Big Birdhouse Tour takes flight
The Big Birdhouse Tour, a partnership between the RSPB and intu shopping centres, aims to engage millions of shoppers across Britain, raising important funds and awareness for the wildlife charity and its ‘Giving Nature a Home’ campaign.
The tour, which kicked off on 14 July, will visit 15 of the largest and busiest shopping centres in Britain (see the table below for dates and locations). Each of the larger-than-life birdhouses has been designed by a different celebrity, with everyone from Olympic athletes to artists taking part, including Olympic swimmer Becky Adlington, DJ Jo Wiley, comedian Vic Reeves and wildlife TV presenter Steve Backshall.
The tour has a serious message, too. It was inspired by the 2013 State of Nature report, which showed that 60 per cent of the British wildlife studied had declined. The RSPB and intu hope to reach more than 30 million people, highlighting the importance of providing habitat for nature and explaining the vulnerability of many of Britain’s best-loved bird species.
Trevor Pereira, commercial and digital director of intu, said: “This tour is all about creating a buzz around the nature that surrounds us in our own back gardens and countryside, inspiring people to look after Britain’s birds and wildlife so our towns, coasts and countryside are thriving with nature.”
An important element of the tour is its educational schools engagement programme to introduce schoolchildren to the RSPB and its conservation work. This includes creative activities that support the national curriculum to provide an informative and fun session to get children and schools involved in their own wildlife projects.
Bryan Bland, Head of Corporate Partnerships at the RSPB, said: “Our partnership is a superb example of reaching out to people where they are and showcasing the relevance and importance of ‘giving nature a home’. intu centres offer fantastic spaces to enable us to do something really fun and creative, and we hope to connect with people up and down the country to inspire and encourage them to connect with nature.”
Tour dates |
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intu centre
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Start date
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End date
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intu Lakeside
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14 July 2015
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9 August 2015
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intu Bromley
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11 August 2015
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6 September 2015
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intu Uxbridge
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8 September 2015
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4 October 2015
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intu Watford
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6 October 2015
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1 November 2015
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intu Milton Keynes
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3 January 2016
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30 January 2016
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intu Merry Hill
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1 February 2016
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27 February 2016
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intu Derby
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29 February 2016
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26 March 2016
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intu Victoria Centre/Broadmarsh
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28 March 2016
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30 April 2016
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intu Chapelfield
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2 May 2016
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28 May 2016
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intu Potteries
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30 May 2016
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25 June 2016
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intu Trafford Centre
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28 June 2016
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23 July 2016
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intu Eldon Square
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26 July 2016
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21 August 2016
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intu Braehead
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23 August 2016
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18 September 2016
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intu Metrocentre
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20 September 2016
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16 October 2016
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The tour will have an educational aspect, teaching children about the RSPB's work
and the importance of conservation. Photo courtesy of intu.