better suited for larger birds like:- starlings, doves, jackdaws and blackbirds to make their home in. Open fronted boxes, on the other hand, are favoured by birds that prefer nesting in the undergrowth, such as robins, wrens, wagtails and song thrushes.

British Garden Centres recommend looking for a nestbox that is made from insulating material like wood to combat the unpredictable UK climate and one with walls at least 15mm thick. Our nestbox range all have an internal floor of a minimum of 130 square centimetres (or 20 square inches) to provide ample space for nesting and raising baby birds. Choose a bird box that has drainage holes in the bottom and a sloped roof which help keep the box dry.

Where to place and hang your nestbox... Bird boxes should be mounted high up in your garden or outdoor space, away from predators like cats, ideally on walls, tree trunks, fences and pergola posts. Boxes with holes are best placed around 3 metres high in trees, ideally camouflaged by foliage, while open fronted boxes can be positioned closer to head height on walls or fences. Avoid placing bird boxes in direct sunlight, as the excessive heat can be detrimental to the birds and their young. The British Garden Centres recommend hanging your nestbox, so it faces either north or east, offering natural protection from the elements. It's also important to space out multiple bird boxes, as clustering them together can lead to territorial disputes, particularly during the nesting season and you don't want unhappy avian visitors!

When and to clean your nestbox... Cleaning bird boxes at the end of each nesting season is crucial for preventing the spread of any diseases and maintaining the health of your local garden birds. October or November, after the nesting season has finished is the ideal time to give your nestbox a good clean and refresh for the winter months. When choosing your nestbox, look for ones with an accessible roof or side hatch so you can easily access and remove the old nesting material from the birds and clean thoroughly. Always wear rubber gloves, use boiling water for cleaning and dispose of your cleaning brush immediately afterwards. Old nesting materials can be composted. Inspect your bird boxes for any damage and make necessary repairs or replace them if needed.

Amy Stubbs, Project and Development Manager at British Garden Centres said:- "From selecting the right type of nestbox and the perfect location to offering expert advice on placement and maintenance, your local British Garden Centre is your one-stop shop for all things you need to make your garden an attractive space for garden birds. Join us in celebrating National Nest Box Week and help us provide safe and comfortable homes for our feathered friends."

North West insolvency related activity reaches 12 month low, new R3 research shows 

THE number of insolvency related activities in the North West has reached its lowest level for 12 months, according to new research from R3, the UK's insolvency and restructuring trade body.

R3's analysis of data provided by Creditsafe shows there were 313 new cases of insolvency-related activity, which includes liquidator appointments, administrator appointments and creditors' meetings, in the North West in January – the lowest recorded figure since January 2024's total of 303.

Insolvency-related activity also fell by 25.5%, in January 2025 when compared to the previous month's total of 420.

Fran Henshaw, Chair of R3 in the North West, says:- "Insolvency related activity in the North West remained high throughout much of 2024, as businesses grappled with tough trading conditions, rising costs and economic uncertainty. Numbers were particularly high in the final months of the year as businesses responded to the Autumn Budget and took steps to prepare for more potential cost increases. Many firms were looking to reorganise their finances ahead of anticipated changes, and the last quarter of 2024 was the busiest in terms of insolvency-related activity as a result. As we move into 2025, it would appear that many of the businesses that needed to adapt have done so, which could explain why insolvency-related activity fell in the region last month."

Despite the decline, the North West had the second-highest number of insolvency-related activities in January among UK regions and nations, second only to Greater London, which recorded 384 cases.

Fran, who is Head of Corporate Recovery and Insolvency at Beever and Struthers, continues:- "1 of the key factors behind the North West's consistently high insolvency-related activity numbers is the region's high number of construction businesses. Construction businesses have been among the hardest hit by economic pressures, with project delays, rising costs, and supply chain disruption all contributing to ongoing financial difficulties. This sector plays a significant role in the local economy, and the challenges it faces are reflected in the higher levels of insolvency-related activity here compared to other regions like the South West, the West Midlands, and Yorkshire. My advice to business owners is simple; know your business inside out and if you spot an issue, seek help as soon as you can. There are many options out there for businesses that are struggling, but those options become fewer if you don't move quickly and seek advice before the problem spirals out of control."