RHS and Wildlife and Birdcare Nature Recovery Project partner
The Wildlife and Birdcare Nature Recovery Project (WBC), a specialist British designer and manufacturer of wildlife habitats, feeders and food, has been licensed by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) to produce a wooden habitat home collection for a variety of garden wildlife.
This is a striking, high-quality range intended for wild birds, insects and wildlife, with an RHS-inspired dark green and natural oak colour scheme that is not only beautiful but also adds an identity and vitality to garden decor.
All the habitats are eco-friendly, non-chemical-based and built with sustainability in mind. FSC UK-sourced larch wood is used, while ingredients for the insect hotels are foraged and carefully selected by hand when each product is made. No glue is used in any of the construction; this means parts can be easily replaced when necessary.
The RHS Supporting Nature range is available for garden centres, pet stores, farm shops and other retail outlets across the UK, including at RHS Retail, as well as online, to stock now. RHS branding will be on product wraps, packaging and associated wildlife information.
The RHS Supporting Nature range was launched at Spring Fair, in early February where it attracted a very positive response and a large number of enquiries. The WBC and its collection will also appear at a variety of RHS shows, including RHS Malvern Spring Festival, RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival and RHS Flower Show Tatton Park. Products will feature within planting at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
WBC is a Community Interest Company – a not-for-profit organisation that manufactures a wide range of wildlife habitats for wild birds, insects and wildlife.
It also provides work opportunities for people with learning disabilities: all of its products are made with the help of young adults with autism and additional needs. As a Department for Education (DfE)-recognised and licensed training provider, WBC runs a skills and learning centre in Stoke-on-Trent which teaches industry skills to young people who are in their last year of SEN college.
CEO Sammy Holman, who is autistic and disabled herself, developed, created and launched WBC to tackle social imbalances and increase work opportunities for young SEN students by developing other ways to teach, learn and prepare young people who are neurodiverse to become more industry skilled.
WBC’s work is now part of a roll-out programme offered to educators and other training providers who can become franchisees, making WBC’s teaching available both in the UK and in the USA.
Sammy Holman says: “We’re enormously proud of these handcrafted wildlife habitats and delighted to have worked on this project with the RHS, an organisation that shares our love of nature, our devotion to quality craftsmanship and our concern for sustainability. The support of the RHS is also invaluable in helping to further our work in encouraging acceptance and support of those who are autistic or diverse.”
Cathy Snow, RHS Licensing Manager adds: “The WBC-RHS habitat range is not only useful, beautiful and sustainable but well-made and sturdy with a strong focus on being fit for purpose that makes it ideal for the wildlife we are trying to support and encourage into the garden. But there’s even more to this partnership. It enables the RHS to support WBC’s skills and learning programme, an important part of WBC’s aims to be a social enterprise supporting business for good. We’re delighted to be working with WBC.”
