Biodiversity Grant Summary
Grosvenor Road Allotments
£1,544
Total Grant Awarded
We are delighted to announce that Grosvenor Road Allotments has been awarded a £1,544 National Lottery grant to fund an exciting new biodiversity programme. This project will create richer habitats for local wildlife, strengthen our site as an urban wildlife corridor, and deepen our community’s connection with the natural world. The project will benefit our 100+ members and 250+ regular visitors.
Project Goals
Convert lawn sections to native wildflower patches focused on pollinators and seed-producing species
Install animal habitats across communal areas — nest boxes, bat boxes, hedgehog houses, bee habitats
Deploy bird feeders and maintain food supplies through the critical autumn/winter months
Encourage member activity to create a wildlife corridor across the whole site
Run community events: bat watches, insect surveys, box-building workshops, and national survey participation
Evaluate impact via wildlife cameras and ongoing community reporting
Grant Budget Breakdown
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Bird feeders (×9, squirrel-proof) | £360 |
| Nesting boxes (×10, RSPB) | £200 |
| Bat detector (Echo Meter Touch 2) | £175 |
| Hedgehog housing (×3) | £120 |
| Bird food (3 × 13kg sacks) | £105 |
| Bird baths (×4) | £100 |
| Wildlife camera (NatureSpy Ursus) | £100 |
| Winter/spring bulbs (×1000) | £100 |
| Bat boxes (×3, RSPB) | £66 |
| Pollinator-attracting seeds | £60 |
| Bamboo bee tubes | £50 |
| Food storage containers (×3) | £36 |
| Fencing pins for wildflower patches | £32 |
| Bulb planters (×2) | £24 |
| Bird feeder cleaning tools | £16 |
| Total | £1,544 |
Recommended Activity Timeline
Spring
Mar – May
Sow wildflower seeds — ideal germination window; mark out and fence patches now
Install nest boxes — before breeding season begins (ideally Feb/March)
Put up bat boxes — bats begin using roosts from April
Deploy bee tubes & habitats — solitary bees active from March
Set up wildlife camera — begin baseline monitoring
Box-building workshop — community event for members & families
Summer
Jun – Aug
Wildflower maintenance — weed young patches; let established areas bloom
Install bird baths — critical in dry spells; keep topped up and clean
Big Butterfly Count — July/Aug; recruit member volunteers
Family insect survey day — community event using site habitats
Bat watch evening — July/Aug peak bat activity; use bat detector
Regular feeder cleaning — higher disease risk in warm weather
Autumn
Sep – Nov
Plant crocus bulbs — Oct is the prime window for spring flowering
Install hedgehog houses — before hibernation (Oct/Nov); position near log piles
Deploy all bird feeders — fully stocked by October as natural food declines
Stock food storage boxes — buy & store feed to last through winter
Cut wildflower patches — leave seed heads standing for birds where possible
Winter
Dec – Feb
Maintain feeders — refill regularly; clean monthly; Big Garden Birdwatch in Jan
Review wildlife camera footage — mid-winter assessment of mammal activity
Inspect bat & nest boxes — after season ends; clean ready for spring
Plan next year’s wildflower expansion — committee review of patch success
Compile grant evaluation report — camera data, wildlife log, member feedback
How We’ll Measure Success
Wildlife Camera
Ongoing monitoring of mammal and bird activity across the site
National Surveys
Big Garden Birdwatch, Big Butterfly Count, International Bat Day