Birds find a new home thanks to Somer Housing Group
1st October 2008
Birds around Bath and beyond will be benefiting
from Somer Housing Group’s skills at building homes.
Staff at the group of housing associations, better known for
developing and managing affordable housing in the region, used a
training day to build more than 100 bird boxes, 27 of which have
been donated to Bath Cats and Dogs Home to sell. Staff also donated
tins of pet food.
The animal charity will sell the boxes in aid of the dogs, cats
and small animals in their care at their recently extended shop at
The Avenue, Claverton Down.
The nesting boxes are made from eco-friendly materials,
including wood from sustainable sources and an attractive twig
roof. In the team building challenge, staff from the Group’s member
organisations – which include Somer Community Housing Trust, Bath
Self Help Housing Association and Bristol-based Redland Housing
Association – had to work together to assemble the boxes and finish
them to a quality standard.
Rachel Phelps-Allen, spokesperson for Bath Cats and Dogs Home,
said:
‘We are really grateful to staff at Somer
Housing for thinking about our hundreds of animals and generously
donating bird boxes to help raise crucial funds towards their care.
As a totally independent charity, which relies solely on
fundraising, donations and legacies to operate, we try to encourage
local businesses and individuals alike to take the initiative to
look at ways of helping us generate revenue.
‘Our generously extended on site-shop will
now stock a much wider choice of animal-themed gifts and treats in
addition to pet food, pet accessories and confectionary, which have
always proved popular. Additional space will also enable us to
place orders for customers, which will entitle them to a generous
discount. The bird boxes will complement our range and hopefully
boost sales of bird food.’
This is the second year that the Group has produced something
for charity – last year staff made hampers for the Southside Family
Project.
The other bird boxes were donated to Bath City Farm and Lawrence
Weston Community Farm in Bristol.
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