Feed the Birds was founded in 2016 by Shropshire Wildlife Trust. In 2024 we became a separate charity (Charity Registration Number 1208199), with the strong support of 10 trustees, to continue to expand the success of the initiative. A part-time Feed the Birds co-ordinator connects lonely and socially isolated people with a volunteer who visits them on a weekly basis to feed the birds in their garden. Clients are provided with a bird feeder which the volunteer tops up when they visit and a bird identification guide so that they can record the different types of birds they see in their garden. The project provides clients with a sense of purpose through observing and recording their garden wildlife and builds connections by offering them vital social contact with their volunteer. Volunteers undergo training on practical issues such as safeguarding along with learning about bird feeding. They are then matched with a local client that has been referred, via a health professional, social prescriber, adult and social care services or another voluntary sector organisation, e.g. The Alzheimer’s Society, Huntingdon's Disease Association and the Red Cross.
Extensive evaluation has shown Feed the Birds to be a simple yet highly effective project that has made a significant difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable and isolated people in society. The project has been hugely successful in reducing loneliness and increasing the wellbeing of the people it has supported and has also brought with it wider benefits for those caring for the client, and the volunteers. The focus on ‘feeding the birds’ has connected people with the natural world and has made a positive contribution to the local environment whilst providing a shared interest for the clients and volunteers.
“I’m a big supporter of Feed the Birds. It’s fantastic for mental health; it’s brilliant not just to talk but to watch and to enjoy the birds as well.” Iolo Williams, Naturalist and TV presenter.
