Early years community group at risk of closure due to lack of funding

A volunteer-led community project supporting families in Manchester is at risk of closure unless long-term funding is secured.

Based in Whalley Range, The BirdBox Mcr CIC recently met its crowdfunder target, but says further funding is needed to secure its future.

The BirdBox, an early year’s community interest company (CIC), operates from the old caretaker’s cottage at the Manley Park Primary school site. It aims to supports families with children from birth to pre-school.

The group has been running for three years and last year helped 85 families.

Founded by Natasha Kurth and Amy Glenister-Marshall, the project is delivered entirely by volunteers and staff are unpaid. All income is used to cover essential costs including rent, materials, and programme delivery.

Natasha, co-founder of The BirdBox, said: “Everything we do is voluntary,

“We currently charge for all sessions because that is how we pay the rent. We don’t pay ourselves. We just cover costs.

“The vision is that we wouldn’t be charging people to come to the space, but what we do to be inclusive is make sure we have a tiered price system.”

In 2025, the organisation was required to pay legal fees of around £3,000 to sign a lease for the building. While the partner school helped by covering half the costs, the remaining fees placed further financial pressure on BirdBox.

Natasha said: “To know that you’re in a deficit of three grand just to have the pleasure of being there to serve your community, we were just not expecting it at all.”

The organisation has relied heavily on a community crowdfunder in order to exist until the end of the year. The BirdBox has submitted four major funding applications, all of which have been unsuccessful. Natasha said: “Due to the competitive nature of CICs at the moment, it is just a really hard time. 

“We are at crunch point”

With professional backgrounds in early education and creative arts, Natasha and Amy built the organisation in response to gaps in early years provision following lockdown.

In line with the EYFS framework, BirdBox offers a range of early years programmes exploring Montessori and support both children and carers. They also run a weekly drop-in toddler café. There’s no need to book or pay, and all children get a free breakfast. Natasha said, “it was created out of necessity and a passion to give our younger ones the same quality of experiences that our older children were getting.” 

Due to setbacks in securing funding, BirdBox is currently working to create a sponsorship pack called “Friends of the BirdBox” and aims to contact local organisations to support families wanting to attend.

“Everything we do is built around families,” Natasha added. “Its potential is absolutely huge and even at this very early stage, the difference it is having on people’s lives is incredible and that is what fuels me.”

BirdBox continues to see increasing demand for its services. However, without securing longer-term funding, it will no longer be able to run.

For more information on The Bird Box Mcr CIC, visit: https://www.thebirdboxmcr.co.uk