Young people did their bit for Hackney’s bird population at the weekend, making homes for them to put in the borough’s parks.

The group, which was engaged through national youth charity Catch22, made 15 bird boxes which they have given to the council to install, with the aid of helpers from volunteer organisation City Year.

As London continually expands, nesting opportunities within parks and natural areas decrease, so the boxes will provide birds with safe habitats to breed in as spring approaches.

Richard Ashiagbor, Catch22 Hackney service manager, said, “The session provided the young people with the opportunity to learn basic carpentry skills, while making resources that will benefit the wildlife and community where they live.”

The session was run as part of the Community Space Challenge programme, funded by the Big Lottery.

The five year national programme supports young people to identify run down and neglected spaces within their community, and to take action to make them cleaner, greener and available for the whole community to enjoy.