Loughborough
Birdbox Festival
2026
A Competition open to Individuals,
Groups and Businesses
ENTRY OPEN FEB 15TH – APRIL 24th
ON THE MAY DAY BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND 1st-4th MAY
IN THE RECTORY WILDLIFE GARDEN
FULL DATES AND TIMES TBC
Rules and Regulations:
Entries will be judged and displayed in three main categories:
1: Individuals/Couples/Families/Friends
Work as a team or on your own, let’s see those skills and ideas you amazingly talented people!
Entry Fee £10
2: Community groups and educational establishments.
Whatever your group does we know you can come up with something brilliant here too!
Entry is free but a donation would still be very welcome.
3. Businesses
Which professionals have the best skills and ideas? Is it the Architects? Engineers? Graphic Designers? Builders? Butchers? Bakers? Candlestick Makers? Let’s find out!
You can display your company logo and details alongside the birdbox.
Entry Fee £50
The Bird Boxes MUST:
- Fit inside a box 40cmx30cmx25cm (a bit like carry on luggage at the airport)
- Have no loose components or sharp edges
- Have a 10mm hole in the rear for us to fix it in place for display. This should line up with the bird access hole so we can screw through it.
- Have a removable panel somewhere so that it can be cleaned.
- Be waterproof from a shower – this will be tested with a watering can.
- Not have any offensive words, slogans or images on them.
- Be robust enough for display and to take exposure to the elements
- Be accompanied by a name for the box… “Home Tweet Home”, “Beak House” etc. we’re sure you can think of something better than those though!
- Be accompanied by a brief description of the box and anything you think we need to know about it
Dropping off your completed Birdbox to us:
Drop off will be on
Thursday evenings 6:30 -7:30 and Saturday mornings 10:00 – 12:00
in the run up to the festival weekend.
These times will be confirmed closer to the festival.
That’s pretty much it.
RSPB guidelines below may be helpful to you.
https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities/build-a-birdbox
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Loughborough Birdbox Festival?
It’s a design and wildlife festival, mixing creative ideas with urban wildlife and conservation. It has three main aims:
- To be a vibrant, colourful spring festival of design and the environment
- To raise awareness of urban wildlife and the challenges it faces
- To be a fundraising event for the Rectory Wildlife Garden
Why is there a fee to enter?
The entry fee is a suggested charity donation to the Rectory Wildlife Garden. The money will be spent directly on projects in and around the Garden and help to keep the garden running in all sorts of ways. It will directly benefit the garden as well as the people and wildlife that use it on a daily basis.
If you or someone you know would like to participate but will struggle to pay the entry fee, please let us know. We’d rather people take part than miss out.
Can we still enter if we’re not Loughborough residents?
Absolutely!
If you can get the box to Loughborough for the festival we are very happy to accept entries from anywhere in the world.
What type of birds can I make a nestbox for?
Small UK garden birds, they can be open fronted like a robin next box or have a hole like a bluetit box.
Will there be power/electricity available where the birdbox is displayed?
No. If your birdbox has lights and sound system it’ll need to provide its own power.
What are the prizes?
There are three main categories and a winner in each, there may be other judges awards too.
There will also be a people’s favourite, voted for by members of the public.
Winners will receive a certificate and a trophy.
Can business entries display a company logo with their entry?
Yes, please do. Tell people who you are and what you do.
Can I have the Birdbox back after the competition?
If you can arrange collection within a week of the festival closing then yes. Any entries that are not claimed back will be used around Loughborough or sold to raise more funds for the Rectory Wildlife Garden.
Does it have to be made entirely of wood?
No, you can use whatever you like but bear in mind that it needs to be bird friendly.
How will the entries be judged?
The judges will include artists, designers and wildlife experts, they will be looking for:
Originality of design – this is the main one, what we really want to see.
Then in no particular order:
- Bird friendliness – it must conform to the principles of good birdbox design
https://www.rspb.org.uk/helping-nature/what-you-can-do/activities/build-a-birdbox - Use of materials
- Craftsmanship and attention to detail
- Waterproofing – there will be a watering can test, if the inside gets wet it’ll be marked down
Does the birdbox have to be useable by birds?
Yes. Please follow the broad RSPB guidelines.
Is there a weight restriction for the finished birdbox?
No, but if it’s particularly heavy please let us know so that we can think about how best to safely display it.
I don’t wish to enter the competition but I/my company would like to support/sponsor the event. Would that be possible?
Yes of course, please get in touch.
I don’t wish to enter the competition but I/my company would like to support/sponsor the event. Would that be possible?
Yes of course, please get in touch.
Can I enter anonymously?
Yes, if you don’t want people to know who you are that’s fine. Just give us a team name or something to use.
The Wildlife Garden is Located Here
Loughborough Rectory Wildlife Garden is tucked away between Fearon Hall and the Old Rectory Museum and in
and in close proximity to All Saints Church.
The Nearest Postcodes are LE11 1PL & LE11 1UW.
The Garden is Normally accessed via two gates one near the rectory museum and one between the parish church and Fearon Hall – These are marked with green markers on the map on either side of the pin for the wildlife garden. These gates are closed at dusk. There isn’t parking specifically for the garden but we’re only a short walk from the centre of town.
Directions can also be found by clicking on the what3words links below.
WHAT3WORDS:
A Bit About Us
Loughborough Rectory Wildlife Garden has been a community space since the 1990’s, providing a haven for people and wildlife just a short walk from Loughborough town centre.
The Rectory Wildlife Garden Charity is redeveloping the garden from its original layout to create accessible quiet spaces for people to reflect, learn, meet and relax. All in an environment which promotes local wildlife of all kinds.
As a community resourse, the garden is for everyone. We have accessible paths thoughout, seating areas, benches and a central lawn that can be used for small events.
We encourage local groups of all kinds to use the space.
Britain In Bloom
East Midlands in Bloom’s It’s Your Neighbourhood Award!
The Loughborough Rectory Wildlife Garden
Points Of Interest
History of
Loughborough Rectory Wildlife Garden
1950-2024
The land now occupied by the Steeple Row houses ( All Saint's View ), and the wildlife garden used to be occupied by a Rectory constructed in the late 1950s.
The Wildlife Garden was first instigated by former rector Stephen Cherry in 1996, when the rectory gardens became too large to manage. Together with Rev. Cherry, a group of enthusiastic volunteers formed the Rectory Wildlife Gardeners charity.
By sectioning off part of the rectory gardens, the charity established a wildlife haven to enhance biodiversity in the town centre and provide a peaceful garden for the benefit of the public.
The diocese sold the land to a developer in 2003, and the Rectory was demolished in 2009.
As part of the planning permission for the current Steeple Row housing development in 2013, the Wildlife Garden was transferred to Charnwood Borough Council to both ‘secure its retention as wildlife garden area open to the public’ and maintain the historical connection between the Parish Church and the Old Rectory - via a path called the Rector’s Walk.