Bupa wants us all to save the sparrow

Siobhan Drane, Community and Partnerships Manager for Bupa Care Homes, tells us all about working with the RSPB, Wildlife Week and saving the sparrow.

Bupa Care Homes is one of the UK's largest care home providers with over 300 homes. In 2010, we formed a partnership with the RSPB to turn 11 of our homes into 'homes for wildlife', creating a better habitat for a range of wildlife and enriching the lives of residents.

Together with the RSPB, we devised a training programme for care home staff, showing them ways to create wildlife havens within their grounds and providing them with ideas for wildlife-related activities for residents. And thus ‘Wildlife Week' was born.

Following the success of this pilot, we've decided to roll out Wildlife Week to all homes in 2012. Not only will this benefit wildlife, but based on the reaction we got from residents in 2011, it'll bring great benefits to our residents too.

Out the window

When 76 year-old Pat Warwick moved into The Westbury care home in Wiltshire after a stroke her daughter chose her room because of its lovely garden view.

Keeping up with the comings and goings of the wildlife in the garden just outside her window gives Pat hours of pleasure. She finds the real life drama outside her window fascinating to watch.

'We've got wrens, blue tits and my brother-in-law saw coal tits,' says Pat. 'We also get a lot of white butterflies and loads of ladybirds. I see plenty of bees too. I've had to have my window closed when they're all round the hydrangea.'

Given half a chance Pat's out in the garden – and she's often persuading other people to join her.

'The longer I'm out there the better,' says Pat. 'When some of the others are short of something to do, I say ‘look outdoors'. Once they've tried it they find it lifts the spirits – you can't beat a bit of fresh air.'

Bird house

Soon after 86 year-old Jean moved into Bupa's Market Lavington care home, she positioned an armchair by the patio doors in her room. Having a view of the birds in the garden, just like in her old flat, has really helped Jean settle in.

Spotting Jean's interest in birds, activity co-ordinator Deborah brought her some RSPB information sheets. Now Jean is able to indentify what species she can see.

'There are sparrows, blackbirds, a robin and pigeons – two types, I've learned from the sheet. Twice I saw some little brown birds and I knew they were sparrows and they're scarce now.'

Having worked as a teacher for many years, and raised three children with her late husband, Jean is appreciating having the time now to sit and watch the birds.

'I've been too busy all my life and it's nice just sitting back,' says Jean.'Even now, friends and family have so much to talk about when they come in.'

But when everyone's gone, Jean can just sit back in her new room and share a bit of peace and quiet with her feathered friends.

Save the Sparrow

The RSPB's recent Big Garden Birdwatch showed that the house sparrow population has declined by over 50 per cent since 1979.

To help reverse this, the focus of Wildlife Week 2012 will be a Save the Sparrow campaign. Following expert advice from the RSPB, our care homes will be taking positive steps towards creating sparrow-friendly gardens and we'll be encouraging members of the community to do the same.

Take a look at our simple five step plan to Save the Sparrow.