Wildlife and Birdcare CIC

Just one year ago I was suffering the effects of the pandemic and for most this was tough but for people like me with ‘Autism’ it bought greater challenges. I was literally crawling the walls! My mum one day said to me, I want you to make for me some bird nesting boxes and bird table and swiftly sent me to the garage… overnight I made 30 and she was really impressed… I decided to put these on-line and share my efforts, straight away I got a response asking me to send more information. Just a year later I have made over 20,000 habitat boxes for wildlife, birds and insects and Wildlife and Birdcare was founded. We have since turned it into a NOT for PROFIT Community Interest Company for the purpose of reinvesting the profits back into people and nature projects.

Sammy Holman CEO

That one moment changed my life and the lives of my friends who I managed to find to help me on this unexpected journey. What we did not know was the changes that the pandemic has bought to buyers of ‘Wildbird Care’ the exuberant rise in the costs of imports from overseas and the Covid outbreak forced buyers to re-think their procurement destinations and this drove a lot more business back to the UK.

I touched that moment just at the right time! I was and am able to provide for the industry safe, rustic, UK manufactured habitat boxes with zero chemicals and made from larch a natural water repellent wood sourced from FSC UK forests! This ticked so many boxes. We were bombarded with orders, and found ourselves in demand. I had to think quick, as out of my garage at home where I was working during the lockdown to today in our 3000 sq ft factory, we are bursting at the seems.

Just one year later are working alongside some of the biggest wildlife trusts, charities and retailers who all share the same ethos as me and that is SAVING THE CRISIS OF NATURE and providing the UK with compliant, safe rustic homes for garden friends.

Being Autistic myself, I have had a dream to help others with autism and so I went and talked to the principle of our local SEN collage and today I have 16 young adults with learning disabilities working on an internship with us, teaching them skills in wood, print and production. These young people I have provided with an opportunity for them to gain their working wings and fly! Ordinarily due to our ‘difference’ this would be impossible and tricky with most of us who are wired differently, who struggle with communication and learning skills. However, as a supported group we have now a proven track record that this works!

What this opportunity is providing us all with is opportunity, growth and empowerment to prove, we are able to cope in the ‘World of Work’ as long as we are supported. I am working on collaborating with other buyers, retailers and on-line sellers, I have gained us a contract with Ark Wildlife, The National Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and others. Any contracts of work that can help us expand our operation and grow, I am able to provide more opportunities to young adults and look to sending this simple model county wide.

As a team we are proving that having autism, a learning disability or diverse need, need not be looked upon as a ‘Disability’ but a ‘Difference Ability’ and together we have in just 1 year been recognised and awarded with our first ESG award for our work with nature, manufacturing and our nurturing and support of young adults who need a little extra support.