It’s never too late to ‘Stick in a brick’. Click here to watch a video of how this all progressed!

In April 2023 we were asked by Five Rivers Cohousing to advise on the inclusion of swift bricks into their development by Oakworth Homes.

With most of the development already complete, Oakworth’s director, Craig Pygall met with our network member Chet Cunago, and it was agreed that 16 swift bricks could still be installed on 4 sections of housing not quite finished.
Despite the development being timber framed which have a narrower cavity, we found a suitable nest brick manufactured by Action for Swifts – the ‘S Brick’.  

Time, was against us, as the scaffolding was coming down within a few days, and we only had a small window of opportunity in which we could have the bricks manufactured to match the two differently coloured masonry bricks (one red, one sandstone) used throughout the development. Luckily Dick Newell and his team at Action for Swifts got to work immediately, and our order arrived 5 days later. Incredible effort, thank you Dick.

We also needed swift callers to attract swifts and let them know about their brand new ‘nests in the walls’ of the Five Rivers Development.

At that time, (late April) callers were in short supply, as people all over the country were buying them to attract swifts, who’s arrival to breed in the UK from Africa was imminent. Thankfully our friends Lynden and Lester from Peak Boxes came up trumps. Peak Boxes have been supplying us with all our craftsman made, quality sustainable swift boxes throughout the city for years. Within 24 hours the swift callers were in the boot of Chet’s car and delivered to site.

The speakers were fixed close to the bricks in the apex of each roof, and the wiring was integrated into the electrics with a control unit fitted into residents’ living rooms for them to play as soon as the first swift is sighted in Sheffield – hopefully the first week in May 2024.

We’d like to thank Action for swifts and Peak Boxes for really pulling out the stops to help us get this project completed in time. Also Craig and his team at Oakworth including brick layer Allan Renard, who couldn’t have been more accommodating or patient, as we filmed the installation of these incredible integrated nest bricks.

Thanks so much – Don’t they look epic?  Hopefully the residents of this fabulous development will hear the live scream of swifts before too long.

An EXTRA special thank you to Nichola Gilkes and all the Five Rivers folk for giving our swifts a chance.