Malicious communication to Pound Road Flats

[Banstead Swifts]

A neighbour at 80 Pound Road showed us this anonymous letter that she received via Royal Mail, numbered but without her name..

We do not know how many homes received these, but we did not receive one.

This seems targeted after the Nest 1 issue.

We have reported it to Surrey Police but they are useless. 

It is clearly malicious with misinfirmation and intended to cause fear and panic. The target is to get nest boxes removed.

Any suggestions?

[Helen Lucy]

How many flats are there? I think I would deliver a counter-attack letter, explaining that the claims in the first letter were ridiculous, reassuring residents that they weren’t all about to die and enclosing a leaflet explaining why swifts/birds need our help. 

So sorry you are having to deal with such awful negativity. Good luck with it. Helen. 

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[Tanya Hoare]

I think any reply should be measured. First of all are they swift boxes they are complaining about? if any thing is designed to upset people iss calling them ridiculous. There is perhaps a theoretical risk, but this would be nothing compared with bird feeders which are almost universal. moreover swifts are not messy. It might be a good idea to find out a bit more since the writer is anonymous. The person could be well meaning but ill informed or just a trouble maker. Whatever happens one doesn’t want to exacerbate or amplify a non-existent problem.

 

Edmund Hoare

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[Alan Rosney]

Agree with previous comments. One could also mention the risk of disease, fleas etc spread by domestic animals. 

Alan (Glamorgan Swifts)

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[Banstead Swifts]

Hi All

Thanks Helen, as yours was the first response I saw and it made Barry and I go straight into action mode. I had put a response onto FB last night, but I don't think there is one resident in these blocks that follows Banstead Swifts. So we knew we were not targeting those we needed to.

This morning we put together a fresh response (see attached), and have posted that individually with a swift leaflet to every flat in the blocks which have nest boxes. We also did an A4 poster version, laminated it, and have blu tacked it up on the inside by each communal block door.

I think this should do the trick. Those that weren't interested in the malicious letter, will probably bin our reply, those that did swallow the malicious letters contents, will no doubt read our response. So I think that for now that is as much as we can do and I think it is a strong response in how to deal with the dark actor.

Thanks everyone for reading and replying it is all really helpful and supportive. Yes, we questioned why dogs, badgers, foxes, cats, rats were not included as a 'health concern'. We live beside a huge arable farm on greenbelt and the area is relatively full of wild animals and domestic ones.

Have a lovely weekend, happy swift watching!

It is grinding at us, but we just will not be defeated!

Love

Annie & Barry

[Helen Lucy]

That’s a great counterattack! Well done!  Lies must be countered with facts, which you have done brilliantly. If it was my leaflets you used to back it up, let me know if you need to top up your supply. 

Have a lovely weekend

Helen. 

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[Neil Whitaker]

Great response and one which I have made sure to copy and share in our community where we are only just setting out on our journey to make our Swifts more appreciated through uptake in Swift boxes

Regards
Neil Whitaker
Hemingford Swifts

Yahoo Mail: Search, organise, conquer

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[Louise at Bolton and Bury Swifts]

Brilliant response Annie & Barry!

Onwards & upwards 🙌 

Best Wishes,

Louise

 

      

 

Bolton & Bury Swifts

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From: 'Neil Whitaker' via swiftslocalnetwork <swiftsloc...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, May 23, 2026 3:14:59 pm
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[Tanya Hoare]

An informative and balanced response. Well done!

Edmund Hoare

Sedberg Community Swifts

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[Machynlleth & District Swift Group]

Hi,

I wonder how many people have died after picking up pathogens from birds? Presumably psittacosis is the most likely scenario. Am I right in thinking that dogs can carry over 60 zoonotic diseases (ie infections in that can spread between humans and animals). Millions of people have dogs. I wonder if the person who wrote this anon letter has a dog? Just thinking out loud!

Elfyn

On Fri, 22 May 2026 at 22:12, Banstead Swifts <banstea...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Banstead Swifts]

Hi all

Having had time to think about this anonymous malicious letter, I have come to the following conclusions:

1. Their goal is to completely de-rail Banstead Swifts work. This has not happened in the past 7 years, but it has happened after the nest 1 wildlife crime.

2. In the context of the past 14 days there are individuals in business and elected officials that are not happy that we have challenged them over a wildlife crime. It appears we have enemies by simply holding them to account.

3. RHT, rather than focus on resolving the crime at the time, instead commenced on intimidation and harrassment of us as residents.  It seemed an ill advised response from them and rather unhinged. 

On Monday the asst director of customer services, Joanne, contacted us, onve again asking for a meeting, now that the scaffolding had been removed. 

As per our legal advice: we said yes, we would be happy to meet on Friday 21st May, at our home, for 30 minutes between 11am - 1pm.

We asked for Joanne' approval for us to record the meeting (as per our legal advice) for both sides benefit. Joanne replied no and told us it was against Raven policy (however I believe they record all phone calls!). I replied and said it was very unfortunate as we would not able to meet without it being recorded, but that if her position changes to please let us know, as it is standard in many organisations to record meetings.  Even my online live art classes, Autism Friendly Surrey etc,  are all recorded, everything is these days! We have not heard since.

4. We have clearly ruffled our own local councillors up for calling them out, on not so much as even acknowledging Banstead Swifts presence and each time we asked for help, batting us off with no resolution over the past 7 years.

5. PR companies that see the company they are paid to represent with an impeccable image, of having negative publicity and wanting to fix that often employ various tactics. 

In previous campaigning (many years ago) I received anonymous death threats and was stalked by a man in a van, shouting abuse from his van whilst we waited to meet an ITV film crew, who only the big business we were campaigning against would have known we were meeting. I was also smeared in the Evening Standard comments section where my name was connected to Nick Griffin of the BNP and 'strangely passed moderation' . I received an apology. 

6. It could be a completely, independent, individually motivated bad actor. However putting that in context of what we have dealt with over the past 2 weeks, that seems too much of a coincidence. 

The individual clearly knows our address as they did not mail us the malicious letter, so they either have access to the electoral roll or have another source to know our address.

There can sometimes be very dark actors at play.

Best wishes

Annie

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