At a specially-arranged meeting, local MP, David Rutley, met with members the recently-formed 'Swifts Over Macclesfield' (SOM) group, which has been established by local RSPB Macclesfield Wildlife Explorers to help protect and support iconic local swift populations.
At the meeting, the SOM members gave David a presentation on the group’s aims, highlighting the concerning decline in swift numbers in and around Macclesfield in recent years. As part of their proposals, the group is campaigning for Cheshire East Council to require new developments in the town to have dedicated nest boxes for swifts installed, to help encourage the return of this much-loved species to the area in greater numbers.
David pledged his continued support for this important initiative to protect and enhance local biodiversity, and confirmed that he would go on working with Cheshire East Council, to help identify sites in Macclesfield town centre where nest boxes could be installed, and encourage developers to participate in this initiative. David also facilitated an introduction with officers from Cheshire East Council’s Planning Department and the local SOM group, to help ensure continued dialogue to enable this valuable project to be taken forward.
The Swifts Over Macclesfield group includes members of the RSPB Local Group, the British Trust for Ornithology, Cheshire Wildlife Trust, the Barn Owl Trust, as well as bird box builders and swift surveyors. Any local residents interested in getting involved with the group’s work can contact it through the local RSPB’s website (ww2.rspb.org.uk/groups/macclesfield/contact), to find out more.
Speaking after the meeting, David said, "It was great to meet with the Swifts Over Macclesfield group, and I am pleased to give my backing to this positive initiative to help encourage the return of swifts in numbers to Macclesfield, and boost the biodiversity of our area. It is good to hear that the group's discussions with Cheshire East Council are progressing positively, and I will go on supporting this exciting project in the months ahead."