People power: Empowering communities across the UK to act for nature

Thanks to funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the RSPB has inspired action for nature across Scotland, England and Wales. Over the last year we have worked with new communities, forged new partnerships and trialled innovative ways to reach more people through Big Garden Birdwatch. Not only has this funding enabled us to connect people with local wildlife, but it has empowered them to protect and enhance their local green spaces and improve prospects for resident species. 

In our towns and cities, people often have limited exposure to nature, leading to a feeling of disconnection from the natural world and a lack of confidence in exploring it. Not only does this reduce awareness of the challenges faced by nature, but it also limits opportunities for people to get involved with conservation. 

The annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch is a fantastic way for people to take a leap into citizen science and engage with local wildlife. But those in inner city communities may face barriers which can deter participation – particularly those without gardens and those who feel excluded from traditional nature-based activities. This year, funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery enabled us to design bespoke participation packs to engage more people to take part.   

In total, 649,890 packs were delivered to households in Birmingham and Manchester. The participation exceeded expectations, with an almost 50% increase in people submitting their results, despite Storm Eowyn’s red weather warnings disrupting the weekend! This massive success isn’t just helpful for increasing data gathered from the annual bird count but will also help to inspire people to further engage with (and act for) their local wildlife – a win for both nature and communities! 

Engaging people in our cities with nature was also the aim of two Urban Nature Connections projects. In Glasgow we have focussed on forging links with communities and groups who traditionally face barriers to accessing nature, including individuals with Additional Support Needs, asylum seekers and LGBTQ youth groups. A key aim has been to develop a series of activities with RSPB Scotland Lochwinnoch nature reserve, a site easily accessible by train from Glasgow city centre.

The project has helped individuals from these groups feel that RSPB nature reserves are a place where they belong and can take up space. So far, we have engaged with 440 individuals over 57 sessions, and we have seen group members evolve from not feeling deserving of being in nature to gaining the confidence and skills to carry out conservation at Lochwinnoch and in their local greenspaces. 

In Greater Manchester, many of the activities have focussed on Swifts and connecting Manchester’s communities with this struggling species. We have partnered with organisations and residents across the city to establish seven ‘Swift Streets’. Here, residents support Swifts by installing nest boxes on their houses to replace nesting sites lost to urban building repairs. Following participation, some residents have been inspired to create a pollinator-friendly street, growing plants in their gardens that support insects and improve local biodiversity. In addition to this, we have also launched the Youth Nature Network in collaboration with the University of Manchester and recruited over forty new volunteers to take regular actions for nature in the city. 

Nature Prescriptions is an RSPB-led project where health practitioners can prescribe nature to aid an individual’s recovery. Thanks to funding from players of People’s Postcode Lottery, we have been able to expand this initiative, rolling it out into Wales and the West Midlands. Over 300 healthcare professionals have been involved with the co-design of bespoke materials for use in these areas. By working with professionals already active in their communities, we have been able to identify ways to support a wider range of people. These include the development of Welsh language booklets and formats for individuals with dementia. Through this, more people will be able to harness nature to aid their health and wellbeing. 

Thanks to the support of players of People's Post Code Lottery, the Species Volunteer Network, has expanded into Wales and Scotland to accelerate their conservation efforts. The Network is a community of over 500 volunteers who play a vital role in helping to recover populations of some of our most threatened species.  By working with organisations including the Scottish Ornithological Club and Snowdonia Society, they have recruited 59 new volunteers to help species including Choughs, Curlews and Slavonian Grebes.  

Volunteers are receiving training in surveying and identification, and will assist with species counts, monitoring and data analysis. The data from this year’s surveys will be invaluable in informing conservation efforts, improving the prospects of several threatened species.

As the first year of these projects draws to a close, we are celebrating the successes of the last twelve months and looking forward to seeing what can still be achieved. The impact cannot be underestimated – from exceeding targets for installing Swift boxes in Manchester to the outstanding response to the Big Garden Birdwatch and seeing people visiting a nature reserve for the first time, the highlights are inspirational. The ripple effect of this impact is unmistakeable: communities are starting to take independent action for nature, new volunteer networks are forming, and more people are celebrating nature in their daily lives.  

This work has been made possible by funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, and we thank them for enabling us to truly harness ‘People Power’. This benefits wildlife across the UK, but also empowers more communities and people to become new ambassadors for nature.