If you’re green fingered and interested in helping the common house sparrow then Bupa and the RSPB want to hear from you.

The two organisations have come together to help reverse the decline in the UK house sparrow population by joining them in creating sparrow-friendly gardens.

Among them are Bakers Court Nursing Centre, in Little Ilford Lane, and Mornington Hall Residential and Nursing Home, in Whitta Road, both in Manor Park.

‘Save the Sparrow’ is the main focus this year of Bupa’s annual Wildlife Week (7 – 13 May), a week of special activities designed to create wildlife havens in care home grounds and gardens, to benefit species that are currently in decline in Britain.

Siobhan Drane, Bupa’s community and partnership manager, said: “Everyone enjoys seeing a cheeky sparrow in gardens, but this much loved British bird needs our help. So we’re asking everyone to join the campaign, either by offering a helping hand to our green-fingered residents or by making their own gardens more bird-friendly.”

As a result of a rapid decline in numbers in recent years, the UK house sparrow is afforded the highest conservation status. Although house sparrows are still seen in many gardens, their numbers have dropped by 55 per cent since the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch survey began in 1979.

This decline has been mirrored in other UK surveys, so to help the breeding population, Bupa care homes are growing wildlife seed patches and placing nesting boxes in grounds and gardens.

And to help the local community get involved too, Bupa has developed an online action plan at www.bupa.co.uk/wildlifeweek, providing activity ideas that will help sparrows keep their chicks alive this summer and provide homes for future years.

For more information, call 0845 600 4622, email wildlifeweek@bupa.com or visit www.bupa.co.uk/wildlifeweek