HOUSEBUILDER Miller Homes Midlands is encouraging new home owners in Kidderminster to welcome wildlife into their gardens by joining forces with the RSPB in a new initiative.

Under the scheme, purchasers at the town’s Sutton Goldings development will receive a garden bird nest box, along with a booklet of hints on how to encourage biodiversity and make their gardens a place where birds and nature can thrive.

According to the RSPB, which is running a campaign called Giving Nature a Home, wildlife and natural places are under pressure and are in danger of being damaged or lost completely.

Paul Walters, associate director at Miller Homes Midlands, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with the RSPB on this initiative because sustainability is something we take very seriously.

“For us, this means playing a full part in working to safeguard the long-term future of the world around us by building responsibly and sustainably and ensuring we do all we can to preserve the physical environment, as well as creating communities that flourish in every sense.

“One of the very simple steps we can take is to encourage biodiversity in the communities we are creating and we hope that the families moving into our homes will enjoy using the nest box to give nature a home in their gardens.”

Duncan Orr-Ewing of the RSPB, who is responsible for species and land management, said: “Homes are where we eat, where we sleep and where we bring up our families.

"Our wildlife has the same basic needs and we are really pleased that Miller Homes has recognised this, taking positive steps to promote the concept of using our gardens as a place to protect nature and to allow it to thrive.

“We hope the nest boxes will prove to be an exciting addition for the Miller Homes’ purchasers involved in this initiative and are confident that when families put theirs to use they’ll be amazed at what they find.”

The sustainable initiative coincides with the launch of Miller Homes’ new sustainability strategy, A Better Place, launched at the end of last year. The strategy sets out in detail what it aims to achieve between now and 2020.