South Antrim MP Robin Swann is holding a public conservation event in Toome. The gathering will focus on efforts to protect the native swift population.

The event is scheduled for Friday 12 June, running from 1pm to 2pm at the Lock Keeper’s Cottage. It is free to attend and forms part of Great Big Green Week.

Mr Swann will be joined by local swift conservationists, including members of the RSPB Antrim Group. Attendees will hear about the Home for Swifts campaign and the need to safeguard nesting spaces for the birds.

Swifts rely on cavities in roofs and buildings to breed, and conservation groups have raised concerns about habitat loss and falling numbers.

Mr Swann urged residents, businesses and councils to take practical steps to support the species. He described the swift as the Bird of the Borough and said community action could help ensure it remains a presence in South Antrim.

He added that the event would explain how local people can contribute to conservation efforts in their own areas.