Our association with the Aylsham Swift Group, which started in earnest with making swift nesting boxes for Aylsham St Michaels church tower, brought yet another commission!
In October 2024, discussions around a design for swift boxes for Marsham church tower began. Because each church tower is subtly, and, sometimes, not so subtly different, the design varies. This is down to the space available for open access to the outside and structures that can be used in order to attach the boxes. All this means that what is produced is less a swift box and more a swift apartment block!
One of our members, Carey, took all of the details and drew up some plans whilst permission and funding were sought from the church and by the local community. One of the funding mechanisms used amongst the local villagers was ‘sponsor a swift box’ and, we believe that there is a strong competitive feeling as to whose box gets the first tenant!
The cutting out of all the various components started in mid-February and went on into March 2025, with the actual construction starting in the middle of March. The main sponsor of the project, along with a representative from Aylsham Swift Group joined a shed session during build and expressed excitement in seeing it all come together.
The boxes were finally installed on 1st April 2025, ready for the return of the swifts, which tends to be around the end of the first week in May. Finger crossed!
