London gardeners to learn how to make bird boxes

While the festive season is often a joyous occasion for the human residents of north London, certain winged creatures can struggle with the cold.

With this in mind, Hampstead Parish Church is set to show garden and greenhouse fans how to create a birdhouse to give the small animals a place to shelter from the cold.

Participants will be shown how to monitor the boxes and where to place them to be of most benefit to their users.

After winter is gone, they can be useful nesting places for blue tits, starlings and sparrows – all of which are local species – in springtime.

However, the boxes provide another useful function by giving bats – one of the UKs most endangered mammals – a place to roost and hibernate throughout winter.

Taking place tomorrow (Saturday November 21st), the free event will run from 11:00 until 13:00 GMT.

The church will also be hosting a free Christmas market on the same day, where attendees may be able to pick up gifts for loved ones.