North Down assembly member Andrew Muir MLA paid a visit to Montgomery Manor in Bangor on Friday to see first-hand tenants’ work to support nature and biodiversity.
Mr Muir was shown around the sheltered housing scheme by Victor Allister – a tenant who leads the Montgomery Wildlife Group – and Cameron Watt, Alpha Housing’s Chief Executive.
Alpha Housing has made supporting nature a key priority in their 2022-25 strategic plan and has helped fund the Montgomery Manor initiatives. Much work has been undertaken by the group of tenants who formed the Wildlife Group five years ago.
Tenants have set aside ‘no mow’ areas; established raised beds for wildflowers; planted native hedging and other nature friendly shrubs; and erected bird boxes and bug hotels.
Use of herbicides to control weeds has been greatly reduced. The result is a nature-friendly space in which everything from bugs to butterflies, and birds to beetles can now thrive. The Wildlife Group has also hosted a variety of talks by experts on topics, including local birdlife; solitary bees; and Northern Ireland’s native woodland.
Prior to the hour-long visit, some Montgomery tenants hand-picked acorns and other native tree seeds from the nearby Clandeboye Estate. During the visit, Mr Muir helped plant the acorns to cultivate oak saplings and planted a hawthorn tree in the scheme garden.
Once established, this planting will create even more nature friendly spaces. Mr Muir also joined staff and tenants over lunch to hear about their work to improve local biodiversity.
I am greatly encouraged to hear how Alpha Housing is partnering with tenants to nurture wildlife across its sites
Andrew Muir, North Down MLA
“It was a pleasure to meet the residents of Montgomery Count and see the wonderful work they have been doing to support nature in Bangor. I am greatly encouraged to hear how Alpha Housing is partnering with tenants to nurture wildlife across its sites,” said Andrew Muir MLA.
“This project highlights how we can all help to reverse the decline in biodiversity and identify ways to ‘let nature in’ to our back gardens. Small measures taken by tenants can make a big collective difference, whether that is establishing no-mow areas, planting native hedging, reducing the use of weedkillers, and erecting bird and bat boxes,” he added.
Cameron Watt said: “It was fantastic to show Mr Muir around Montgomery Manor so that he could see the all-important work to support nature being undertaken by the scheme’s Wildlife Group. Social landlords including housing associations and the Housing Executive are major landowners and have a vital part to play in helping the recovery of nature across Northern Ireland.
“Making new and existing housing developments nature friendly is something Alpha Housing is strongly committed to. This can be achieved in various ways, from planting native trees to including swift bricks and other wildlife-friendly design elements when homes are being built.”
He added: “Beyond the obvious wildlife benefits of projects such as this one at Montgomery Manor, it also helps our elderly tenants flourish as the activities provide valuable opportunities for companionship, teamwork and light exercise.”
