A conservation project in Garnethill is being used to highlight the value of social enterprise companies.
Sparrows have returned to one street in the inner city district since feed stations were set up three months ago.
Kelvindale-based bird feed company Garden Crowd has been using its profits to top up feeders with nutritional grub for the spuggies.
Gabby Morris, co-founder and managing director of Garden Crowd, said the results had been dramatic.
"In Garnethill, alongside our partners Friends of Garnethill Greenspaces we have installed nestboxes in Garnethill Park and surrounding area to support sparrow and tit populations.
'Increased'
"Our sponsored bird feeders have seen increased numbers of birds in the area.
"Garnethill Street had zero sparrows and is now home to around 25 and we have achieved this in 3 months."
Gabby and her company is joining a national campaign encouraging online shoppers, local businesses and the people of Glasgow to use their spending power to improve lives.
The Buy Social for a Better World Campaign is urging consumers to spend their money with social enterprises and create a positive impact through their everyday spend.
Social enterprises are businesses set up to build a better world – trading for a social or environmental purpose and re-investing the majority of their profits back towards their social mission.
There are over 100,000 of these businesses in the UK, contributing £60 billion to the economy.
'Support'
Garden Crowd has been working with community groups in greenspaces to put up bird feeders, nestboxes, birdbaths and create wildlife friendly habitats.
Gabby said: “We love birds and wildlife; we want to support them and see them thrive in our urban spaces.
"We don’t want the next generations living in cities to not know what birdsong is, that would be a tragedy but it’s possible if we don’t protect what we have left.
"It’s important to us at Garden Crowd that we help people reconnect with nature. Our mission is only possible because wonderful people up and down the country buy our bird-food.”
Since May 2019, Garden Crowd has supported urban birds in Glasgow with over 40kgs of bird food.
Gaddy added: "There have been several studies that show birdsong and birds can decrease stress, anxiety, depression and increase creativity, we need more of nature in our city to support people.
"The world is tough enough now as it is.
"Failing to protect the natural world which gives us so much would be wrong for everyone."
'Growing'
The Buy Social for a Better World campaign is being supported by Hollywood star, Michael Sheen, author and activist Caitlin Moran, actor and comedian Chris Addison and writer Sali Hughes.
Peter Holbrook, CEO of Social Enterprise UK (who are behind Buy Social for a Better World) said:
“All businesses must do more to meet the urgent challenges ahead; social enterprises are at the forefront of developing the solutions and fairness that we need.
"Social enterprises are the future of business – they are growing right across our economy and scaling quickly, creating outstanding products whilst doing what’s right for people and planet.
"Whether it’s creating fair and secure work or running renewable community energy schemes, they offer a beacon of hope and a blueprint towards a more sustainable and fairer future.
"However, in order to succeed, social enterprises need your support.
"Consumers have real power and social enterprises can only create impact if people continue to buy from them.
"When you buy social, you’re helping to build a better world.”
